Jump to content

Our Girl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by MatthewFiler (talk | contribs) at 20:53, 21 September 2014 (Picture added). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Our Girl
File:Our Girl Title Screen.png
GenreDrama
Created byTony Grounds
Written byTony Grounds
Directed byDavid Drury
StarringLacey Turner
Matthew McNulty
Kerry Godliman
Sean Gallagher
Katherine Pearce
Steven Miller
Fiona Skinner
ComposerNiraj Chag
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1 (inc. pilot)
No. of episodes2 (as of 21 September 2014)
Production
Executive producersJohn Yorke
Caroline Skinner
ProducerKen Horn
Production locationsHertfordshire[1]
Army Training Centre, Pirbright[2]
EditorBen Drury
Running time60–90 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC One
Release24 March 2013 (2013-03-24) –
present

Our Girl is a BBC drama that was first broadcast on 24 March 2013 on BBC One. Set in modern day Britain, the drama tells the story of an 18 year old girl, Molly Dawes, played by Lacey Turner who decides to join the British Army, after finding her life going nowhere. Despite initial doubt and a lack of determination, Molly overcomes her lack of confidence to thrive in her new role.[3]

On 2 December 2013, it was announced that a full 5-episode series would air in 2014.[4] The series follows Molly on her first deployment as a serving army medic against the backdrop of the British Army’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.[5] Turner is the only cast member confirmed to return for the series. Iwan Rheon will appear alongside Turner in the series, with Ben Aldridge, Charley Palmer Merkell, Arinze Kene and Ade Oyefeso also joining the cast.[6] The first series began airing on 21 September 2014.

Plot summary

Our Girl is the story of an 18 year old girl Molly Dawes who lives in a crowded Newham council house with her underclass family. She lives with her pregnant mum Belinda (played by Kerry Godliman), her dad Dave (Sean Gallagher) and five siblings who seem to have little future ahead of them. She also has an Albanian boyfriend named Artan, who later asks for her hand in marriage.

On the night of her 18th birthday, Molly Dawes finds herself drunk and is sick in the doorway of an army recruitment office. She sees a life-size image of an army girl. The next day she returns to the recruitment office with the ambition to be a part of the army. She goes away for a few days to an army training centre, where she undergoes many physical and mental activities, including a one and a half mile run, a mathematics test and finally a few minutes presentation on her life. It is only here where Molly Dawes comes clean about how she thinks her life has been panned out for her. Her fellow aspiring soldiers are supportive of her. In an interview Molly is asked why she should be given a chance. Molly replies with "because I've never had one". We see her journey from nothing, to a trained, respected professional serving in Afghanistan.

The ending shows a coffin of a soldier being brought back from Afghanistan, with Molly Dawes reciting her 'letter from the grave' her mum then says to Molly's dad "our girl will be alright" this is the only moment in the film where Molly's dad seems to fully listen, scared for his daughter, yet proud of what she is doing for her country.

Cast

Episodes

Pilot

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewing figures (millions)
1"Episode 1"UnknownUnknown24 March 2013 (2013-03-24)TBA

Series 1

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewing figures (millions)
1"Episode 1"UnknownUnknown21 September 2014 (2014-09-21)TBA
2"Episode 2"UnknownUnknown28 September 2014 (2014-09-28)TBA
3"Episode 3"UnknownUnknown5 October 2014 (2014-10-05)TBA
4"Episode 4"UnknownUnknown12 October 2014 (2014-10-12)TBA
5"Episode 5"UnknownUnknown19 October 2014 (2014-10-19)TBA

Broadcast and reception

Our Girl was first broadcast on BBC One on 24 March 2013 at 9pm. Based on official overnight figures it gained an audience of 5.34 million viewers.[7] Later figures were 6.31 million viewers.[8]

The film has received mixed to positive reviews with Dan Owen of MSN praising Turner's acting and the moving storyline while criticising some of the characterisation and "weird shortcuts in the storyline".[9] Sarah Crompton of The Telegraph found the film "compelling" but argued that "the depiction of the army – which became too obviously her surrogate family – would be better suited to a glossy advertising campaign than a television drama, glamorising both its methods and its personnel." [10] Audience reaction on social website Twitter was positive.[7]

References

  1. ^ "BBC One enlists Lacey Turner for Tony Grounds' compelling new drama Our Girl". BBC Media Centre. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  2. ^ "BBC Studios and Post Production completes post production for upcoming BBC One prime-time drama, Our Girl". BBC Studios and Post Production. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  3. ^ Melanie Hancill (24 March 2013). "Lacey Turner Q&A: Our Girl, getting fit and why she'll never escape Stacey Slater - Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Lacey Turner's Our Girl picked up for full series on BBC One". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "BBC One Picks Up 'Our Girl' To Series, Orders 'Grey Mates' Comedy & KFC Documentary Series". TVWise.co.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Lacey Turner's Our Girl adds Iwan Rheon, more for full series". Digital Spy. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ a b Fletcher, Alex (25 March 2013). "Lacey Turner's 'Our Girl' may return as full series, says writer". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Top 30s / Mar 18 - Mar 24 / BBC1". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB). Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  9. ^ Owen, Dan (25 March 2013). "Our Girl: Lacey Turner superb in BBC army drama". MSN TV. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  10. ^ Crompton, Sarah (25 March 2013). "Our Girl, BBC One, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Our_Girl&oldid=626526292"