As Three Families begins, we learn that the Abortion Act 1967 permitted abortion in the United Kingdom, but it did not extend to Ireland. It is June 2015 in Belfast. The judge tells Theresa Ryan (Sinead Keenan) that she is charged with unlawfully procuring and supplying a poison or other noxious thing knowing that the same would be unlawfully used to procure the miscarriage of Orla Healy. Then, we jump back in time two years. We watch as Theresa feeds a young baby. She finishes with the baby boy before telling Orla Healy (Lola Petticrew) to hurry because she doesn’t want to be late today of all days. It is Orla’s last exam and she doesn’t want to be late for that. Before Orla leaves, Theresa spots a hickey on her neck. Seconds later, Jonathan Kennedy (Colin Morgan) finishes his run and returns home to Hannah (Amy James-Kelly).

Hannah says women are either dying for their periods to come or dying for them not to come. He tells her that they have to keep trying. Hannah talks to a colleague at work about her attempt to get pregnant and receives advice. Theresa talks to Mark (Owen McDonnell) on the phone before her mother arrives and agrees to help with the baby. Hannah goes to work and talks to her friend about her mother helping with the baby. She also learns that the woman’s son has visited Thailand and recently called her. When Mark and Theresa return home, they take the baby from her mother. Theresa looks at Orla’s backpack and it looks like it has dirt or mud smeared across the front. Later that night, Theresa talks to Orla about her time at school before encouraging her not to be worried. Orla surprises her mother by telling her she is pregnant.

Theresa tries to digest the revelation while Orla says the father won’t leave her alone and says he loves her. She wants to know if he is going to stand by her daughter. Mark interrupts and reminds Theresa that it is getting late for pizza so she tells him to go on ahead. He gives them 15 minutes and they don’t tell him anything about the pregnancy. Orla doesn’t want him to know because she wants it to be her and her mother again. Theresa can’t sleep that night so she gets up and finds Orla using the computer. Orla says girls like her go to England but Theresa says they can’t afford it and abortion is a sin. Orla claims it is easy to say that until it happens to you. Theresa learns that Orla got back with him but it is over now. Her daughter shows her bruises up and down her leg that she got when trying to run away.

When she told him about the baby, he threatened to kill it. He wants her to get rid of it or he’ll tell everyone she is a slag. Theresa tells her daughter she loves her and will help her. Orla admits she is so ashamed before Mark catches them up. Theresa explains they were just working on exams and they’re done now. Jonathan returns from another run and finds Hannah experimenting with paint colors for the nursery. She admits she never knew you could want something so much. The next day, Theresa hears a news report about the local abortion laws and the only private clinic to offer abortion advice in Belfast. Theresa’s friend and mother talk about protesting outside of the clinic. Theresa’s coworker leaves early so she can attend the protest against the abortion clinic.

Theresa calls the clinic and finds out that the protesters are always there, but they have volunteers who will escort them past. Her mother returns and forces her to end the call abruptly. Later that night, Theresa researches medications that could be used to terminate the pregnancy. She places an order and the package arrives after a few days. When Mark is away, Theresa tells her daughter how to take the medication but tries to get her to rethink the decision. She doesn’t think it’ll be so bad since they already have one baby in the house. Orla says she wants a life and wants to go to university. Theresa knows she doesn’t want a life like hers. She asks whether Orla is still in touch with the boy. Orla says she isn’t but he is still in touch with her so Theresa recommends shutting her phone off. Orla says she’ll get rid of him forever if she does this but her mother doesn’t think she should do it just because it is what he wants.

Theresa gives her the medication before Orla thanks her and immediately takes a pill. Hannah uses a pregnancy test and confirms she is pregnant. She runs outside and celebrates with Jonathan. They contemplate keeping it a secret for a few weeks, but a stranger finds out from Hannah not long after that. Meanwhile, Orla has a nightmare and calls her mother. Theresa runs in, comforts her daughter, and decides to take her to the doctor. Orla is worried about telling her doctor but Theresa says it will all be confidential. Dr. O’Brien (Paul Kennedy) learns that Orla took Mifepristone and misoprostol and warns her that they’re powerful drugs for an underage girl to take without a prescription. Theresa asks if he can give her something to stop her from bleeding but he only refers her to a gynecology clinic. He thinks she should get checked out by the mental health team too.

When they leave, Orla says she doesn’t want counseling because that would require her to relive it again. Then, they’re approached by Theresa’s coworker Louise who asks why they’re at the clinic. Theresa says it was only a sore throat. Meanwhile, Hannah goes to the doctor for an ultrasound. She doesn’t want to know the baby’s sex because she and her husband love surprises. When she returns home, she posts the pictures on social media and tells everyone about the pregnancy. At school, Orla is called to the headmaster’s office where DC Fallon (Claire Rafferty) is waiting for her. Theresa arrives outside of the school and Orla tells her that Fallon said she was from child protection. Orla explains that Fallon knew everything and asked her where she got the pills. She is worried that everyone is going to find out.

