‘Traumatic’ BBC series Time leaves viewers divided

As the weather gets colder, it really does feel like telly season. You know, like actually watching shows on TV rather than just binging another series on Netflix.

And in someway filling that role, BBC's latest series has left viewers divided as some call it ‘traumatic’.

Time first hit our screens back in 2021, starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.

And now it’s returned for a second season with Bella Ramsay, Jodie Whittaker and Tamara Lawrance.

Siobhan Finneran is the only actor to feature in both seasons created by Jimmy McGovern, playing prison chaplain Marie-Louise.

Premiering on BBC One over the weekend (29 October), the show’s synopsis reads: "Told through the lens of three very different inmates, Time is a moving and high-stakes portrayal of life inside a women's prison.

"Arriving at Carlingford Prison on the same day, Orla, Abi and Kelsey are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world. But even with the ever-present threat of violence within its walls, they discover that an unexpected sense of community, and a shared understanding, still might be possible."

BBC

Ramsay’s Kelsey is a scam artist struggling with a drug addiction, Whittaker plays Orla, a single mum doing time for stealing electricity and Lawarance plays Abi, a woman three years into a life sentence for murder.

Now, slight spoiler, the season develops as Kelsey spends pregnant behind bars and ends up giving birth in prison.

So, as you can imagine, viewers have called it an ‘incredibly difficult watch’.

One wrote on X: “Even though S2 has different storyline and different characters, but its emotions are still same. Trauma of serving time in Prison is still same.

“Bella Ramsay again proved that why she is one of the finest actors of our times.”

Some viewers have even compared it to The Last of Us, the post-apocalyptic drama series starring Ramsay, as one said: “Bet she wishes she was back in The Last of Us.

“It was less traumatic. Even with zombies.”

BBC

Another put: “My word. This was one hell of a piece of TV. Binged last night. Writing, acting, everything just phenomenal. Heartbreaking but so worth the watch!!”

Others simply said: “CHRIST ALMIGHTY,” while another added: “No-one does 'F**k me, did that just happen?' quite like Jimmy McGovern."

However, while viewers called it ‘drama at is very, very best’ not everyone was so impressed.

One wrote: “I wasn’t that impressed with the 1st ep of #Time. Bella Ramsay character was too green considering she’s been inside twice before. The pacing seemed off; it was too hurried. Woman who threatened the other inmate was nowhere near hard enough. Saving grace was the excellent Jodie W.”

And another called it ‘beyond grim’ as they semi-praised it as being so ‘powerful’ they didn’t have the ‘bandwidth’ for it.

Time is now on BBC iPlayer.

Topics: BBC, TV and Film, Prison

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_