Our Girl

Our Girl
Genre	Drama
Created by	Tony Grounds
Written by	Tony Grounds
Directed by	David Drury Anthony Philipson Richard Senior
Starring	Lacey Turner (pilot, series 1) Michelle Keegan (series 2–present) Ben Aldridge Kerry Godliman Sean Gallagher Iwan Rheon (series 1) Mimi Keene
Opening theme	"War Rages On" by Alex Clare
Composers	Ben Foster (2014 series) Niraj Chag (pilot)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	6 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	John Yorke Caroline Skinner
Producer	Ken Horn
Production locations	Hertfordshire Camp Bastion Army Training Centre, Pirbright South Africa
Editor	Ben Drury
Running time	60–90 minutes
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	24 March 2013 (2013-03-24) – present

Our Girl is a BBC drama, and later television series, starring Lacey Turner as Molly Dawes, an underclass, poor young adult who joins the British Army after deciding her life is going nowhere. A one-off special was broadcast on 24 March 2013 on BBC One, which saw Dawes make the decision to join the army, despite the protests of her protective family.

On 2 December 2013, it was announced that a full 5-episode series would air in 2014, following Dawes' first deployment to Afghanistan as an army medic attached to a British Army infantry section based from a small UK/ANA shared F.O.B somewhere in Helmand. Iwan Rheon and Ben Aldridge joined the main cast as soldier Dylan Smith "Smurf", who is also Molly's previous one night stand, and team leader Captain Charles James respectively. The series began airing on 21 September 2014.

On the 21 June 2015 the BBC announced that Our Girl would be returning for a second series. Michelle Keegan will be taking over the lead role, replacing Lacey Turner, and will play Corporal Georgie Lane. Series 2 will be broadcast in late 2016.

Overview

The one-off 2013 special sees 18-year-old Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner) from the East End of London decide to join the army, deciding her life has no purpose on discovering that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. She initially keeps this decision a secret from her family, which comprised her controlling father Dave (Sean Gallagher) and doting mother Belinda (Kerry Godliman), encouraged only by the manager of the recruitment office, Sergeant Lamont (Paul Fox). When the truth is exposed, Dave demands she changes her mind, threatening to disown her from the family if she does not; leaving Molly to make the heartbreaking decision to step away as she heads off to training camp. Here, Corporal Geddings (Matthew McNulty) initially doubts Molly's strength as a potential soldier, but she strives to prove herself and eventually earns the respect of her peers, even reuniting with her mother Belinda when she visits her to apologise for Dave's actions.

The 2014 TV series picks up over a year after the end of the special, after Molly has completed training as a Combat Medical Technician. She is told she is to fly out to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan alongside her new team, 2 Section, who are all males. She is uncomfortable to discover that an ex-flame, Dylan Smith "Smurf" (Iwan Rheon) is amongst her new section, and sets off on the wrong foot with haughty team leader Captain Charles James (Ben Aldridge) a hailed war hero. On arrival in Afghanistan, Molly fights to prove herself to the men around her while also offering compassion to the locals, including eleven-year-old Afghan girl Bashira (Becky Eggersglusz), giving herself an understanding of what it is like to be a civilian caught up in the Taliban's war.

Main cast

• Lacey Turner as Molly Dawes (2013–14)
• Kerry Godliman as Belinda Dawes
• Sean Gallagher as Dave Dawes
• Ben Aldridge as Captain Charles James
• Iwan Rheon as Dylan Smith "Smurf" (2014)
• Matthew McNulty as Corporal Geddings (2013)
• Fiona Skinner as Corporal Richards (2013)
• Mimi Keene as Jade Dawes
• Michelle Keegan as Corporal Georgie Lane (2015–present)

Members of "2 Section" (series 1)

• Captain Charles James (Head of Platoon) played by Ben Aldridge

An inspiration to 2 Section, and their charismatic leader, Captain James is a brilliant officer and an army man to the core. So much so that he has volunteered for a fourth tour of service in Afghanistan; indeed, he’s happiest when he’s in the field of duty leading his men. He firmly believes in army rules and regulations and lives his life by them.

At first, Molly’s outspoken attitude challenges everything he believes, and he worries whether she’ll make the grade. But her bravery and sparkiness soon mark her out as someone special. It’s against all protocol for Captain James to have any feelings for those under his command. But is love stronger than army regulations?

• Medic Private Molly Dawes played by Lacey Turner

Feisty and unstoppable, we watched as she transformed her life from a dead end job in a nail bar in the East End of London to training up as a serving soldier in the British Army Medical Corps.

