Joan

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.

A sad story of a Kent girl with a rough life, who gets into diamond theft and other assorted shenanigans. It's not bad as stories like this go and passes the time, BUT whoever selected the contemporary background music for this needs to be replaced as woefully inept. It starts supposedly in 1985 and has Brass in Pocket playing from 1979. It switches to four months earlier but has two songs from four years earlier, in 1981 (Bucks Fizz, Making Your Mind Up on the radio and and Soft Cell, Tainted Love in a bar). We also hear Hungry Like the Wolf from 1982, and whilst all of that is at least from the recent past to the time when this is set, it is very strange that we don't hear anything from 1984/85. Finally, this is all blown up when we then seem to time travel to 1989 as Wicked Game by Chris Isaak plays on the jukebox. I have never in all my years seen and heard such a cocked-up selection of supposedly contemporary background music in a professional TV or movie production. It is so bad, it detracts from the show in itself.

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.

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...

Well, I certainly enjoyed the trip down memory lane back to the 80s. I served in the Met Police back in the 80s and it reminded me of some of the ne'er-do-wells I had to deal with back then.

It was interesting to see Sophie Turner going blue collar and embracing her inner Cockney. I thought she handled the role quite well and showed some versatility in a change from the stuff I've seen her in before.

The supporting cast were quite good, too. It was well-paced, good locations and nicely shot. The script was a bit weak at times, but not to the extent it made it less enjoyable.

The excellent 80s soundtrack was a joy, too. I hope they release the original song from the end credits, as they'd have a hit on their hands!

Well worth your time and, as they have set a second series, I hope they make it!