It's not meant to be a documentary - I think it's good entertainment, a nice balance between drama and comedy (certainly Denise Welch trying to act seductive is simultaneously one of the funniest and most disturbing things I've seen on the box in a long time - please tell me it's self-parody).
It may be Grange Hill for grown-ups, but I like it, far-fetched or not. Plus, of course, it has Jill Halfpenny in it (*sighs wistfully*).