Unforgiven (TV series)

Last updated

Unforgiven
Unforgiven, DVD Cover.jpg
Genre Crime drama
Written by Sally Wainwright
Directed byDavid Evans
Starring
ComposerMalcolm Lindsay
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes3 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerKaren Lewis
Cinematography Sean Bobbitt
EditorMark Elliott
Running time45 minutes
Production company Red Production Company
Original release
Network ITV
Release12 January (2009-01-12) 
26 January 2009 (2009-01-26)

Unforgiven is a three-part British television drama series, written by Sally Wainwright and directed by David Evans, that first broadcast on ITV (ITV1 and UTV) in January 2009, and later on STV in 2012. Produced by the Red Production Company, Unforgiven follows Ruth Slater (Suranne Jones), a woman found guilty of murdering two police officers when she was a teenager. Upon release from prison, Ruth is determined to find her sister, who was adopted shortly after the incident. [1] The series is set in Yorkshire, specifically the village of Boothtown in Halifax. [2]

Contents

Broadcast across three consecutive Mondays at 9:00 pm, the series averaged 7 million viewers across its run. [3] Unforgiven won the award for Best Drama Series or Serial at the 2009 RTS Programme Awards. [4] The series was released on DVD on 2 February 2009. [5] A film adaptation of the series, named The Unforgivable , [6] starring Sandra Bullock and directed by Nora Fingscheidt, was released in theaters on 24 November 2021, prior to streaming on Netflix on 10 December. [7]

Cast

Episodes

EpisodeTitleWritten byDirected byOriginal airdateViewers (millions) [3]
1"Episode 1"Sally WainwrightDavid Evans12 January 2009 (2009-01-12)7.82
Ruth is attempting to rebuild her life and to start the search for her sister, Katie, after serving 15 years of a life sentence for murdering two police officers when she was 17. She finds out from her probation officer that her sister was adopted and that her whereabouts and new name could not be disclosed for legal reasons. The Belcombes' adopted daughter, Lucy, gets herself into a serious car accident and is in a coma. Her sister, Emily, reveals that Lucy was unhappy and unable to cope with the pressures of university. John and Izzie Ingram move into their new house at Upper Hanging Stones Farm, which Izzie believes to be haunted. Kieran and Steve Whelan, whose father was one of the police officers Ruth shot, find out Ruth has been released and begin plotting revenge. When Ruth visits her old home, she meets John, who is a family lawyer, and he agrees to help Ruth find her sister. Ruth develops her first intimate relationship with a co-worker named Brad at the meat factory where she works.
2"Episode 2"Sally WainwrightDavid Evans19 January 2009 (2009-01-19)6.47
Steve has tracked down Ruth, but his plans to exact revenge are scuttled when Ruth's neighbour shows up at her door. He forms another plan for revenge after overhearing that Ruth has a sister. Ruth confesses to Brad about her past and the next day becomes the target of a hate campaign at work. John finds out for Ruth that her sister was adopted, living with Rachel and Michael Belcombe, and renamed Lucy. Meanwhile, Lucy wakes from her coma and begins to grapple with issues regarding her past. Michael and Rachel Belcombe find out that Ruth wants to re-establish contact with Lucy and are cold to the idea. Izzie finds out about Ruth's past, giving Ruth a frosty reception when she visits them again. Izzie is also livid to find out her youngest son was responsible for making her believe their house was haunted. With John's help, Ruth manages to meet the Belcombes but the meeting does not go well when she finds out the Belcombes never gave her letters to Katie/Lucy. Steve discovers his wife is having an affair with his brother. Emily stumbles upon Ruth's letters, and is moved by them. She sends Ruth an anonymous letter telling her where to find her sister.
3"Episode 3"Sally WainwrightDavid Evans26 January 2009 (2009-01-26)7.11
Ruth is haunted by flashbacks of her arrest as she goes to the University of York to seek out Lucy. Upon arriving there, she cannot summon the courage to speak to Lucy but rather only watches her from afar. Izzie, who has regretted her conduct towards Ruth, makes amends when Ruth visits the house. On the edge after discovering his wife's infidelity, Steve finds out Katie's new name and address from a private eye. But his plan for revenge starts to go wrong when he kidnaps Lucy's sister Emily instead. Ruth, back at York University, receives a call from Steve that he has kidnapped and is threatening to kill her sister; a baffled Ruth tells Steve that Lucy is at her location and Steve only realizes his mistake when Emily confirms her identity. With Izzie's help, Ruth summons the courage to tell an incredulous Lucy about the turn of events and to notify the Belcombes. During the drive to rescue Emily, Lucy's true relationship to Ruth begins to reveal itself and the two sisters are finally reunited.

