Noughts + Crosses - Episode 1 RECAP 💎 💎 💎 💎

(May contain spoilers)

Like Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers, but set in an alternate world where white people (”blanca”) are the minority and African’s run the country. Sephy Hadley (Masali Baduza) is a cross and Callum McGregor (Jack Rowan) is a nought, now I don’t fully understand or have comprehended why there are noughts and crosses, but as I see it, it’s the Montagues and Capulets!

This twisted tale from first glace is high end. The quality of the programming is what I would liken to Peaky Blinders (2013-), there has been a big-budget for this production, and it shows. The costumes are exquisite! This first episode directed by Julian Holmes (Daredevil, 2018) demonstrates the clash between races, in a truly bewildering way, nought’s are also called blanca’s, which is seen as a racist term towards white people, showing the juxtaposition to the society we live in. It is about time we had a programme, which was thought provoking and bringing topics about race to the foreground of discussion! I am hoping this Malorie Blackman novel series continues as a series on screen as it is a beautiful masterpiece. 

What We Learnt:

• The police break up a car rally, when Callum, Jude (Josh Dylan) and Danny (Charlie Jones) get caught, resulting in Danny getting smacked around the head with a baton and ending up in hospital

• Callum lives with his brother Jude, mother, Meggie (Helen Baxendale) and father, Ryan (Ian Hart)

• Callum is a nought and tries to get into Mercy Point (a military academy)

• Sephy is a cross and daughter of Kamal (Paterson Joseph) a wealthy senior politician

• Sephy’s mother, Jasmine (Bonnie Henna) had a birthday party and is having an affair, which Kamal suspects

• Sephy has a boyfriend, Lekan (Jonathan Ajayi) who is in Mercy Point

• Meggie is the head housekeeper at Hadley’s

• Meggie received a mysterious envelope which she takes to Kamal, who dismisses it 

• Callum, reluctantly, helps his mother and works for Jasmine’s party handing out drinks

• Bumping into each other at the party, we learn that, Callum used to play with Sephy when he was younger as his mother Sephy’s their nanny

• Meanwhile, a video of Danny’s attack has been shared and an underground revolt has started headed by Jack (Shaun Dingwall), which Jude gets involved with (can’t see this ending well!)

• New broadcasters are changing the facts and saying Danny was causing trouble, which is why the police attacked him, although we all know this was unprovoked 

• There is a vigil for Danny at the hospital, which Sephy goes too much to the surprise of Callum when he turns up with brother Jude. 

• Three men attack Callum and hold Sephy down and she shouts ‘Blanca’, much to Callum’s dismay. 

• Jude is at Danny’s side in the hospital when Jack turns up, as Jude leaves to get a drink. Jack smothers Danny and murders him

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There was so much that happened in this episode! I cannot wait to watch episode 2. I am most looking forward to see where Sephy and Callum’s romance goes, but more so for when Lekan finds out. Also, I hope Jack is found out for killing Danny, but I can only see bad things in Jude’s future!