Joan

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...

I am writing this after series 1. The story is left open.

This had been hyped in advance for many weeks so I just had to bingewatch it.

Perhaps the hype was greater than thd show but, for those of us of a certs in age, there was plenty of nostalgia to see. The clothes, the music, the styles and the vehicles brought back there era so well.

I am not sure why The Wicked Game by Chris Izaak from 1989 was featured in a early 80s drama but it's not my biggest gripe.

Despite all the dressing up the show, the story is very modern being full of feminism, me too and all men are either weak or evil while it's OK for a woman to do illegal things as long as it is in a honourable cause.

Sophie Turner throws herself into the story well and there are some great songs but did we really need Bucks Fizz twice?

They could have included ELO and Ticket To The Moon which starts with the lines "Remember the good old 1980s when things were so uncomplicated? ... I wish I could go back there and everything could be the same"

Sophie Turner delivers a remarkable performance, transporting viewers back to the vibrant 80s with its iconic hair, music, and cars. The show begins with a captivating story that pulls you in, creating a sense of deep involvement. However, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly implausible that an ordinary woman, with no criminal background, quickly evolves into a mastermind thief, manipulating seasoned criminals within days. One particularly frustrating element is Joan's tendency to gaslight others, despite her own flawed ideas. Overall, the series serves as a commentary on the shortcomings of weak men.

I was quite engaged with Joan in the first couple of episodes and Turner and Dillane were excellent and had chemistry but unfortunately it lost its way as it progressed. It was essentially TV crime by the numbers with cliched characters and situations and from what I've read is not very accurate in regards the real Joan Hannington. I'm not saying it has to be as I accept it was just based on the actual person but I was a bit disappointed how it all panned out and it all fell flat, especially in the final episode. It was a shame as both Sophie Turner and Frank Dillane demonstrated they can act well and I hope to see them again in perhaps a better vehicle.

The poor reviews here are to me amusing, it's a good series the acting is great, the characters are well developed but hold on here the story is great, no one complained about Atomic Blonde it's the soundtrack aswell that's brilliant, epitomises the music at that time it's realistically set in how London was at that time, the it's a pity that people can't pull back and just enjoy something like this, pull your heads in and just enjoy it , the comments I'm reading gets me thinking have to watched the same series, don't see those comments about snatch or kill bill glorifying violence, I'm laughing.