As the series begins, Molly’s dreams come true when she is given a place on one of the last Herrick missions to Afghanistan. This will be the most unforgettable six months of her life – and it will either make or break her. Fearless and outspoken, Molly is a true original and struggles at first with the discipline of army regulations. This mission will be a huge rites of passage story for her, as she faces unimaginable challenges in a far flung land. Molly’s experiences in Afghanistan will see her grow as an individual and feel empowered as a woman for the first time in her life.

• Private Dylan "Smurf" Smith played by Iwan Rheon

Smurf is a much loved member of 2 Section, one of the lads and the life and soul of the party. He’s bright, witty and a lot of fun to be around. He and Molly soon become firm allies and best friends, although this may turn into something more than friendship one day. Or so he hopes. But underneath Smurf’s outgoing exterior lies a darker side.

He has his own mission to play out: his twin brother was killed on an earlier Herrick deployment and he feels he has a point of honour to prove on this tour. Will this cloud his judgment in the theatre of war, or will Smurf learn to let go of his demons and grow as a soldier over his time in Afghanistan?

• Corporal "Eggy" Kinders played by Arinze Kene
• Private "Baz Vegas" played by Charley Palmer Merkell
• Private "Brains" played by Simon Lennon
• Private "Dangleberries" played by Lawrence Walker
• Private "Fingers" played by Sean Ward
• Private "Mansfield Mike" played by Nick Preston
• Private "Nude-Nut" played by Ade Oyefeso

Episodes

Series 1

#	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
1	"Pilot"	David Drury	Tony Grounds	24 March 2013 (2013-03-24)	6.31
Molly Dawes decides to change her life for the better and break away from her meaningless life by joining the army. However, the decision is not well received by either of her parents, and, having been forced to sever ties with them, she finds herself facing sexism and plain hard graft when it comes to training. However, Molly is determined to prove herself as the best.
2	"Time"	Anthony Philipson	Tony Grounds	21 September 2014 (2014-09-21)	5.22
Molly has been training for over a year now, but is still thrown when she is told she is about to be sent to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. With no time to say goodbye or consider what she is about to travel into, Molly finds herself with immediate adversaries in the forms of her fellow soldier 'Smurf', an ex-fling, and her captain, James, who doubts her competence as an army medic. Thrown into a dangerous situation almost immediately, Molly fights not only to prove herself but to save a life.
3	"Feelings"	Anthony Philipson	Tony Grounds	28 September 2014 (2014-09-28)	4.90
Smurf returns to the team following his recovery and immediately notes that Molly is becoming too attached to a local girl, Bashira. However, when Bashira warns her of a possible attack, Molly is left fearing for not only her safety but Bashira's, knowing that her father will likely punish her. Elsewhere, she finds herself caught between Smurf and Captain James, with Smurf showing an active interest but her true feelings lying with her captain.
4	"Changes"	Richard Senior	Tony Grounds	5 October 2014 (2014-10-05)	4.81
Molly returns home on rest and recuperation but she finds that her life and perspective on the world have changed beyond measure since she has been away. Her family can see that they are growing apart. When she visits fellow squaddie Smurf, they bond over their shared difficulties in this new domesticity and both wish they were back in Afghanistan. As they grow closer, Smurf reveals he has fallen for Molly. Unfortunately her affections lie elsewhere - back in Camp Bastion with Captain James.
5	"Love"	Richard Senior	Tony Grounds	12 October 2014 (2014-10-12)	5.28
The platoon is bored in Camp Bastion, preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan. Emotions ride high as both Captain James and Smurf declare their love for Molly, who worryingly finds herself at the centre of an illicit love triangle that compromises army regulations. Trouble finds Molly one last time as she becomes entangled in a raid against the Taliban - and soon the entire platoon are sent on a final terrifying mission as a consequence. Not one of our three heroes can afford to take their eye off the job, not for a single moment, or disaster will surely strike. James, Smurf and Molly know the rules. But isn't love stronger than army regulations?
6	"Heroes"	Anthony Philipson	Tony Grounds	19 October 2014 (2014-10-19)	4.92
As she returns home from Afghanistan, difficult questions rain down upon Molly Dawes. Who will live and who will die? Can she ever pick up the pieces? Brave choices beckon for Our Girl as she faces her biggest challenge yet: how will she face her own future?

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. Later figures were 6.31 million viewers.

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". 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." Audience reaction on social media website Twitter was overall positive.

International broadcast

The series premiered in Australia on the ABC on 16 April 2015.

In New Zealand the series premiered on TVNZ on 3 May 2015.

In Sweden the series premiered on SVT on 15 June 2015.

In Germany under the title Eine Frau an der Front (A woman on the front line) and in France under the title Molly, une femme au combat (Molly, a woman in battle) the series premiered on ARTE on 7 April 2016

External links

• Our Girl at BBC Online
• Our Girl at IMDb