As the first episode of Ten Pound Poms begins, Terry Roberts (Warren Brown) tries to work, but can’t stop thinking about the war. Later that night, Annie Roberts (Faye Marsay) is told that her Terry is on the streets. Annie finds him passed out on the street so she frantically tries to wake him. Once Annie gets him home, she begins asking him about the money. The kids come down after hearing the commotion. Annie finds an advertisement for Australia in the newspaper. Before they leave for Australia, they talk about the things they can do there and how they’ll have a fresh start. Terry tells Annie that he won’t let her down.

It’ll take them more than six weeks to reach Australia. Another couple talks about going to Australia and how there will be hundreds of them heading there. Once they reach Australia, their bags are searched. Terry and the family see that only whites are being allowed to enter Australia. The new arrivals have their pictures taken. As one woman checks in, she is asked about her fiancé, Henry Broad (Hugo Johnstone-Burt). She claims he changed his mind because he couldn’t face leaving England. Kate Thorne (Michelle Keegan) says she is fine giving up her passport for two years because she wants to live in Australia. Kate Thorne catches up with Terry and Annie who she met on the boat.

Everyone boards a bus. When they see a sign for the Galgownie Hostel, Terry calls it home. They’re surprised that they don’t see any houses. Terry thinks it looks like a prisoner of war camp. John Joseph Walker (Stephen Curry) introduces himself to them. Pattie Roberts (Hattie Hook) says this place is a dump and looks nothing like the photos. JJ tells them that they call Brits “whinging poms” and embrace them to work hard. He suggests some of them only complain and moan. JJ tells Pattie that this place is hers until her parents get a job. Once they settle in, they find that there is only one bedroom so the kids will have to use a fold-out couch. Pattie complains that they came to the other side of the world to live in squalor.

Terry suggests that this is only temporary. Annie reminds him they sold everything they owned to come there and it was her stupid idea. JJ moves Kate next to the Andersons because she is no longer in a couple. He tells Kate more about Bill and Sheila Anderson. Kate will be working as a nurse in Cockburn. Once she reaches her accommodation, she says her fiancé got cold feet. JJ says most are married at the hostel, but that doesn’t stop them from trying to go for extra. Annie agrees with Pattie that they lied to them. Terry reassures her they can make it work. He reminds her about the best holiday they ever had, but Annie says he got steaming drunk on the last day and they had to send out a search party for him.

Terry thinks she brought them there for a reason. Pattie and Peter check out the loos. They end up playing a game with a group of kids. Kate remembers doing something with medication vials while her fiancé slept in bed. When Pattie gets knocked to the ground, she smiles and claims a penalty. The boy who knocked her down argues it was a clean tackle. As they fight over the ball, Pattie gets hurt and decides to walk away from the game. One boy tries to go after her, but he is stopped by his dad telling him not to get too close. Terry tries to find a job. When asked if he can dig holes, Terry says he’ll do what he has to do. The woman in charge has to make sure no Australians want the job first.

Then, Terry meets his boss who tells him about their three rules. Terry is introduced to the other workers and told that Dean will show him around. Peter and Pattie head to their first day of school. While at the hospital working, Kate decides to speak to the administrator. She asks if she can use the telephone to call the consulate. Instead, she calls Sandra and asks for her mother. Margie takes the phone and tells Kate that Henry is going crazy. He is saying he’ll take the next boat out there. Kate asks her to lie about hearing from her or say that she is in Perth. Margie doesn’t understand why she is doing this, but Kate insists she had to do it. When Terry tries to use the bathroom, Dean Spender (David Field) tells him it is only for Australians.

Dean asks him if they have blacks in Britain before telling Terry he is the black over there. Once Terry urinates in the bushes, the other workers laugh. Then, he finds Dean refilling the hole he just dug. Dean tells him the dirt goes on the other side. Annie goes into town to visit the shops. She watches as a minority woman is forced to the back of the line because they get served last. Annie wants to speak to the manager because she called it a disgrace. The manager believes she is there for the supervisor role so she offers to get an application. Annie ignores her complaint and decides to take the application. When she is asked about a husband, Annie claims he died. Arty stops Terry and offers him a drink, but reminds him it is considered contraband.

