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Banished: episode guide

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Part 2

UK: Thu, March 12, 2015
UK Ratings: 2.4 million viewers
Written by Jimmy McGovern
Directed by Daniel Percival

Major Ross is apoplectic when he hears the news about Tommy and Elizabeth. Always a pragmatist, his military experience tells him that a failure to mete out punishment will lead to social instability or worse. And in spite of himself, Major Ross is drawn to a beautiful young convict, Katherine McVitie.

But there is a complication. Katherine and Private MacDonald are deeply in love and enjoy a blissful monogamous relationship. However, under the makeshift laws of the colony unmarried convict women have become the sexual chattels of the soldiers, and with women in short supply sharing female convicts is the norm. All too soon Major Ross presents the young lovers with a heart wrenching dilemma.

On the beach the enigmatic convict Anne Meredith tells the vicar's wife, Mary Johnson that she sees sadness in her and can offer solace. Genteel Mary is horrified but finds herself fascinated to know more. Can Mary's sorrows be truly assuaged by Anne?

Meanwhile a bid to save their friend James from starving, Tommy and Elizabeth have joined forces with him to tackle bully Marston, who is persisting in stealing their mate's food. Grassing up Marston to the Governor has achieved nothing except making James a pariah amongst the entire convict community. Drastic action is required. In the dead of when night wild dingoes howl and the moon shines brightly on the ocean not everyone in the camp is asleep.

In the morning Marston is gone and James is suspected of murder but there is no corpse. A waiting game begins; with no proof of wrongdoing fair-minded Governor Phillip decrees he will wait to see whether Marston has escaped or has indeed lost his life.

Cast:

  • Orla Brady as Anne Meredith
  • Ewen Bremner as Reverend Johnson
  • MyAnna Buring as Elizabeth Quinn
  • Ryan Corr as Private MacDonald
  • Brooke Harman as Deborah
  • David Dawson as Captain Collins
  • Ned Dennehy as Letters Molloy
  • Cal MacAninch as Sergeant Timmins
  • Rory McCann as Marston
  • Joseph Millson as Major Ross
  • Nick Moss as Spragg
  • Adam Nagaitis as Private Buckley
  • Genevieve O'Reilly as Mrs Johnson
  • Jordan Patrick Smith as Private Mulrooney
  • Russell Tovey as James Freeman
  • Julian Rhind-Tutt as Tommy Barrett
  • Joanna Vanderham as Katherine McVitie
  • David Walmsley as Stubbins
  • David Wenham as Governor Arthur Phillip