TV Review: Banished

Sometimes on TV can be rubbish and nothing worth watching. Then there comes a period when there is many good programmes to watch, it’s not usual but since January there have been good programmes to watch.

One of these programmes is Banished which is being shown on BBC2 at the moment. Banished is a British drama created by Jimmy McGovern previously of Brookside fame.

Banished is set in the 18th Century, specifically 1788 in the first penal colony founded by the British in New South Wales, Australia. There are a thousand convicts who have been sent by Britain and they are being kept prisoners by 100 Royal Navy Men.

There is a rule where for every five men there is one woman for them to be partnered which causes tension between the Navy Men. None of the convicts are allowed to have a woman, they are only for the Navy men. All married men are out of bounds.

The cast is fantastic and includes Russell Tovey (of Being Human fame) who plays James Freeman, a convict who ends up imprisoned for being a pickpocket.  Tovey is a brilliant actor and great in this role where we have seen play:

• ·         Victim – his food was being stolen from him by another convict, Marston (played by Rory McGann). Food Is rationed b the Navy Men and they got served small portions so not being allowed to eat was hell for Freeman but Marston wouldn’t give in and made Freeman very angry.
• ·         Jealous Lover – He is in love within Elizabeth Quinn (MyAnna Buring) who is in a relationship, a forbidden one, with Freeman’s best friend Tommy Barrett (Julian Rhind-Titt). Even though they are friends there is no tension between them due to being in love with same women.  They look after each other as friends are precious.
• ·         Murderer – Marston was so ugly to Freeman and all the other convicts that he decided something needed to be done and along with Tommy they murder him.  First they bury him in the sand but when the dogs start sniffing around him. They get scared and decide the sea is the best place for him as with enough weights they hoped he would sink to the bottom and never be discovered.
• ·         Runaway – Their plan didn't work as Marston was found by one of the girls who tried to kill herself by drowning but bumped into him and screamed. Major Ross (a prominent figure) suspect Freeman was the murderer and sets his men on him so he runs away.  After a few days Freeman comes back due to lack of food and water leading to dehydrates.

On arrival back at the colony, Freeman is arrested.  His punishment was to be hanged. However he makes a deal with the Governor and Major Ross he is free again but pays a price as he will be the hangman when the next person has to be hanged. If he doesn't then he will definitely be hanged.

There is one character who really annoys me and that is Major Ross who is portrayed by Joseph Millson. He is a horrible and manipulative guy. He doesn't not have a women but thinks it his right to have any women he wants whenever he wants. He goes after Katherine McVitie (Joanna Vanderham) who belongs to another Navy man already but this doesn't deter him and he demands he shares her, much to her disgust and unhappiness but he is the ‘Major’ who has to be obeyed.

One night feeling so disgusted by having to sleep with Major Ross, Katherine tries to drown herself and in the process finds the body of Marston which stops her from drowning herself. Major Ross is angry at Katherine for trying to kill herself and demands she is flogged.

However this never happens because the Colony Minister is so outraged at how Major Ross treats Katherine that, in front of the Governor, he tells him to stop this behaviour and if he doesn't he will be banned from attending the church.

The Major doesn't take this too kindly as he is religious and feels the Minister has to right to ban him but the Governor agrees. So Ross agrees to be kinder to Katherine and tells her that he still wants her to visit but there will be no more sex, but he would like if she would just lie on the bed with him fully clothes to just talk to each other.  I think this is devious on his part as by talking to her is getting into her head which can be more intimate than sex.

It will be interesting to see how everything turns out for Major Ross, Katherine McVitie and James Freeman.