(May Contain Spoilers)
I would have given this series five jewels, however, after the last few episodes the writing and the characters changed dramatically and therefore gave it four. I absolutely love the story, concept, characters, colour palette, cinematography, direction, music, COSTUMES!!!! Urgh, all the visuals are just beautiful and pleasing. Noughts + Crosses originated from a book series of the same name by author, Malorie Blackman and what a world she created! I think this series raises more questions on diversity in television, which we do not see enough of, and encourage more programmes to follow suit. Noughts + Crosses is in a league of its own for its ability to showcase culture and diversity, taken further by the storyline flipping societies understanding and projecting it back to its audience.
Noughts + Crosses follows the story of star-crossed lovers Sephy Hadley (Masali Baduza) a Cross and Callum McGregor (Jack Rowan) a Nought, in a world where Africa colonised Europe and white people are the minority. Callum thinks he can make a difference in the world to begin equally between noughts and crosses so joins Mercypoint (the army), however after almost killing his own brother leaves. Callum’s family live in poverty and his mother, Meggie (Helen Baxendale) is Sephy’s family maid. Sephy, however, lives a life of luxury with her wealthy and well-respected family. Kamal Hadley (Paterson Joseph) is a manipulative, deceiving character, as well as Sephy’s father, during the series he creates a coup and gets the Prime Minsters position. Meanwhile a riot and the death of Danny (Charlie Jones), the nought community are enraged and seek revenge, which is where the Liberation Militia (LM), a terrorist organisation, come in. Jude (Josh Dylan), Callum’s brother, decides to join, although his dad Ryan (Ian Hart) tries to stop him.
While Sephy and Callum’s illegal love grows many terrible incidents happen, one includes a terror attack on a hospital from the LM, which Jude help plant. Callum tries to warn Sephy of the bomb as she tends to her mother Jasmine (Bonnie Henna) who was submitted after trying to commit suicide. Later the police arrest Callum on suspicious of terrorist and is beat senseless in a cell, When Ryan comes forward taking blame for the attack so his son can walk free. Jasmine, who sacked Meggie in alcoholic rage, tries to make amends up paying for Ryan’s lawyers. Despite a long and quite successful court case, Ryan is murdered in his cell. Meggie stops her silence and reveals Kamal’s secret about his illegitimate son, Yaro (Luke Bailey), who she then tries to convince to tell his story to the papers.
Sephy and Callum’s love blossoms, to the extent where they don’t mind shouting it from the rooftops and most of the characters find out they are in a relationship. Kamal tries to convince Callum that Sephy might be happy now but doesn’t love him and will come to resent him, which changes Callum’s mind. After the death of his dad, Callum joins the LM and they devise a plan to get back at Kamal, which includes the kidnap and ransom of Sephy. When left alone together, Sephy attacks Callum and she reveals that she is pregnant with his child, which dramatically changes his mind about the kidnap and instead decides to escape and they run away together.
I have missed out some details so that I have not fully spoilt the whole series, although most of it, but there was sooo much that happened. Unfortunately, with the amount of information the ending felt a little too rushed and did it’s best to try to wrap everything up and give the ending the audience all wanted. I think I would have preferred to have the ending that was more like a cliff-hanger and have another series to play out everything. I didn’t really like the ransom idea and felt that the drama built up so well, to have that as the finale episode brought the series down for me. Having said that, I loved seeing culture and vibrant colours on our screens, the music and language, actually hearing voices, dialects, language and accidents that aren’t just British and on the BBC was just refreshing. A series well worth watching! Vibrant, Dramatic and Thrilling.
Watch the series now on BBC iPlayer
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