Mrs Biggs (2012)

Mrs Biggs (2012)

Dir. Paul Whittington | 5 episodes, approx 50 minutes each.

An ITV miniseries based on the life of Charmian Biggs (played by Sheridan Smith), wife to the most well-known of the Great Train Robbers, Ronnie Biggs (played by Daniel Mays). If you don't know the historical aspect, in 1963 Ronnie and fifteen other men robbed an English Royal Mail train that was carrying £2.6 million (approx £48 million in today's money) and they did it without using guns.

The series begins a few years prior to that event, though, in 1957. Charmian Powell is an innocent, dependable young woman who holds a steady job and has a strict, controlling father. Ronnie is a part-time petty crook, a Jack the Lad, Jimmy Chancer, etc, and also a bit of a charmer. The inevitable happens.

The journey from youthful innocence to reluctant accomplice avoids pure melodrama. It's often difficult to sympathise with a criminal and easier to have those feelings for a criminal's wife, but covering up the truth even for noble reasons is still an immoral act. The series doesn't force you to abandon the judgements you'd naturally have toward that kind of behaviour, so you're free to dislike Charmian's choices if you choose to and still enjoy the ride.

Sheridan is radiant — when she smiles she lights up the entirety of a scene — but it's not all smiles and money spending, there's plenty of tears and hardship too, because they're on the run from the law every minute of every day. Even when it seems as if they've gotten far enough away, it takes only a knock on the door or a second of doubt to bring it all rushing back to mind.

It drives home the truth that an influx of money doesn't instantly wipe away existing domestic troubles; in some cases it can even cause them. Speaking of truth, the disclaimer at the start of each episode tells us that creative licence is in play, so bear that in mind while viewing. However, the real Charmian Biggs was a consultant on the series, which gives it some credibility.

It's not the type/genre of television that I'm normally drawn to, but after taking a chance on one episode there was no way I wasn't seeing it through to the end. It's a quality Sunday evening-esque TV drama that's clever enough to not glamorize its subject matter for extra thrills.