Time (2021 TV series)

British TV series

Time

Official poster for Series 1 (2021)

Genre| Crime drama
Created by| Jimmy McGovern
Written by|

* Jimmy McGovern
* Helen Black

Directed by|

* Lewis Arnold
* Andrea Harkin

Starring|

* Sean Bean
* Stephen Graham
* Jodie Whittaker
* Tamara Lawrance
* Bella Ramsey
* Siobhan Finneran

Music by| Sarah Warne
Country of origin| United Kingdom
Original language| English
No. of series| 2
No. of episodes| 6
Production
Executive producers|

* Lewis Arnold
* Sean Bean
* Stephen Graham
* Jimmy McGovern
* Michael Parke
* Lucy Richer
* Tom Sherry

Producers|

* Simon Maloney
* Mark Hedges

Cinematography| Mark Wolf
Editor| Sacha Szwarc
Running time| 56–67 minutes
Production companies| BBC Studios Drama Productions
BritBox[1]
Original release
Network| BBC One
Release| 6 June 2021 (2021-06-06) –
present

Time is a British anthology drama television series[2] created and co-written by Jimmy McGovern, with Helen Black. Each series presents a new scenario following the lives of inmates and staff in His Majesty's Prison Service. Its first series, starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham, was first broadcast on BBC One on 6 June 2021 and concluded on 20 June 2021.[3] Its second series, starring Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey, was broadcast, also on BBC One, on 29 October 2023 and concluded on 12 November 2023.[4][5]

The first series received largely positive reviews, with many praising the performances of the two leads.[6][7] At the 2022 BAFTA TV Awards, the first series won Best Mini-Series and Bean won Best Actor, whilst Graham was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The second series received similarly positive reviews.[8]

## Plot[edit]

### Series 1[edit]

Mark Cobden is newly imprisoned, consumed by guilt for his crime, and way out of his depth in the volatile world of prison life. He meets Eric McNally, an excellent prison officer doing his best to protect those in his charge. However, when one of the most dangerous inmates identifies his weakness, Eric faces an impossible choice between his principles and his family.[7][9][10]

### Series 2[edit]

Orla, a single mother serving her first sentence, Abi, who is incarcerated for life, and Kelsey, a pregnant heroin addict and repeat offender, begin their respective sentences at a women's prison.[11]

## Cast[edit]

### Series 1[edit]

#### Main[edit]

* Sean Bean as Mark Cobden
* Stephen Graham as Eric McNally

#### Supporting[edit]

* James Nelson-Joyce as Johnno
* Siobhan Finneran as Marie-Louise O'Dell
* Nabil Elouahabi as Patterson
* Natalie Gavin as Jardine
* Hannah Walters as Sonia McNally
* Nadine Marshall as Alicia Cobden
* Jack McMullen as Daniel
* Sue Johnston as June Cobden
* David Calder as John Cobden
* Jonathan Harden as Brendan Murphy
* Kadiff Kirwan as Pete
* Aneurin Barnard as Bernard
* Terence Maynard as Kavanagh/"Kav"
* Kevin Harvey as Paul McAdams
* Cal MacAninch as Galbraith
* Brian McCardie as Jackson Jones
* Michael Socha as Kenny Meadows
* Jason Done as P.O. Banks
* Lee Morris as Tom

### Series 2[edit]

#### Main[edit]

* Jodie Whittaker as Orla O'Riordan
* Tamara Lawrance as Abi Cochrane
* Bella Ramsey as Kelsey "Kels" Morgan
* Siobhan Finneran as Marie-Louise O'Dell

#### Supporting[edit]

* Julie Graham as Lou Harkness
* Nicholas Nunn as Adam Muller
* Karen Henthorn as Elizabeth O'Riordan
* Terri Reddin as Sonographer
* Kayla Meikle as Donna Mills
* Faye McKeever as Tanya Helsby
* Sophie Willan as Maeve Riley
* Alicia Forde as Sarah Duddy
* James Corrigan as Rob Cochrane
* Louise Lee as P.O. Carter
* Lisa Millett as P.O. Martin
* Isaac Lancel-Watkinson as Kyle O'Riordan
* Brody Griffiths as Callum O'Riordan
* Matilda Firth as Nancy O'Riordan
* Danielle Henry as Tess Palmer
* Alexandra Monaghan as Tash
* Conor McCarry as Steven Harkness
* Maimuna Memon as Tahani
* Angela Wynter as May Sinclair
* Cindy Humphrey as Faith

## Production[edit]

Most of the filming of the first series took place in the Liverpool City Region, with the prison wings and cells filmed at HM Prison Shrewsbury, a former prison which was decommissioned in 2013. The cameras moved to Liverpool to create the rest of the prison using courtrooms, police stations and educational buildings, as well as exterior locations such as the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Widnes and Southport Pier.[12]

## Episodes[edit]

Series| Episodes| Originally released| Average viewership
(in millions)

|
|
|

First released| Last released| Network
1| 3| 6 June 2021 (2021-06-06)| 20 June 2021 (2021-06-20)| BBC One| 6.09
2| 3| 29 October 2023 (2023-10-29)| 12 November 2023 (2023-11-12)| 3.89

### Series 1 (2021)[edit]

No.| Directed by| Written by| Original air date| UK viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|

1| Lewis Arnold| Jimmy McGovern| 6 June 2021 (2021-06-06)| 8.04[13]

Mark Cobden is sent to prison and has to learn quickly how to survive. When an inmate identifies prison officer Eric McNally's weakness, he faces an impossible choice.

