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Oct 02, 2024 By Lily Moayeri Photography by CW Web Exclusive

There are a few flaws in the ‘80s-based, six-episode limited series Joan, but Sophie Turner isn’t one of them. A long way from Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones, Turner plays the titular character, real-life jewel thief “Godmother” Joan Hannington on whose 2002 autobiography, I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain’s Most Notorious Jewel Thief, the series is based. Originally commissioned by the UK’s ITV, Joan feels misplaced on the CW, which is one of its producers, but let’s hope this series marks the start of an exciting fresh direction for the network.

Joan begins with a shot of Turner’s back, heavily crisscrossed with scars, as she gets ready in a luxury hotel room. She slips a brunette wig on her head, slides into a sleek designer outfit and reveals tight rolls of cash in her oversized cosmetic case. She speaks in a rounded American accent on the phone before she shrugs on a floor-length fur coat and is whisked away in a waiting car and driver. The story flips back in time a few months to Joan as a big-haired blonde in a seaside town, in a lower working-class apartment with her six-year-old daughter, Kelly. Her criminal boyfriend Gary is on the run, putting Joan and Kelly in danger with his angry cohorts.

Her focus is Kelly’s safety and to that end, they leave their home and Joan deposits Kelly with children’s services until she can get herself set up somewhere Gary can’t find them. She goes to her hair stylist sister’s place and the best thing that happens is Joan gets a slick Top of the Pops makeover from the neck up which positions her as someone who can look the part of a jewelry shop salesperson. Overhearing posh ladies in the park speak, she picks up their accents—a particular skill of hers, then tricks a high-end jeweler to teach her everything she needs to know to secure the sales job with their lesser competitor.

Not surprisingly, her boss comes on to her while taking inventory afterhours. She swallows diamonds raw, gives him the slip and goes to a bar where she meets Boisie (Frank Dillane), a well-connected hustler posing as antiques dealer. She introduces herself as a thief, the word sounding soft and seductive when she says it for the first time. She goes home with him where she expels the diamonds using his strainer.

This is the start of an unsavory but tantalizing partnership, a Bonnie and Clyde for the ‘80s. Joan proves to be a natural thief, clever and calculated, she is fearless and chameleon-like. She takes the wheel in most of their heists, her thrill in the danger on par with her glee when she pulls it off. Kelly is still top of mind for Joan and everything she does is to reunite with her daughter.

These two extreme sides to Joan grate against each other. Getting Kelly back and building a life for them is the supposed motivation for her criminal actions. But the very fact that she’s willing to take such risks puts the goal of providing a stable life for Kelly that much further to reach. The switch from battered girlfriend to ball busting crime boss is so sudden, it’s hard to reconcile the instantly experienced crook Joan becomes with the desperate mother she is. Turner handles this inconsistency brilliantly, maintaining viewers’ attention with her razor-sharp turn as Joan.

Additionally, the ‘80s setting makes up for the storytelling deficiencies in many ways. Not the least of these is the fire fashion which Turner wears with the ease and style of a seasoned runway model. She gives Princess Diana vibes, that is, if her Royal Highness had an affinity for satin, jewel-toned jumpsuits and wide cinched belts. Turner’s uncanny resemblance to Boy George takes Joan’s ‘80s aesthetic to another level. Speaking of which, the needle drops on the series, which include essential songs from Soft Cell, Culture Club, The Style Council and others, provide an excellent soundtrack. All that plus the London setting makes Joan an irresistible watch.

Author rating: 7.5/10