Noughts + Crosses

Noughts + Crosses is a British drama television series based on the first book in the Noughts & Crosses novel series by Malorie Blackman. The series is set in an alternate history where black "Cross" people rule over white "Noughts". The first episode aired on BBC One on 5 March 2020,[1] and the remaining episodes premiered on BBC iPlayer on the same day.[2]

Noughts + Crosses
Genre	Alternate history Drama
Based on	Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman
Written by	Toby Whithouse Lydia Adetunji Nathaniel Price Rachel De-Lahay
Directed by	Julian Holmes Koby Adom
Starring	Jack Rowan Masali Baduza
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	6
Production
Producer(s)	Johann Knobel
Production location(s)	South Africa
Production company(s)	Mammoth Screen Participant Roc Nation
Release
Original network	BBC One BBC iPlayer
Original release	5 March 2020 (2020-03-05) – present

Synopsis

The BBC synopsis reads: "Against a background of prejudice, distrust and powerful rebellion mounting on the streets, a passionate romance builds between Sephy and Callum which will lead them both into terrible danger".[1]

Setting

The series takes place in a present day London in an alternate history where 700 years prior several nations in West Africa combined to form the powerful Aprican Empire, and went on to colonise Europe. After a conflict known as the Great World War, control of Europe is split between different African factions, with mainland Europe under control of the Malian Empire and the Moors, whereas Albion (comprising Great Britain and Ireland) and parts of Scandinavia remain under the thumb of the Aprican Empire.[3]

Russia and The Balkans remain in active conflict with the African colonisers, although since the Great World War their national borders have been pushed back. The Ottoman Empire also exists, controlling parts of East Africa.[3]

Albion appears to be a self-governing colony with its own Prime Minister and executive leadership, but is still accountable to the Aprican Empire based on the continent. As of 1950, segregation is rigidly enforced in the colony between those of wealthy African descent (known as Crosses or Daggers) and the poorer native white Europeans (known as Noughts or Blankers).[3]

Cast and characters

Main

• Masali Baduza as Persephone "Sephy" Hadley, the daughter of a Cross politician and childhood friend of Callum
• Jack Rowan as Callum McGregor, one of the first Nought cadets at Mercy Point and a childhood friend of Sephy
• Helen Baxendale as Meggie McGregor, Callum and Jude's mother and a housekeeper for the Hadley family
• Paterson Joseph as Home Secretary Kamal Hadley[4]
• Josh Dylan as Jude McGregor, Callum's militant older brother
• Shaun Dingwall as Jack Dorn, leader of the Liberation Militia[4]
• Jonathan Ajayi as Lieutenant Lekan Baako, a military officer and Sephy's boyfriend
• Kiké Brimah as Minerva Hadley, Sephy's older sister
• Rakie Ayola as Prime Minister Opal Folami
• Bonnie Mbuli as Jasmine Hadley, Kamal's wife and Sephy and Minerva's mother
• Ian Hart as Ryan McGregor, Callum and Jude's father and a former militant activist

Recurring

• Jodie Tyack as Elaine Sawyer, a Nought cadet at Mercy Point
• Nathaniel Ramabulana as Sergeant Major Bolade Oluade, Callum's commanding officer at Mercy Point
• Nicholas Beveney as Police Deputy Commissioner Folu Abiola
• Stormzy as Kolawale, Editor-in-Chief of the Ohene Standard[5][6]
• Luke Bailey as Yaro Baloyi-Hadley, Kamal's illegitimate mixed race son
• Eunice Olumide as Omotola Aguda, a news anchor for CAN
• Ore Oduba as Obiora Akintola, a news anchor for CAN

