Other inequalities weigh more heavily. Nonetheless, we shouldn’t underestimate the rarity of seeing a garden party full of people of colour knocking back champagne in posh clobber, or just hanging out in nice houses, irrespective of the context. Noughts + Crosses’ premise of a society turned on its head is effective in its simplicity, while its highlighting of discrimination through the pinpricks of everyday infractions is smartly done. is a book for teens being adapted for an adult audience may be part of the problem – nuance was never going to be on the cards. The roles are reversed!”, which illustrates the point of the show but doesn’t really help its dramatic tension. View our online Press Pack. This has led to a present-day society where Blacks and Whites are divided by Jim Crow-like segregation laws, but in this case the Black Apricans are the ruling class, with complete control over … One is the “forbidden” romance between Sephy and Callum that will be the main driver of drama on this series. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. After the visit, though, the pair is jumped by a group of Noughts, and Sephy lets loose the “b-word”. Most Pilot-y Line: As Sephy’s professor rattles off Nought stereotypes to her, he says, “They drink. Noughts + Crosses ’ premise of a society turned on its head is effective in its simplicity, ... Noughts + Crosses, review: This race-reversal drama will induce hernias in right-wing commentators. A one-stop shop for all things video games. Sephy may represent a move towards compassion and tolerance, but her transformation here from blinkered college student to social justice campaigner takes roughly as long it takes to make a cup of tea. In this fictionalised world, it’s black people who present and report television news, who attend university lectures and populate government. The budget, or lack of it, is also noticeable in the series’ more dramatic set-pieces. True, it's not exactly subtle, but it makes you notice what, generally, you don't notice because you are white -- or at least, because I am white -- and it is extremely powerful. 557, This story has been shared 507 times. The opening episode sometimes has the feel of late-Noughties Doctor Who, both in the distinctive “BBC does dystopia” aesthetic (barbed wire! Jude, however, chafes against this restriction. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here. I mean, you would, wouldn’t you?” Right, because they’re poor and downtrodden. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! As a love story it's not much cop, and the reason I probably won't watch much more: she's boring and earnest, and he is reedy and insipid. (BBC1) offers an alternate reality in which history has been flipped and white European countries have been colonised by Africa, known here as “Aprica”. 494, This story has been shared 431 times. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. 674, This story has been shared 648 times. From the simple image of Callum wearing a dark brown skin tone plaster to Sephy's stuck-up boyfriend Lekan mispronouncing his name, or Sephy's mum joking that her white maid could use "some colour", the direct reflections of more subtle racism in society are all too clear to see. The pair come from incredibly different worlds; while Sephy, the daughter of a powerful politician, is considering where to apply for college, Callum is doing his best to be part of the first group of Noughts allowed into a prestigious military academy, where he hopes to change the system from the inside. Noughts + Crosses will induce hernias in right-wing commentators, Masali Baduza: ‘I think of what my ancestors have been through’, You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. Throughout the show, Sephy and Callum’s circumstances mostly keep them apart, plus neither character is especially well developed, leading to a romance that ultimately feels half-baked. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Jack Rowan plays Callum McGregor in the BBC adaptation of Nought and Crosses, The new series Noughts And Crosses follows the Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story of Callum and Sephy, Noughts And Crosses is set in a world where white people are seen as second class citizens, In this alternate universe, Africans conquered England (Albion) and they are the ruling class, Racial segregation is rife in this world, and tensions are high, The show highlights the different ways in which Noughts are mistreated simply because of their colour, Nought and Crosses' Callum and Sephy's relationship faces many hurdles in this deeply segregated society, Trailer for brand new TV series Noughts + Crosses, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). ’ premise of a society turned on its head is effective in its simplicity, while its highlighting of discrimination through the pinpricks of everyday infractions is smartly done. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Photo: Ilze Kitchoff/Mammoth Screen/Peacock, No, There Is No Team Fortress 2 Netflix Series, © 2020 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Adele "Terrified" to Host 'SNL' on October 24, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Connecting...' On NBC, Where A Group Of Friends Stay Connected Via Video Chat During The Pandemic. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Noughts + Crosses has its issues, but the cast is compelling to watch. Blackman’s story carries a potent message about representation and power structures, so it’s a shame that the dramatised version doesn’t always trust viewers to comprehend it. In the first episode, the role reversal can get a little heavy-handed. There are secrets both of them are keeping, and it’s going to be interesting seeing them come to light as the series goes on. and where solemn talk of social unrest amounts to a bit of pushing and shoving outside a hospital. existence feels apt at a time in which racist discourse is increasingly normalised in the shadow of Trump and Brexit. The opening episode sometimes has the feel of late-Noughties. Likewise, although the racial reversal is initially effective, the series’ instinct to go bigger and more violent makes Callum’s circumstances, while sympathetic, increasingly less relatable. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. The series [is] thought-provoking and interesting, yet it never quite reaches the level of depth and complexity it's striving for in both its central relationship and its social commentary. 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The series premieres on Peacock on Friday, Sept. 4. 1,075, This story has been shared 1,037 times. You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Two couples are going to be the show’s lynchpins. This makes many of Callum's and Sephy's decisions, Sephy’s in particular, feel unearned. Forgot your password? Plus, the use of West African language Yoruba as the dominant tongue in this Aprican empire helps to transport us into a Britain where African influences have dictated what is seen as the norm. They’re called “Noughts” (vs. the Apricans being called “Crosses”), and are often derisively referred to as “Blankers”. Even so, this is vital viewing. I can't really recommend a YA romance with a core coupling this inert or an alt-history that left me scratching my head so frequently, but I still respect the scope of the tapestry Noughts + Crosses is working on. Here it’s white people who don’t get plasters to match their skin colour, and whose names are blithely mispronounced. For millions of readers, Callum and Sephy are characters they hold dear to their hearts.