As the fifth episode of Joan begins, Boisie (Frank Dillane) finds out that his warehouse has been burned. He tells Albie (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr) that the Irish destroyed everything he worked for. Boisie doesn’t know how they found the workshop. Albie says he better warn Joan (Sophie Turner) and tell her not to do a deal. Boisie goes to the jail to tell Joan what has happened. He insists he’s going to start again since he’s done it before. Boisie urges Joan to watch her back since they might try to send her a message as well. He asks her not to make a deal since it would create problems for him and Albie as well. Before long, a new inmate pays close attention to Joan who says she doesn’t know her. Joan is told the woman is with the IRA. Then, Joan meets her solicitor who says her bail hearing is on Monday.

She’ll be released until her trial. He can’t say whether she’ll get off. John Roberts (Kim Wall) admits she might have a long stretch ahead of her. When Joan says she can’t do ten years, John says people adapt. John suggests cooperating with the police to land a bigger fish. Later, Joan approaches Siobhan Doherty (Karen Connell) to say they have mutual friends. She asks Siobhan to tell them she had no idea the law was following her. Siobhan claims not to know what she’s talking about. Siobhan warns her she better be tougher than she looks if she was trying to rip off the IRA. Joan threatens to get her put into segregation if she touches her. Joan tells Bren (Gaby French) about the encounter. The guard comes into Joan’s cell and a fight begins. After that, Joan is just glad the guard didn’t smash her face. Following the bail hearing, Joan is released from jail. Boisie is waiting for her.

At home, they argue about not going straight. Boisie insists they’ll work something out because they always do. Joan thinks they should flee. She eventually shows Boisie the bruises. Joan asks if he’d consider leaving if she could come up with a job that would give them enough money. Boisie says yes. Joan meets Albie to talk about relocating to Spain where there is no extradition treaty. Albie claims he can set them up but it won’t be cheap. Joan says she’s going to do another job and she has nothing to lose. Before long, Joan ends up meeting Bernard Jones (Alex Blake). She admits she was hoping he would be good on his word and take her back. He’s already hired a woman named Kirsty. However, they had an issue with Miss Foley around the time Joan left. Bernard says she stole five stones from the safe.

He had to get rid of her. Bernard says they are a little short staffed and he misses her smile. Joan returns to Boisie to say she got a job at Bernard’s place again. She explains she wants to clear the place out. Later, Boisie says they should bring Albie into the job. They talk about life in Spain. Joan says she always wanted a baby tiger. They talk about getting a cat. Boisie says Kelly isn’t coming. Joan thinks that’s the whole point though. She insists she’s doing this for Kelly and she won’t go without her. Later, Boisie suggests going on their own and he can come back for her once they’re settled. He can’t say how long it’ll take. Joan agrees to that arrangement. Joan goes to work for Bernard. He reveals he has added more cameras and a panic button that goes straight to the police. Later, Joan speaks to Boisie and Albie about the plan. She says she’ll cut the wires to the panic button.

Then, she’ll lead Bernard into the safe room. Albie warns them the police will first suspect employees and husbands of employees. They agree to leave the country by boat. Joan is told she’ll need to play the innocent victim. Albie suggests getting Paul Mills involved. When Val (Laura Aikman) enters, the others stop talking about the plan. Next, Paul (Andrew Tiernan) meets Joan who immediately goes after him. Paul says she’s done eight post offices and ten banks. That was in and out. This operation is going to be slow and that will make it much riskier. Paul asks about the weapons they’re taking. Joan doesn’t want to carry weapons. Paul wants a sawn-off, double barreled so he can scare the crap out of Bernard. He tells Joan he’ll know if he is in. Boisie tells Joan she shouldn’t have been late. He’s glad she gets to see Kelly before they leave though.

Joan tells Nancy it was seven years ago but feels like yesterday. They talk about Joan having bad taste in men. Nancy tells her that her dad is poorly. Once they arrive, Joan notices that the social worker is there. Joan hangs out with her daughter. Next, Albie tells Boisie he’ll check access at the back. Boisie should keep Bernard busy around the front. He enters the store and says he’s looking for a ring for his wife. Bernard tells the woman to leave to get her lunch. Boisie tries to keep Bernard busy in the front. When a woman enters, Boisie steps out and says he’ll be back. Meanwhile, Joan gives presents to her daughter. Kelly gets the music box. That night, Albie calls Boisie to confirm that Paul is in. Joan and Boisie talk about going and seeing her dad. Joan wonders if her dad wants to apologize. The next day, Joan goes to the hospital to see her dad.

Her dad tells her to grow up and stop fighting. He knows she put Kelly in care and lost her. Joan denies that. He believes she’ll thank him for that one day. Joan asks Peter if he thinks he can raise a kid by beating them until they bleed. Joan insists she’ll get her daughter back. She leaves with Boisie. Joan meets Albie to ask him to add Kelly to her passport so she can take her. Albie wants her to tell Boisie first. Joan gives him money to do it. Joan calls King’s Morten. She pretends to be an American journalist from the New York Herald. Joan says she’d like to visit the school.

 

Joan Review

The fifth episode of Joan was okay, but it had the same problems as the episodes before it. For starters, it again feels like a bunch of separate scenes thrown together. Nothing flows as well as it should. It’s just one scene after another with no bigger purpose or emotion to keep viewers engaged.

The series is really focusing on all the wrong things because it really hasn’t focused on anything. It’s barely touched on Joan’s childhood and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. It has barely touched on her criminality and the diamonds she regularly stole. Her relationship with Boisie doesn’t even feel like a point right now.

The script certainly leaves a lot to be desired. It hasn’t given us a single reason to legitimately care about any of this unfortunately. The performances are decent for the most part, but even the strongest performance couldn’t breathe life into this passionless script.

The episode scores a 4.5 out of 10. Recaps of Joan can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Discuss Joan with other viewers here.