2| Lewis Arnold| Jimmy McGovern| 13 June 2021 (2021-06-13)| 5.18

Mark is being bullied by fellow inmate Johnno and must decide whether to tell the prison officers or risk the attacks becoming more violent. After Eric's son is attacked, he must decide if he will comply with the demands of a prisoner and risk his job.

3| Lewis Arnold| Jimmy McGovern| 20 June 2021 (2021-06-20)| 5.06[14]

After Mark suffers a personal loss he is given the chance to leave prison for a day while Eric is forced to take greater risks to protect his son from further harm.

### Series 2 (2023)[edit]

No.| Directed by| Written by| Original air date| UK viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|

1| Andrea Harkin| Jimmy McGovern & Helen Black| 29 October 2023 (2023-10-29)| 4.14

Single mother Orla, heroin addict Kelsey and lifer Abi are sent to prison. While Orla loses control of her old life and tries to protect her children, Kelsey makes a personal discovery and Abi attempts to hide a terrible secret.

2| Andrea Harkin| Jimmy McGovern & Helen Black| 5 November 2023 (2023-11-05)| 3.71

Several months after she's released, Orla is sent back to prison and her children are taken into care. While Abi confides in Marie-Louise about her past, Kelsey thinks about the future of her unborn child.

3| Andrea Harkin| Jimmy McGovern & Helen Black| 12 November 2023 (2023-11-12)| 3.78

Orla faces consequences while trying to reconnect with her children, Abi attempts to overcome her unresolved grief and Kelsey hopes to move on from her old life and plan a future with her child.

## Reception[edit]

Writing in The Guardian, Lucy Mangan wrote: "The performances of Bean and Graham are, even though we have come to expect brilliance from them both, astonishing. So, too, are those from everyone in smaller roles, none of which is underwritten or sketchy, and who thicken the drama into something more profoundly moving and enraging at every turn".[6] Billie Schwab Dunn, writing for Metro, praised the show, which was "elevated by the central performances – particularly Bean, who gently grounds us and provides a beam of light in all that darkness".[7][8]

## Awards and nominations[edit]

Year  | Award  | Category  | Nominee  | Result

|
|
|
|

2022  | BAFTA TV Awards | Best Mini-Series  | Time | Won
Best Actor  | Sean Bean  | Won
Best Supporting Actor  | Stephen Graham  | Nominated
Director:Fiction  | Lewis Arnold  | Nominated
Photography & Lighting:Fiction  | Mark Wolf  | Nominated
Scripted Casting  | Beverley Keogh, David Marin  | Nominated
2024  | BAFTA TV Awards | Editing:Fiction  | Alex Mackie  | Nominated
Scripted Casting  | Amy Hubbard  | Nominated
RTS Awards | Leading Actor:Female  | Tamara Lawrance  | Won
Leading Actor:Female  | Jodie Whittaker  | Nominated
Supporting Actor:Female  | Bella Ramsey  | Won

## References[edit]

1. ^ Goldbart, Max (13 June 2023). "'Time': Bella Ramsey Prison Drama Boarded By BritBox North America For Season 2, Reveals More Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
2. ^ "BBC Series 'Time' Season 2: Anthology Cast | Telly Visions". tellyvisions.org. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
3. ^ Vassell, Nicole (4 June 2021). "Time release date: Cast, plot and trailer for new BBC One series". Radio Times. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
4. ^ "Four of the BBC's biggest dramas The Tourist, The Responder, Vigil and Time to return for a second series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
5. ^ "Time: Jodie Whittaker set to star in second series". TV Zone. 2 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
6. ^ a b Mangan, Lucy (6 June 2021). "Time review – Sean Bean and Stephen Graham astound in enraging prison drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
7. ^ a b c Schwab Dunn, Billie (6 June 2021). "Time review: Sean Bean's prison drama is a hard watch – but worth every minute". Metro. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
8. ^ a b "Time series two review – Jodie Whittaker shines a light on the idiocy of our legal system". The Guardian.
9. ^ Chilton, Louis (4 June 2021). "Time: Cast of BBC prison drama endured Covid scares and real prison experiences". The Independent. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
10. ^ Lally, Kate (6 June 2021). "BBC's Time viewers are all hoping for one thing from tonight's show". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
11. ^ Hilton, Nick (29 October 2023). "Time season 2 review: Bella Ramsey steals the show as a hard-bitten addict". The Independent. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
12. ^ Carr, Flora (4 June 2021). "Where is Time filmed? All the locations in the BBC drama". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
13. ^ "7-DAY RATINGS: 31 MAY-06 JUNE 2021". tvzoneuk. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
14. ^ "7-DAY RATINGS: 14-20 JUNE 2021". tvzoneuk. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.

## External links[edit]

* Time at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

BAFTA TV Award for Best Limited Drama

2010s|

* This Is England '88 (2012)
* Room at the Top (2013)
* In the Flesh (2014)
* The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (2015)
* This Is England '90 (2016)
* National Treasure (2017)
* Three Girls (2018)
* Patrick Melrose (2019)

2020s|

* Chernobyl (2020)
* I May Destroy You  (2021)
* Time (2022)
* Mood (2023)
* The Sixth Commandment (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Jimmy McGovern

TV series created by|

* Cracker (1993–1996, 2006)
* Hearts and Minds (1995)
* The Lakes (1997–1999)
* Gunpowder, Treason & Plot (2004)
* The Street (2006–2009)
* Moving On (2009–2021)
* Accused (2010–2012)
* Banished (2015)
* Broken (2017)
* Time (2021–present)

Films written|

* Priest (1994)
* Go Now (1995)
* Hillsborough (1996)
* Dockers (1999)
* Liam (2000)
* Sunday (2002)
* Common (2014)
* Reg (2016)

Remakes|

* Accused (2015–2016, France)
* Accused (2023–present, USA)

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