They talk about the community and the Battle of Arnhem. Terry says he got captured and tried to escape twice. He ended up in Dresden which was worse than they said. As for Arty (Berynn Schwerdt), he says the good lord spared him. Arty takes Terry and his family to the beach. Annie sits on the beach and tells Kate about her family, including Terry’s problems back in Britain. She thinks Kate was brave traveling over here by herself. Once they finish swimming, Arty admits he is using JJ’s van. Henry approaches Kate’s mom to try to get information from her. Later that night, Kate watches Bill Anderson (Leon Ford) come home and tell himself to smile. He goes inside to say hello to his wife.

Annie tells Terry that she has been thinking about working out there. He thinks her job is taking care of him and the kids. Outside, Pattie burns a picture of a boy. When Annie checks on her, she says she is just doing schoolwork. Annie encourages her. The following day, she goes back to the store to submit her application and tell the manager the truth about her husband. Annie admits that she really wants the job. JJ approaches Sheila’s hut for an inspection. He tells Sheila (Emma Hamilton) that he has her return application. JJ asks if it is because of him before reminding her that no one needs to know. She insists it isn’t about him. Dean nearly huts Terry at work. Terry throws him to the ground before they begin fighting.

Once the boss breaks it up, they blame one another for starting it. Then, Dean says they weren’t fighting. The boss says Terry is doing the work that they won’t. The boss makes them shake hands and hug. After that, Billy tries to get them to kiss. Everyone laughs about it before getting back to work. Dean invites Terry to come out with him and the boys later that night. Kate watches JJ leave with Paulie so they can go to the pub. She grabs the keys to the van and heads towards Sydney. When Terry goes out with the others, he asks for something other than a drink. They laugh at him so he takes a beer. Kate changes her clothes and prepares to sneak into a building.

She gets hit by a man on a bike who apologizes and checks her ankle. He agrees to get her a stiff drink. Terry continues drinking with his fellow coworkers. Dean finds him throwing up in the bathroom. He tells Terry that he had him all wrong. Dean says he has never seen the real Australia until he has driven the dirt roads at night. Kate and her new friend agree they’d like to see one another again. When they kiss, she manages to steal his keys. She says she’ll call him at the office before learning his name is Robbie Carter. She uses the keys to get into the office where she begins looking through the files. Dean tells Terry about the area while driving. Dean turns off the lights and continues driving.

After scaring Terry and turning the lights back on, Dean suggests going to the pub to get more drinks. They hit something. Kate finds the paperwork for Michael James and remembers him leaving without her. Robbie catches her in the office. Dean and Terry get out to see what they hit. Dean sees someone and says it is an abo kid. Another man comes over to comfort the boy while Terry insists it was an accident. Dean questions why he was out in the road. As the man begins whistling, Dean thinks they have to flee because they’ll get lynched. Terry eventually gets in with Dean before they speed away. Once they get back, Dean tells Terry to tell no one.

 

Ten Pound Poms Review

The opening episode of Ten Pound Poms was equally promising and frustrating. The series has an interesting, unique story at its core and a fantastic cast thanks to the likes of Warren Brown, David Field, and others. Unfortunately, the story is quickly derailed by clichés that are overdone and stale at this point. If the show had stuck to the family’s story of attempting to adapt to life in Australia, it could’ve been a bigger hit.

Instead, we’re seeing scenes that we’ve seen in probably 85% of the latest television shows and that distracts from the core story. We also have the story of Kate and that seems really farfetched in the opening episode. While the episode started well enough, it quickly went off the rails by incorporating the same tired tropes that have been beaten like a dead horse.

At some point, television writers will have to learn how to create original stories that deviate from the modern trends because viewers are likely sick of seeing them. In the opening episode, I felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters so that will need to change quickly to keep me engrossed through six episodes.

The writers really must’ve slung everything at the wall hoping something would stick, but instead they’ve created a dull, charmless affair. The opening episode scores a 5 out of 10. Recaps of Ten Pound Poms are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here.