Based on the book by Joan Hannington herself, this 6-part ITV series starred Sophie Turner in the title role as what you'd almost call a gentlewoman burglar. We're taken back to the early 80's and straight away dropped into Joan's world, just as her violent, criminal husband up and leaves her and their young child Kelly in the lurch. Joan tries to cope as a single parent, but when even a spell working for her sister fails to come off, she drifts into a life of crime, opportunely stealing a handful of diamonds from the jeweller's store where she was working. Running away from the cops, she bumps into her future husband, the spivvy antique-dealer "Boysie" Hannington. They click with each other straight away, as much on a criminal level as anything else and it's not long before they're cooking up get-rich quick plans for their mutual benefit, bringing in Boysie's equally shady, well-connected mate Albie to help with their more ambitious plans.
Over the six episodes we see just how easily Joan adapts herself to a life of deception. A veritable mistress of crime, she's as adept at donning disguises as she is at faking accents, for one job, she's Scottish and for others American. The road to true crime however never runs smoothly and the couple experience many a bump in said road as they recklessly try to dispose of a valuable Stubbs painting they've stolen to the IRA, leading Joan to dream up one last big heist to enable her and her daughter to escape to Spain and live happily ever after. Believe that and you'll believe anything, with crime decidedly not paying as her big idea to return to her old stamping ground to make one last big score doesn't go to plan in rather disastrous fashion, in different ways, for both her and hubby.
Knowing it was based on real-life events gave the programme credibility so that I could relax and watch every incredible up and down in Joan's life in proper truth-is-greater-than-fiction fashion, not that I doubt more than just the odd invention or distortion was made strictly for dramatic purposes, you understand.
Turner was terrific in the lead role, everything she did motivated by a need to keep her daughter close by her, after initially having to pass her over to Social Services at her lowest ebb. Smart, tough and sexy, she runs rings around most of the men around her and is well backed up by Frank Dillane as her literal partner in crime Boysie and Gershwyn Eustache Jr as Albie the go-between.
I certainly found it a gripping and involving watch, the programme aptly conveying time and place with its use of locations, cars, fashions, furnishings and music. It was definitely one of the best ITV crime dramas I've seen although I guess there is a debate to be had about whether or not a show like this glamourises crime. Some may argue that hers were largely victimless crimes but tell that to the honest citizens she robbed, more than one of whom experienced violence and no doubt emotional trauma at the hands of her and her accomplices...
