Ten Pound Poms is the latest period drama from BBC One – and episode 1 had us reeled in hook, line and sinker.
There’s mystery, romance, and tension, all set against the background of a very real and troubled period in British/Australian history.
The drama follows British immigrants as they travel to Australia in the post-war 1950s in the hope of a better life, but find the reality doesn’t match the brochures. Far from it, in fact.
They are treated like second-class citizens, forced to do the work that Australians won’t, and treated worst than dingos (sound familiar?).
Here’s the burning questions we have after watching episode 1 of Ten Pound Poms on BBC One (Sunday, May 14, 2023).
***Warning: spoilers from episode 1 of Ten Pound Poms ahead***
Ten Pound Poms episode 1: What is Kate Thorne hiding?
Kate Thorne, played by Michelle Keegan, is a very mysterious character indeed. We first met her with her fiancé about to board the ferry. But, the next time we saw her, she was alone.
She told officials in Australia that he had changed his mind at the last minute, and had chosen to stay in the UK. But this was obviously a big fat lie.
We later saw – via handy little flashbacks – that nurse Kate had infact most probably drugged her beau, in order to board the boat without him.
Early theories are that she was escaping an abusive relationship… But we know he’s threatened to get the next boat out to find her… Take the hint, mate.
Who is Micheal James?
Of course, viewers subsequently learnt that Kate is looking for something very specific in Oz. We saw her stage an elaborate (and frankly unnecessary) seduction in order to get the keys to the office which keeps all the immigrant records.
There, she found the documents for a young boy called Michael James. More nifty flashbacks showed that he had been boarded on a train, as she screamed his name through the gates.
So who is he? Could he be her son? But then, why was he taken away from her? Kate was caught out looking through the files, but will her brief love interest help her, or punish her?
Ten Pound Poms episode 1: Is Pattie Roberts pregnant?
The Roberts family arrived in Australia full of hope for a better life, but their dreams were soon shattered. Far from the white-washed walls promised in the adverts, their new accommodating was more like a “prisoner of war camp”.
Annie and Terry Roberts (played by Faye Marsay and Warren Brown) seem to be a troubled couple, but not without love. Terry drinks to forget his war memories, while she struggles with his outdated notions about a woman’s place in the world.
However, our eyes were on their eldest child, daughter Pattie. During a pretty aggressive football match, Pattie was hurt and clutched her stomach painfully.
We later saw her burning a picture of a young black man. Could she be pregnant? And, if so, is the dad the man in the picture? The thought of Pattie giving birth to a mixed-race child in a country as racist as Australia in the 1950s is alarming.
What’s going on with Kate’s neighbour Sheila Anderson?
We don’t know much about Kate’s neighbour Sheila yet. She seems sad, keeps herself to herself, and listens to music all day long.
Kate saw her husband returning home one night, and bracing himself before walking in. A happy marriage this is not.
Episode 1 of Ten Pound Poms told us that Sheila has applied to return to the UK. But why? We also know that something happened with the creepy camp leader.
Sheila is another mysterious character we’re keen to learn more about.
Ten Pound Poms episode 1: Did Dean kill the boy?
Breaking his promise to his wife, Terry Roberts went out on the sauce with his new work colleagues. And we can’t really blame him, to be honest, it felt like the only way they would accept him.
However, things went too far when his vile, bully boss Dean took Terry for a ride in his truck – totally drunk.
Tragically, Dean accidentally knocked over a young indigenous boy on his dangerous travels. Worse, he drove away when he saw what he had done and realised it was “just an Abo kid”.
Will the boy die? What will the consequences be of the accident? We hope Dean burns in hell obviously, but sadly we fear Terry will be forced to keep his secret…
Read more: An honest ranking of the most talented ex-Coronation Street actresses
Ten Pound Poms continues on Sunday, May 21, 2023 on BBC One at 9pm. Series 1 is now available to binge on BBC iPlayer.
What did you think of Ten Pound Poms episode 1? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.