Original Release on Disney+
29th March 2024 – 8 Episodes
Created by Sally Wainwright
Starring:
Louisa Harland as Nell Jackson
Nick Mohammed as Billy Blind
Adrian Lester as Earl of Poynton
Bo Bragason as Roxy Jackson
Florence Keen as George Jackson
Enyi Okoronkwo as Rasselas
Frank Dillane as Charles Devereux
Alice Kremelberg as Sofia Wilmot
Jake Dunn as Thomas Blancheford
Joely Richardson as Lady Eularia Moggerhanger
Iz Hesketh as Valerian
Craig Parkinson as Sam Totter
Pip Torrens as Lord Blancheford
From the Writer of Gentleman Jack, Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax, Sally Wainwright.
An 8 part series dropped on Disney+ on 29th March 2024. Produced by Lookout Point, a division of BBC which produced all of Sally Wainwright’s biggest titles.
It received publicity from shows such as Graham Norton Show in UK when Adrian Lester was a guest on his sofa. So I am assuming quote a buzz around it.
It was billed as a story about a female highwayman with some other-worldly powers.
Set in 1705 and featuring a Jacobite plot against Queen Anne. Anne was a daughter of James II, sister to Mary II who had ruled jointly with her husband William of Orange (William III of England. William II of Scotland).
The Jacobites were supporters of Anne’s younger brother James Stewart, the Prince of Wales.
The background is firmly historical in base. The plot is fantasy, literally as Nell’s other-worldy powers come from a sprite who had been sent to protect her. Interesting the sprite, Billy Blind, doesn’t seem to know what power sent him, why he is bound to Nell or what his/their purpose is.
Nell is framed for murder, falls in league with a highwayman, Charles Deveraux.
The background is based on real world political intrigue, as mentioned above. The plot is fantasy, literally as Nell’s other-worldy powers comes from a Sprite, Billy Blind, sent to protect her.
Interestingly Billy Blind doesn’t seem to know what power sent him, why he is bound to Nell or what their is their joint purpose.
The historical setting is further grounded in a fairly accurate way of showing the law is determined regionally by Magistrates whose power comes from the fact they are landed Gentry. It also shows an accurate power dynamic of landowners being able to give and take tenancies on a whim.
There are uncomfortable truths included, such as Slavery. It is commonly acknowledged that Great Britain had no legal standing for slavery in Britain. However slaves were held in Britain, and legal cases regarding this are exactly why we know this to be the case (Somerset v Stewart 1772).
The servant Rasselas is revealed to have been sold by his own father to Lord Blancheford to be a playmate to his children, Thomas snd Sofia, becoming a Stable boy when the children ‘out grow’ him.
There are also depictions of free black people as workers and business owners. In London and Port cities and towns this had certainly been a feature of life since at least Henry VIII reign, certainly a lower percentage than modern times.
The villains of the show are the Earl of Poynton with his powers from the ‘dark arts’ and aristocratic Thomas Blancheford and his widowed sister Sofia Wilmot.
It is hard to be certain whether this is aimed at a broad family audience or an older target audience. I think families will vary in opinion. I think it is safe for most teens and many younger than that. It might scare some children (maybe some adults).
I found the plot very engaging. The characters are interesting and there is plenty of mystery along the way – and some things remain unanswered at the end.
I’d be happy to see a second season.
Judge-Tutor Semple 