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Season 1 – Time

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Time Jun 2021 Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 23 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
A prisoner consumed by guilt, an officer with an impossible choice. What does it take to survive? A tense story of punishment and principles, starring Sean Bean and Stephen Graham.
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Time — Season 1

Time — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Time's heavy load can be challenging, but strong writing and a magnificent performance from Sean Bean make for an incredible, thought-provoking watch.

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Critics Reviews

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Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) Jul 28, 2022
4.5/5
Time is rarely overtly didactic -- there’s no time for impassioned monologues or grand gestures when the passing of each day grinds at everyone and trying to do the right thing can exact a damaging cost. Go to Full Review Graeme Blundell The Australian Jul 9, 2021
Under Arnold's documentary-style direction, intensely realistic, Time is relentless, unnerving and urgent storytelling, TV drama that matters. Go to Full Review Brad Newsome Sydney Morning Herald Jul 7, 2021
4.5/5
Bean's and Graham's performances are as brilliantly contained and captivating as you'd expect, and there's great casting across the board as a small host of supporting players flesh out the milieu and the issues McGovern wants to get to. Go to Full Review Milagros Amondaray La Nación (Argentina) Dec 16, 2022
4/5
Time is brief but leaves an indelible footprint by delivering conclusions that are hard to swallow and raising questions that don't have answers; we must accept the most inflexible truths. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Joel Keller Decider Aug 19, 2021
Bean is so good as Mark, walking around with a countenance that's equal parts "how did I get here?" and "I need to atone for my sins," it makes the story fascinating to watch. Go to Full Review Anne Brodie What She Said Aug 13, 2021
Absolutely breathtaking. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dave C @RT09838700 Oct 13, 2026 Thoroughly enjoyable as a result of good writing, very talented actors, and stable direction. More tense than I remembered it being too See more Lane P @RT07242269 Oct 13, 2026 EXCELLENT SERIES, very well done See more Alain E @AlainE Aug 19, 2025 Very watchable show. It depicts a prison in UK where criminal enterprise is rampant. I know that these conditions are not unknown in US. If this indeed is what happening as well across the ocean, then the story is realistic. Generally speaking, the characters presented are believable. There is no sugar coating. The hero wants to get forgiveness from the survivors of the person he killed, but this remains unresolved as the series ends. After the second season the action moves to female wrongdoers, I increased my rating. situations continue to sound realistic and there is more emphasis given on family dynamics. Especially likeable is the prisoner Catholic nun and I write this as a lifelong atheist. There are some unexpected elements of the British penal system, like releasing a prisoner who has no means to find housing, with a tent to live on the streets! Also that threatening to kill a mother and her baby incurs two years in prison but transporting heroin in a penal facility five! See more Gregory K @RT73370528 Aug 13, 2025 A must for anyone who struggles with addiction. The potential hellish consequences clear. Superb acting, writing and production. Much more than 'another' prison drama. See more Jeffrey K. @jeffkim Aug 11, 2025 Probably the greatest short series ever made. The performances of Sean bean and Stephen Graham's lives See more papa W @papaWongie Jul 10, 2025 Incredibly mad good mates See more Read all reviews
Time — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Lewis Arnold

Director

James Nelson-Joyce

Johnno

Kadiff Kirwan

Pete

Bobby Schofield

Baz

Dean Fagan

Stevie

Sean Bean

Mark Cobden

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jun 6, 2021 Mark Cobden is sent to prison and has to learn quickly how to survive; when an inmate identifies prison officer Eric McNally's weakness, he faces an impossible choice. Details Episode 2 Aired Jun 13, 2021 Mark is bullied by fellow inmate Johnno and doesn't know whether he should tell the prison officers; he runs the risk of being labeled a "grass" and having the attacks become more and more violent; Eric's son is attacked. Details Episode 3 Aired Jun 20, 2021 Mark suffers a tragic personal loss and is given the chance to leave prison for a day; Eric is forced to take greater risks to protect his family. Details

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Time — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Lewis Arnold
Screenwriter
Jimmy McGovern
Network
BBC
Genre
Drama, Crime
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Jun 6, 2021
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