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date [7][8]	U.K. viewers (millions)
1	"Episode 1"	Julian Holmes	Lydia Adetunji[9]	5 March 2020 (2020-03-05)	N/A
In London, Cross police officers break up a Nought party. A Nought youth Danny is badly wounded after being beaten by Cross cops for resisting arrest. Callum McGregor is applying for a place at the prestigious Mercy Cross military academy. His mother Meggie works as a housekeeper for the Hadley family, a wealthy Cross family. Kamal Hadley is the Home Minister and advocates tougher measures including strip searches in response to ethnic tensions. His liberal-minded daughter "Sephy" is a political science undergraduate who is sympathetic to the plight of the Noughts. While Callum is working as a servant at a Hadley dinner function, he starts a friendship with Sephy. Radical Nought youth stage a vigil outside the Nought youth's hospital, which turns violent. Callum and Sephy are attacked by several Nought youth. Sephy calls the Noughts "Blankers", a derogatory term which upsets Callum. The two later rekindle their friendship, which blossoms into a romantic relationship. Callum's older brother Jude becomes involved with the revived Liberation Militia, whose leader Jack Dorn murders the badly wounded Nought youth Danny in hospital in order to stoke ethnic tensions between Noughts and Crosses.
2	"Episode 2"	Julian Holmes	Lydia Adetunji	12 March 2020 (2020-03-12)	N/A
Callum and Elaine Sawyer get a place as cadets at Mercy Cross Academy but endure intense racism and hostility from the Cross cadets and faculty. Home Minister Hadley gives an inaugural speech at the Academy advocating "unity in difference," a veiled rejection of interracial relationships. Liberation Militia leader Jack Dorn is later arrested in a police raid but strikes a deal with Hadley to foment terrorism and ethnic tensions in order to undermine Prime Minister Opal Folami's leadership. While on leave, Callum continues his romantic relationship with Sephy, which arouses the jealousy of her boyfriend and military officer Lieutenant Lekan Baako, who assaults several interracial couples at a Cross hotel. Meanwhile, Callum's father Ryan is dismissed from his warehouse job by his boss, who is a successful Nought businessman, after filling in for a colleague who was attended a funeral.
3	"Episode 3"	Julian Holmes	Lydia Adetunji	19 March 2020 (2020-03-19)	N/A
Callum and Elaine continue their training at Mercy Cross Academy while the liberal minded Sephy challenges the race-based orthodoxy, placing her at odds with her professor and father Hadley. Jasmine confides about her estranged relationship with her husband and affairs to Meggie, who raises the issue with Hadley. Enraged that Meggie has shared her secrets, Jasmine dismisses her. As consolation, Hadley secretly provides three years' of wages to Meggie in return for not disclosing their family problems. Jasmine is later hospitalised following a suicide attempt. Angered by the Crosses' treatment of his wife, Ryan joins the Liberation Militia, who are plotting an attack during the annual Nought holiday May Day. Callum, Elaine and their fellow cadets are posted as security details at May Day. After a Nought crowd including Jude confronts the cadets, Callum refuses to shoot his kinsmen and leaves the military academy. Amidst the troubles, Callum and Sephy continue their relationship but are caught up in a bomb attack at Demwa Hospital.
4	"Episode 4"	Koby Adom	Nathaniel Price	26 March 2020 (2020-03-26)	N/A
Following the bombing of Demwa Hospital which killed three people, Callum is arrested on suspicion of the bomb attack based on information from Sephy. To save his sons, Ryan confesses to the bomb attack. With Ryan facing the death penalty, Sephy and Jasmine fund Ryan's defence, providing him with a skilled lawyer who manages to get the death penalty downgraded to a 30-year custodial sentence. Callum reconciles with Sephy, with his mother Meggie coming to accept it. Meanwhile, Hadley meets with his illegitimate mixed-race son Yaro Baryoli-Hadley, offering him 20,000 dollars to keep his silence. Yaro is bitter that Hadley abandoned his mother. Following the bomb attack, Prime Minister Folami, who had proposed decriminalising interracial relations, resigns and Hadley is designated as interim Prime Minister. Hadley learns from Lekan about Sephy's relationship with Callum. In prison, Ryan is brutally beaten up by a Cross inmate while the guard stands by. Jack Dorn and the Liberation Militia prepare for war with the Cross government.
5	"Episode 5"	Koby Adom	Nathaniel Price	2 April 2020 (2020-04-02)	N/A
The McGregors learn about the death of Ryan in prison but are distraught at not being able to see his body. The Cross authorities claim it was a suicide but Jude and Callum believe otherwise. The McGregor's angst is made worse when the family is charged an invoice for the disposal of Ryan's body. Following his inauguration, Prime Minister Hadley rescinds his predecessor's attempts at racial integration. Hadley warns Callum to stay away from his daughter, objecting to their interracial relationship. Callum's anger at his father's death and seeing Sephy hug Lekan lead him to accept Jude's invitation to join the Liberation Militia. Callum confronts the guard who guarded his father, who confirms that Hadley ordered his death. Jack arrives and kills the guard. Meanwhile, Sephy grows increasingly estranged from her father Hadley after learning about his treatment of his illegitimate son Yaro and his role in Ryan's death. Sephy tries to reconnect with Callum but he has committed himself to the Liberation Militia.
6	"Episode 6"	Koby Adom	Rachel De-Lahay	9 April 2020 (2020-04-09)	N/A
Several masked Liberation Militia leaders including Callum and Jude attack the offices of the conservative Ohene Standard newspaper as part of their resistance campaign against Cross rule. Yaro goes to the media, seeking to expose Prime Minister Hadley as his father. However, Hadley convinces the Ohene Standard's editor to run a smear campaign attacking Yaro for his purported terrorist links. As Sephy grows estranged from her father, she spends more time with Meggie and Jasmine, the latter of whom is angry with Hadley for his affairs. Under Jack's leadership, the Liberation Militia kidnaps Sephy, demanding a $1 million ransom and Hadley's resignation. Tasked with guarding Sephy, Callum is initially sullen and hostile to his former Cross girlfriend. However, the two reconcile after he learns that Sephy is pregnant with their child. Hadley resigns and meets with Jack to deliver the $1 million ransom. Jack takes the ransom but reneges on the deal and orders that Sephy be killed. Experiencing a change of heart, Jude fights with Jack, allowing Callum and Sephy to escape. They encounter Hadley but Sephy convinces her father to spare Callum. Sephy and Callum escape to live together as a couple on the run.

