REVIEW: Noughts And Crosses Episodes One-Three, Five And Six

 REVIEW: Noughts And Crosses, Series 1 Episodes One-Three, Five And Six

Out of all of the excellent series which aired during 2020, Noughts and Crosses emerged as one of my favourites. For that very reason, I decided to gather together my thoughts on episodes one to three, five and six which were originally published last year, over on my Twitter profile.

Episode One

I gave the first episode of Noughts + Crosses a go, and I'm not sure what to make of the show yet. It's an odd watch, like if Romeo and Juliet was about racial segregation, but with white characters as the ethnic minority. It's unusual, but contains a powerful message that will resonate with many.

Episode Two

Okay, I'm starting to get into this more. It's a very well-written drama, so strong and with excellent performances by all the cast. It's this year's Years and Years for sure.

Episode Three

Wow, this was certainly an impressive piece of television. It explores some very deep dramatic ideas, like the lead character pointing his gun at his own brother, and ends in the most shocking way possible with the explosion that acts as the cliffhanger to this third episode.

Episode Five

This episode is really a showcase for Maggie McGregor, and Helen Baxendale delivers a powerhouse performance. The episode really delves deep into how Ryan McGregor's supposed 'suicide' and the deception there affects her, as well as the rest of the family, who as you would expect are absolutely devastated by their loss.

Episode Six

This episode really pushes Callum and Sephy's relationship to their limits. I'm not sure I'm too much of a fan of Callum kidnapping Sephy and holding her hostage - it seems a bit extreme (N.B.: According to a reply I received to this comment at the time, this was in fact actually a key event from the book that the BBC series is adapted from) - but there's some good stuff here overall and great acting from all involved.

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What are your thoughts on Noughts And Crosses' first series? Let me know in the comments.