Tonight on Canal+: New English series starring Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) to watch or avoid?

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Season 2 of Time, Jimmy McGovern’s series, dives into the world of a women’s prison this time with quite a trio of actors: Jodie Whittaker, Bella Ramsey and Tamara Lawrence. Arriving at Carlingford Women’s Prison on the same day, Orla, Kelsey and Abby share the same cell.

Orla fights to keep her children out of foster care and desperately tries to get her life back on track. Tough girl Abby is haunted by a secret that could put her life in danger if her fellow inmates find out. And Kelsey, a young heroin addict, faces a life-changing situation. Despite the constant threats and violence within the prison walls, they also feel solidarity there.

Time Season 2, a season written by Jimmy McGovern and Helen Black starring Bella Ramsey, Jodie Whittaker and Tamara Lawrence… Episodes 1 and 2 this Thursday at 9pm on Canal+ and available on MyCanal

who is he with

Bela Ramsey, who everyone agreed with for her roles in Game of Thrones and then The Last of Us, plays young 19-year-old heroin addict Kelsey, who faces a difficult dilemma: her addiction and an unexpected pregnancy. Ramsey, who already has the maturity of a great actor, delivers a moving performance. Her ability to navigate between vulnerability and determination keeps the viewer in suspense from beginning to end, though her arc isn’t always explored as deeply as one might hope.

Jodie Whittaker (ex-Doctor Who), meanwhile, plays Orla, a single mother sent to prison for rigging an electric meter to heat her apartment. His role reflects social injustice, a particularly topical subject in the context of the UK’s cost of living crisis. Always stunning, Jodie Whittaker brilliantly portrays the panic of a mother who sees her children taken away. The scenes of her despair, especially when visiting her children, are heartbreaking.

Finally, Tamara Lawrence – little known this side of the channel – plays Abby, a prisoner sentenced to life in prison for murdering her baby. Her character, complex and tormented, brings a psychological dimension that is both fascinating and disturbing to the series. Tamara Lawrence does an incredible job of embracing the nuances of her role and allowing us to glimpse her character’s traumas.

To see or to avoid?

One of the strengths time is its raw realism. Daily life in prison is described in details often overlooked on screen, such as the lack of feminine hygiene products or the harsh reality of prison visits. screenwriters, Jimmy McGovern and Helen Black, manage to make the harshness of prison life palpable while humanizing the inmates.

Social themes are at the heart of the series: poverty, addiction and domestic violence are not simply discussed, but explored in depth. In this way, the series manages to raise complex questions about personal responsibility and the dysfunctions of the judicial system.

Very little taste

But while Time offers a solid story in just four episodes, things aren’t perfect. With three main characters, this second season suffers from some dilution. The series sometimes seems to take shortcuts too quickly, and certain story arcs like Kelsey’s are underdeveloped.

Where other series suffer from filler too often, we wish we had more time here. to further explore the complexity of the characters, but also to confront the violence of other incarcerated women more. This is a reality that is painted very quickly.

All that remains is that Time season 2 is definitely worth watching. Thanks to exceptional acting performances, poignant social themes and its brutal realism, the series continues to have an impact days after viewing. Because this is a work that rightly questions society. If you’re looking for a powerful and moving series, Time is a must-see.