A mother in despair is swept up into the exhilarating world of crime as she swings between trying to get her daughter back from social services and building a daring, thriving career as a je... Read allA mother in despair is swept up into the exhilarating world of crime as she swings between trying to get her daughter back from social services and building a daring, thriving career as a jewel thief.A mother in despair is swept up into the exhilarating world of crime as she swings between trying to get her daughter back from social services and building a daring, thriving career as a jewel thief.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total
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Joan has no choice but to leave her violent partner, with nowhere to go she places her daughter in temporary care. In a pub Joan encounters a man named Boisie, who recognises a talent Joan has, for stealing.
Joan is an interesting subject, I'm not sure she comes across as a particularly good or likeable person, her motives throughout seemed totally selfish.
It's a very watchable, beautifully made series, it truly looks so good, the fashions, sets and cars all bring the 1980's back to life.
It may be a little on the slow side to start, but it opens up well, episode six is particularly good, it's a very dramatic conclusion. It could have worked better over four episodes.
Sophie Turner delivers a terrific performance as the title character, you really do see Joan develop from a woman escaping an abusive partner, to a sophisticated jewel thief. Turner's transformations are terrific, effortless almost.
7/10.
Joan is an interesting subject, I'm not sure she comes across as a particularly good or likeable person, her motives throughout seemed totally selfish.
It's a very watchable, beautifully made series, it truly looks so good, the fashions, sets and cars all bring the 1980's back to life.
It may be a little on the slow side to start, but it opens up well, episode six is particularly good, it's a very dramatic conclusion. It could have worked better over four episodes.
Sophie Turner delivers a terrific performance as the title character, you really do see Joan develop from a woman escaping an abusive partner, to a sophisticated jewel thief. Turner's transformations are terrific, effortless almost.
7/10.
It's 1985. Single mother Joan O'Connell (Sophie Turner) escapes after her petty criminal boyfriend gets in trouble with violent gangsters. She is forced to place her daughter with the authorities while she tries to start again in London. She steals gems from her workplace. She joins crooked antiques dealer Boise Hannington (Frank Dillane) on her way to becoming a real life Godmother.
I think this is a limited series. It could continue, but I don't know about any future plans. As it stands, it's six episodes of about forty five minutes each. That's four and a half hours in total. Some of it feels slow. The crimes are not actually that thrilling. Her desperation for her daughter is the most emotionally compelling. This needs some condensing in order to quicken certain parts.
I think this is a limited series. It could continue, but I don't know about any future plans. As it stands, it's six episodes of about forty five minutes each. That's four and a half hours in total. Some of it feels slow. The crimes are not actually that thrilling. Her desperation for her daughter is the most emotionally compelling. This needs some condensing in order to quicken certain parts.
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.
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"
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"
My wife and I have just finished watching the full series and I have to say that we were gripped from the very start.
Whoever cast Sophie as Joan certainly knew their job and knew it well. As a matter of fact, the whole cast were brilliant and I don't think they could have picked anyone better.
After watching Sophie in the Game of thrones, I was surprised she did so well for her first major casting. But after this performance, I can honestly say that I would go as far as saying that she truly has to be one of the best actresses in the UK at the moment.
Also, I have to give credit to the actor that played Boisie (His name slips me sorry). Again, he gave a superb performance and his and Sophie's on screen chemistry was nothing short of awesome.
All in all, I loved it and it makes me want a season two. Fingers crossed.
Whoever cast Sophie as Joan certainly knew their job and knew it well. As a matter of fact, the whole cast were brilliant and I don't think they could have picked anyone better.
After watching Sophie in the Game of thrones, I was surprised she did so well for her first major casting. But after this performance, I can honestly say that I would go as far as saying that she truly has to be one of the best actresses in the UK at the moment.
Also, I have to give credit to the actor that played Boisie (His name slips me sorry). Again, he gave a superb performance and his and Sophie's on screen chemistry was nothing short of awesome.
All in all, I loved it and it makes me want a season two. Fingers crossed.
Did you know
- TriviaJoan Hannington was a real life villain and member of the British criminal elite for over a decade. She was indeed renowned as a diamond thief and did serve time in prison - but that was actually for cheque book fraud, not theft.
- How many seasons does Joan have?Powered by Alexa
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