BBC One’s Ten Pound Poms is back for its second season, continuing its poignant yet often frustrating exploration of postwar British emigrants in Australia. The show transports viewers to 1956, when a wave of Britons left behind postwar austerity for the promise of a brighter future in the land down under—only to find their dreams dashed upon arrival.
The drama is based on the real Ten Pound Scheme, which saw thousands of Britons paying just £10 for their passage to Australia with the belief that a utopian existence awaited them. However, the newcomers’ initial optimism is quickly deflated as they are faced with substandard living conditions, exploitation, and discrimination. The migrants, initially full of hope, find themselves in bug-infested huts, enduring the harsh realities of their new lives.
While the show’s emotional core lies in the personal turmoil of its characters—ranging from teen pregnancy and addiction to strained marriages—the drama struggles to achieve prestige television status, instead falling into the category of a soap opera. For example, the migrant hostels’ bad-matron manager, Mrs. Walker, evokes comparisons to characters from Prisoner: Cell Block H (also known as Prisoner), played with gusto by Tina Bursill, who portrayed the tough Sonia Stevens in the iconic Australian series.
Ten Pound Poms draws on a rich cocktail of influences, from the sense of accidental migration seen in Banished to the quiet, grim perseverance of women in substandard housing that recalls Tenko. The show’s most prominent comparison, however, is to Call the Midwife, with its focus on characters facing social challenges that echo contemporary issues.
In this new season, immigration is a central theme, as the show examines the harsh realities faced by the British emigrants who are rejected by locals and mistreated by authorities. A significant plotline from season one tackled the issue of anti-immigrant sentiments, showcasing the complex relationship between racism and immigration policies. The show didn’t shy away from making bold statements on the topic, and season two continues this trend by broadening its focus to tackle other social injustices, such as the exploitation of immigrant tenants by unscrupulous landlords.
The season introduces Terry (Warren Brown), a war veteran struggling with PTSD who strives to better provide for his family. However, his journey takes him down a morally questionable path as he works for a property mogul who mistreats his Greek-immigrant tenants. Meanwhile, Terry’s wife, Annie (Faye Marsay), grapples with new opportunities at her clothing store, challenging the traditional roles of wife and mother.
While Brown and Marsay offer solid performances, it is Michelle Keegan’s portrayal of Kate, a nurse, that stands out. Kate’s storyline is far removed from the daily struggles of the other migrants. Unlike her peers, she is determined not to let the harsh living conditions deter her, as her primary goal is to reclaim her son, Michael, who was sent to Australia without her consent when she was a single mother. Season one left viewers on a cliffhanger as Kate attempted to kidnap Michael from his adoptive family, and season two picks up with the tense aftermath of that moment.
Keegan delivers a standout performance in the emotional scenes between Kate and Michael’s adoptive mother (Nikki Shiels). The confrontation is a tense negotiation, highlighting the fierce maternal instincts of both women while underscoring the class divide that separates them.
Despite its moments of emotional depth, Ten Pound Poms is destined to return to its soapier roots, filled with melodrama and social strife. As with the characters’ struggles, viewers may feel frustrated by the show’s oscillation between poignant storytelling and sensationalist drama. For now, it seems that we, like the migrant characters, must endure the hardships and make do with the story that unfolds.
Ten Pound Poms is available on iPlayer in the UK and airs on Stan in Australia.
Related topic:
‘Running Point’ Renewed for Season 2 by Netflix
Netflix Drops Trailer for Medical Drama “Pulse”
James Graham Adapts ‘Boys From the Blackstuff’ for Scottish Stage