Production

In 2016, the BBC announced they were producing an adaptation, to be written by Levi David Addai and Matthew Graham. They had to bow out and Toby Whithouse took over in 2018[10].[11] Jay Z's company Roc Nation and Participant Media co-produced the series.[12] In November 2018, it was announced Jack Rowan and Masali Baduza were cast as Callum McGregor and Sephy Hadley respectively.[13]

Filming for the series began in November 2018 in South Africa.

Distribution

In New Zealand, the series is available on the free streaming service TVNZ On Demand, while Foxtel distributes the series on their platform in Australia.[3][14]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, titled Noughts + Crosses: The Soundtrack, was released on BBC Sounds on 10 February 2020, without track one being available.[15]

No.	Title	Artist	Length
1.	"Noughts + Crosses Theme"	Matthew Herbert
2.	"Summon The Fire"	The Comet Is Coming
3.	"Boombaya"	Boombaya
4.	"Disco Dancer"	Kiki Gyan
5.	"Seven Churches For St Jude"	Gaika
6.	"Soubour"	Songhoy Blues
7.	"Heaven"	Ebo Taylor
8.	"Challenge (To Be Continued)"	Jlin
9.	"Don Do"	Fatoumata Diawara
10.	"Plastic 100°C"	Sampha
11.	"I've Been Thinking (feat. Cat Power)"	Handsome Boy Modeling School
12.	"Listen To My Son"	Darondo
13.	"Afro Blue"	Melanie De Biasio
14.	"Living Dangerously (feat. Kyla Phil)"	Umlilo
15.	"Remembering Mountains"	Sharon Van Etten
16.	"Lord I Just Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes"	Colin Stetson
17.	"Philakanzima"	Bongeziwe Mabandla
18.	"Without You (feat. Kerry Leatham)"	Lapalux
19.	"Ghetto Ghetto"	Diron Animal
20.	"Where You Are (feat. Jono McCleery)"	Portico Quartet
21.	"Imoto"	Mlindo The Vocalist
22.	"Love Family"	Diron Animal
23.	"Let's Go (The Royal We)"	Run The Jewels
Total length:			1:41:00

Reception

The Guardian's Josh Lee gave the television series four out of five stars, describing it as a "reverse-race love story that is vital viewing." Lee praised the series for highlighting the challenges that working-class white people and people of colour share in the real world through its depiction of reverse racism in an alternate world dominated by African supremacy.[16]

See also

• Fable - a 1965 Television play by John Hopkins about flipped racial dynamics.
• BabaKiueria - a 1986 Australian mockumentary about an oppressed white minority in a society dominated by Aboriginal Australians.
• White Man's Burden - a 1995 American film about similar subject matter.

References

1. "Watch BBC One's Noughts + Crosses trailer". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
2. "Noughts and Crosses cast: who stars in the new series based on Malorie Blackman's books, and what time it starts on BBC One tonight". i. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
3. Brooks, Sam (10 April 2020). "What you need to know about the world of Noughts + Crosses". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
4. White, Peter (8 November 2018). "'Peaky Blinders' Jack Rowan & Newcomer Masali Baduza Lead The Cast For BBC Dystopian Drama 'Noughts + Crosses'". Deadline. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
5. Maitland, Hayley. "Stormzy Joins The Cast Of The BBC's Adaptation Of Malorie Blackman's Noughts + Crosses". British Vogue. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
6. "Noughts + Crosses (@noughtcrosstv) | Twitter". twitter.com.
7. "Noughts + Crosses". BBC One. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
8. "Noughts & Crosses – Listings". Next Episode. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
9. "BBC One - Noughts + Crosses, Series 1, Episode 1". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
10. Fullerton, Huw (11 April 2018). "Doctor Who and Being Human writer set to script YA adaptation Noughts and Crosses". Radio Times. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
11. "Noughts and Crosses - What's it about, who's in the cast and when's it on TV?". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
12. "Jay Z's Roc Nation to produce TV adaptation of Malorie Blackman's 'Noughts and Crosses'". NME. 5 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
13. "BBC - Casting announced for new BBC One drama Noughts + Crosses - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
14. "Watch Noughts + Crosses". TVNZ On Demand. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
15. "BBC Radio - Noughts + Crosses - The Soundtrack, Music from the TV drama set in a dangerous, alternate world". BBC. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
16. Lee, Josh (15 March 2020). "The real story of Noughts + Crosses is about how racism and class collide". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.

External links

• Noughts + Crosses at BBC Programmes
• Noughts + Crosses on IMDb