New TV Drama "Banished" The founding of the Penal Colony in Australia in 1788

[bykerlads]

I wonder if the language used was entirely accurate?
Specifically, the "bad" language, referring to the main theme of the first episode, ie the sexual availability of the female convicts and to who was entitled to avail themselves thereof.
Quite a lot of use was made of what seems to be modern terminology which didn't really ring true.

[Regorian]

I haven't seen it and won't. I threw my TV out in the mid 90's. Reading the posts, it seems inadequate not to show how people came to be transported. I believe transportation of criminal elements was started around 1712 and to colonies in North America and the British West Indies. I'm surprised the American colonies did not complain bitterly as they were generally sober, law abiding, god fearing people.

The switch to Australia, was presumably the loss of the American colonies in 1783. The interesting thing is that Australia has not become a gangster state. Given a second chance, the transportees could turn their lives round. Even in the early days, free immigrants multiplied and now Australia (with New Zealand) is one of the best places on Earth to live.     

[bykerlads]

It's not surprising that the transportees created such a peaceful and successful country. Most of them seem to have been transported for quite minor crimes, purely caused by hunger and poverty.
As Francois Villon wrote many years earlier :"Necessite fait gens mesprendre, et faim saillir le loup du bois"= Need makes  folk do wrong and hunger drives the wolf from the forest.
Our family has been in England for ever but at least one young lad narrowly missed transportation.
If I was Australian I would be proud of my "convict" forbears- what a stalwart bunch they must have been.

[Wiggy]

If I was Australian I would be proud of my "convict" forbears- what a stalwart bunch they must have been.

I know I am!

I do hope we get this series soon  -  and I hope it isn't too sanatized!  It was tough and they had a hellish time for the first few years, when they didn't know how to treat the poor soil and the supplies from 'home' weren't getting through.

  I have a marine and a convict from the first fleet in my family, as well as one from each of the second and third fleets.  They were survivors, and they did well.  The marine chose to stay and settle when his service time was up, and the convicts didn't have much choice, but did well for themselves.

[davidft]

I watched it but was not enamoured by it. They have given it the "soap" treatment and by the end I couldn't care what happened to any of them alas.

[Old Bristolian]

I have to agree - the acting was good but the script was terrible - rather flat and expressionless. I would think the actors were embarrassed having to say some of the lines. However I think the swearing was about the only thing that was authentic

Steve

[Wiggy]

I look forward to seeing this series when it comes this way - my usual gripe is that everyone looks far too clean to be real . . . . .     

Do they have lots of great unwashed??

[IMBER]

One of the main male characters had a very neat and short haircut, discussion of which distracted both of us from the action. I think it would have been helpful for many to have placed the events briefly into some sort of historical context. Difficult to comment here on the adult language authenticity. However, I note that they acknowledge that this is story about people and not about history. We'll watch next week to see where this is going.

Imber

[lisalucie]

I enjoyed it but much the same as I enjoyed the bbc's adaption of the White queen....it makes a change from reality awfullness but I won't be taking anything it offers "historically" seriously lol...they all looked extremely clean and attractive considering they were just off the convict boat, but stop beats have the dribble on the tele lately