Series reaches a dramatic conclusion
Noughts + Crosses
BBC 1, 9pm
MORE than 700 years ago the Aprican Empire invaded Europe. Aprica colonised the continent and reached as far as Albion.
Albion has been under Aprican rule ever since.
No, we haven’t forgotten the spellcheck. That’s the alternative history that provides the background of Malorie Blackman’s awardwinning young adult book series Noughts + Crosses, the first of which has been adapted for the BBC One and kept viewers gripped over the past five weeks. At its centre is the forbidden love between Callum and Sephy – she the daughter of an ambitious politican, he a white member of the underclass.
Now, in the sixth and the final episode, things come to a dramatic conclusion. Relations in the Hadley household break down for good, leaving Kamal to keep rumours about his family under control. Sephy decides that she doesn’t want to accept her place at university in Aprica and leaves home with mother Jasmine – but she is harbouring a huge secret.
Meanwhile, after a brutal attack on newspaper editor Temitope Kolawale, Callum, Jude and the rest of the Liberation Militia plan their next attack with radical leader Dorn. Jude suggests they take advantage of the fact that Callum has access to the prime minister’s daughter. Is he willing to put Sephy’s life in danger?
If the unfortunate newspaper editor who comes under attack from Callum and his militia colleagues looks familiar, that’s because he’s played by a certain Michael Omari – better known to most of us as chart star Stormzy. The rapper, a big fan of the novels, has said that it’s a “dream come true” to be involved in the show.
The rest of the actors have rather more experience, such as this week’s guest star, Jack Rowan, who plays Callum. Having appeared as a disturbed teenager in Channel 4 thriller Born To Kill, he is used to playing divided characters.
The actor says: “He’s such a complex character, but one thing about Callum that remains true, even when he turns dark, is that there is a good and innocent boy in there. Life can throw things at you but you fight to remain true to yourself”.
And what about Paterson Joseph? Having played many “nice” or comedy roles, here he is as the evil prime minister Kamal. “I am prepared for how unpopular this character will be because he is horrible to some very nice people.
Playing a character who will be seen as villainous will be fascinating, because a lot of the characters I have played are reasonably affable. Kamal however is cold and Machiavellian, and it is thoroughly enjoyable playing him because he is all these things yet charmingly, while wearing a smile...
The question is, will Kamal go on wearing his smile for another series? Is there more to the forbidden romance between Callum and Sephy? Book readers may know but those just watching the TV show will not.
Executive producer Preethi Mavahalli says: “Series one covers much of the action of the first novel. With four more books published and one more to come, there is plenty of scope for this series to return again and again and explore this unique and distinctive alternate universe.”
Let’s hope so.