Critical response

Writing in The Guardian, Gareth McLean praised Evans' direction and Jones' performance, saying "Measured and mesmerising, the script is taut and true, and Unforgiven has a bleak beauty about it." [8] Brian Viner of The Independent also praised Jones' acting and gave the show five stars, writing: "There are moments when our credibility is, if not quite strained, then certainly challenged [...] but on the whole it is an engrossing, believable story, cleverly and thrillingly told." [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Spooks</i> (TV series) British television drama series (2002–2011)

Spooks is a British television spy drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 to 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a colloquialism for spies, and the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a highly secure suite of offices known as The Grid. In the United States, the show is broadcast under the title MI-5. In Canada, the programme originally aired as MI-5 but later aired on BBC Canada as Spooks.

Sarah Anne Akers, known professionally as Suranne Jones, is an English actress and producer. Known for her numerous collaborations with screenwriter Sally Wainwright, she rose to prominence playing Karen McDonald on ITV's Coronation Street between 2000 and 2004. Upon leaving, she furthered her television career in drama series such as Vincent (2005–2006), Strictly Confidential (2006), Harley Street (2008), and Unforgiven (2009).

<i>Odds Against Tomorrow</i> 1959 film by Robert Wise

Odds Against Tomorrow is a 1959 American film noir produced and directed by Robert Wise and starring Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan and Ed Begley. Belafonte selected Abraham Polonsky to write the script, which is based on a novel of the same name by William P. McGivern. Blacklisted in those years, Polonsky had to use a front and John O. Killens was credited. Polonsky's screenwriting credit was restored in 1996 in his own name.

<i>Vincent</i> (TV series) British television series

Vincent is a British television crime drama series, created and principally written by Stephen Butchard, that first broadcast on ITV on 10 October 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antony Cotton</span> English actor

Antony Cotton is an English actor and comedian, known for portraying the role of Sean Tully in Coronation Street, as well as portraying Alexander Perry in the original Queer as Folk series. In 2007, Cotton hosted his own talk show titled That Antony Cotton Show, which was cancelled after one series. In March 2013, he won Let's Dance for Comic Relief.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Wainwright</span> British television writer, producer and director

Sally Anne Wainwright is an English television writer, producer, and director. She is known for her dramas, which are often set in West Yorkshire, where she originates from, and feature "strong female characters". Wainwright has been praised for the quality of her dialogue.

<i>The Golden Hour</i> (TV series) British television medical drama series

The Golden Hour is a four-part British television medical drama series, written and created by Andrew Rattenbury, first broadcast on 14 September 2005 on ITV. The series, which stars Richard Armitage, Navin Chowdhry, Zoe Telford and Ciarán McMenamin, centres on the activities of a specialist medical unit, the HEMS — or Helicopter Emergency Medical Service — which is based in London and operated by the London Ambulance Service. The title of the series refers to the hour which is deemed the most critical for patients with extensive injuries or severe medical conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siobhan Finneran</span> Irish actress born in England(born 1966)

Siobhan Margaret Finneran is an English actress. She made her screen debut in the 1987 independent film Rita, Sue and Bob Too, and subsequently worked consistently in television drama including roles in Coronation Street (1989–1990), Clocking Off (2000–2002) and The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (2006). In 2005, Finneran originated the lead female role in the stage play On the Shore of the Wide World and was awarded the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Also a comedy performer, Finneran appeared as Janice Garvey, a leading character in the first seven series of ITV sitcom Benidorm (2007–2015).

<i>Y Pris</i> Welsh TV series or programme

Y Pris is a Welsh television crime drama, produced by Fiction Factory for Welsh public service television station S4C. The series, described in its tagline as "The Sopranos by the seaside", is set in Carmarthenshire and follows the "tangled lives of a group of gangsters who hide their illicit dealings". The series was written and created by Tim Price.

<i>HolbyBlue</i> British police procedural drama series

HolbyBlue was a British police procedural drama series that ran for two series from 2007 to 2008. The show revolves around the daily lives of a number of police officers working at Holby South police station. The cast for series one included Jimmy Akingbola as PC Neil Parker, Joe Jacobs as PC William "Billy" Jackson, David Sterne as Sergeant Edward 'Mac' McFadden, Cal Macaninch as DI John Keenan, James Hillier as Sergeant Christian Young, Kacey Ainsworth as Inspector Jenny Black, Richard Harrington as DS Luke French, Zöe Lucker as Kate Keenan, Chloe Howman as PC Kelly Cooper, Kieran O'Brien as PC Robert Clifton, Tim Pigott-Smith as DCI Harry Hutchinson, Sara Powell as Rachel Barker and Elaine Glover as PC Lucy Slater. Velibor Topić and Julie Cox joined the cast in a recurring capacity as drug baron Neculai Stenga and Mandy French, Luke French's wife. By the end of series one, Pigott-Smith and Topic both departed the show. Series two saw the introductions of Oliver Milburn as DCI Scott Vaughan and James Thornton as Constable Jake Loughton. Stephanie Langton took over from Julie Cox in series two to continue playing the role of Mandy.

<i>Scott & Bailey</i> British television drama series

Scott & Bailey is a British police procedural series that debuted on ITV on 29 May 2011 and concluded on 27 April 2016. The series stars Suranne Jones, Lesley Sharp, Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller and Pippa Haywood. The show, mainly written by Sally Wainwright, revolves around the personal and professional lives of detectives Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey. Both characters are members of the Syndicate Nine Major Incident Team (MIT) of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police.

<i>Shetland</i> (TV series) BBC Scotland crime drama television series, 2013–

Shetland is a Scottish crime drama series made by ITV Studios for BBC Scotland. First broadcast on BBC One on 10 March 2013, it is originally based upon the novels of Ann Cleeves and adapted by David Kane. The first seven series starred Douglas Henshall as DI Jimmy Pérez, whilst Ashley Jensen stars as DI Ruth Calder from the eighth series. The cast also includes Alison O'Donnell as DS Alison "Tosh" McIntosh and Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson, as well as Lewis Howden and Anne Kidd. Henshall won the 2016 BAFTA Scotland award for Best Actor and the series received the award for Best TV Drama.

<i>Doctor Foster</i> (TV series) British television drama series (2015–2017)

Doctor Foster: A Woman Scorned is a British psychological thriller television series that debuted on BBC One on 9 September 2015. Created and written by Mike Bartlett, the series is about Gemma Foster, a doctor who suspects her husband Simon is having an affair. After she follows several lines of enquiry, she slowly begins to lose her sanity as her life unravels from what secrets she finds. The storyline was inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Medea, a wronged wife who kills her children and poisons her husband's new bride. Internationally, the series was brought to many countries by different networks.

<i>Marcella</i> (TV series) British television series

Marcella is a British Nordic noir detective series, written, directed and produced by Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt, creator of The Bridge. The series is produced by Buccaneer Media for ITV and distributed worldwide by Buccaneer's parent company Cineflix. It was first shown on ITV on 4 April 2016, with seven further episodes released weekly.

<i>Spirit Riding Free</i> American computer-animated series

Spirit Riding Free is a computer-animated series, produced by DreamWorks Animation Television and distributed by Netflix, based on the 2002 Oscar-nominated traditionally animated film, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and the first series in the Spirit franchise. The series was first released on Netflix on May 5, 2017.

<i>Gentleman Jack</i> (TV series) Historical television drama

Gentleman Jack is a historical drama television series created by Sally Wainwright. Set in the 1830s in Yorkshire, it stars Suranne Jones as landowner and industrialist Anne Lister. The series is based on the collected diaries of Lister, which contain over four million words and are written largely in secret code, documenting a lifetime of lesbian relationships. The diaries were decoded and transcribed by Helena Whitbread.

<i>The Unforgivable</i> 2021 drama film by Nora Fingscheidt

The Unforgivable is a 2021 drama film directed by Nora Fingscheidt and written by Peter Craig, Hillary Seitz, and Courtenay Miles, based on the 2009 British miniseries Unforgiven written by Sally Wainwright. The film stars Sandra Bullock as a woman who, following her release from prison after serving twenty years for committing murder, is determined to reunite with her estranged younger sister. Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Rob Morgan, and Viola Davis also star.

<i>Quiz</i> (TV series) 2020 British television serial

Quiz is a British drama television serial developed and written by James Graham for the ITV channel and AMC, based on his play of the same name commissioned by William Village and the book Bad Show: the Quiz, the Cough, the Millionaire Major by Bob Woffinden and James Plaskett. It is directed by Stephen Frears and consists of three episodes. The series focuses on the disgraced Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant Charles Ingram, a former army major in the Royal Engineers, and how he unexpectedly won the £1,000,000 jackpot on the quiz show in 2001, followed by a criminal trial in which he and his wife were convicted of cheating their way to success.

References

  1. Thomas, Rebecca (12 January 2009). "Talking Shop: Suranne Jones". BBC News Online . Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  2. "Talking Shop: TV Review: Unforgiven, ITV1". TV Scoop. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 "BARB - Weekly Top 30 Programmes". BARB. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  4. "Programme Awards 2009". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
  5. "Unforgiven [DVD]". Amazon. 2 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  6. "Unforgiven". Writers Guild of America West . 25 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  7. Fleming, Mike Jr. (23 August 2021). "Netflix Dates Fall Movies: A Whopping 42 Movies Coming At You". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  8. McLean, Gareth (12 January 2009). "Watch this: Countdown, Half Moon Investigations, Unforgiven, The Corner". the Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  9. Viner, Brian (13 January 2009). "Last Night's Television -Unforgiven, ITV1; Million Dollar Traders,". The Independent. Retrieved 15 October 2023.