Jonathan and Hannah go for another check-up. Hannah becomes concerned when the gestational age says 12. The woman in charge wants permission to look at a few things that they’re not happy about. They have to wait before being called into a private room. Then, they learn that the femurs and thigh bones are severely foreshortened and curved. The doctor explains that the baby has a form of dwarfism. Although Jonathan doesn’t think that is the end of the world, he soon learns that the chest is narrow and shaped like a bell so it has problems too. She believes it might be a condition called thanatophoric dysplasia. Dr. Rosemary Baines (Shereen Martin) wants them to get a second opinion. Jonathan doesn’t want to call the baby it anymore so they agree to learn its gender. Baines confirms it is a baby girl. Then, they’re warned that the baby will likely be stillborn.

Even if she survives the birth, she’ll die shortly after due to respiratory failure. They’re told that a termination of the pregnancy might be a possibility. Hannah breaks down and Jonathan comforts her. That night, Hannah asks what they should do. Jonathan suggests they should sleep on it but Hannah isn’t sure she can sleep. He says it is too big to deal with tonight before walking away. DC Fallon tracks down Theresa and shows her badge. She is taken down to the station and questioned about Orla’s pregnancy at 15. She admits to ordering the pills. She is told that it is illegal but she says abortion is like surgery. Fallon recommends a solicitor. When she leaves, she meets with a solicitor and tells them what is going on and how it will impact the family. She names the individuals who likely know what has happened. As for her father, he left when she was a young girl and they’ve agreed to keep it from the stepfather.

She admits her best friend demonstrates outside Marie Stopes. Rachel doesn’t think it’ll come to anything because these pills come into the country all the time and nobody gets prosecuted. Theresa is told being alone is a hard place to be. When Mark returns home, the neighbor, John, asks him if everything is okay with Theresa. John says he thinks so before he is told about the visitors with warrant cards. Theresa gets a phone call from Mark while at the church but she ignores it. She breaks down and cries. When she returns home, Mark tells her he has been worried sick. He is worried about being in trouble with the police but Theresa says they’re not in any trouble. Mark wants to know the boy’s name but she doesn’t want to give it. She tries to explain why Orla didn’t want him to know about her pregnancy. Orla returns and gets upset with Theresa when she finds out that Mark knows their secret.

Then, Orla learns about the police coming looking for her mother. Mark says neither of them will tell and Orla should go back to school and finish her exams. He tells her to go to bed before telling Theresa that this never happened. Meanwhile, Hannah tells Jonathan about her parents slipping. She thought she’d never get married but he came along. She thought pretty babies would just come out but it hasn’t happened. Jonathan believes it will happen one day and they can have as many as she wants. They agree to go with the termination. Next, Hannah tells a friend about her decision but she is told that abortion is wrong because it is killing a baby. She is told that is only one doctor’s opinion and that she should give the child one precious chance at life. Hannah doesn’t think it would be mercy to give birth to the baby and let it die in front of her.

The friend promises not to tell anyone about their conversation since it isn’t something you want people to know about. Next, Hannah and Jonathan meet with the doctor and admit they’ve decided terminating is best for them. However, they’re told that isn’t going to happen. Dr. Adam Pauling (Jonny Everett) doesn’t want them to have an abortion at his hospital. He claims they talked to a psychiatrist and he refused to sign off on the termination. The doctor says Hannah will be under their care until she gives birth the normal way but she says nothing about this is normal or right. Hannah storms out of the room moments later. Then, Louise and the others try to stop a young woman from aborting her baby. Hannah contemplates going to the clinic but stops when she sees the protesters.

She calls the clinic and tells them she needs a termination. She is told they can only help up to 9 weeks and she is well past that. She calls about getting a termination in England but it is too late for that as well. When she returns to Jonathan, she tells him they missed the deadline by a whole day. He says he is going to stay but she doesn’t want him to miss training for the upcoming big race. Jonathan goes out but stops and cries alone. He restarts and runs. Hannah calls her boss to get time off since she is going to have to carry the baby. Her boss thinks she’ll be glad that she did. Hannah doesn’t like that and tells her she has no idea what this is like. Hannah is told to take as much time as she needs. Next, Jonathan returns from the race and talks about the pregnancy. Jonathan says it isn’t normal that she is in pain all the while and wonders if there is something they can do.

She is already on morphine and doesn’t want to take more. Hannah goes out and runs into a woman with a baby. They talk briefly about pregnancy and giving birth but Hannah apologizes and rushes away. She goes to the park and watches a young kid walk around. Later, Hannah goes into labor and Jonathan rushes to be with her. Once she has given birth, Hannah is allowed to hold the baby but she is worried about hurting her. A picture of taken of them with the baby but they don’t want that. Seconds later, Theresa receives a summons and Mark tells her she’ll have to stand up in court and talk about it. Both thought it was over. They visit Rachel who reminds them that there has never been a prosecution. She won’t guarantee that they’ll drop it, but she guarantees that they’ll fight it every inch of the way. When Theresa asks how long she’ll get, she is told that the maximum sentence is five years.

Molly May is buried and Hannah tells Jonathan that she’d like to do something proper to remember her by. She wants to do something real but Jon breaks down and says none of it will ever feel real to him. She comforts him and says no one should ever have to go through this. Hannah begins attending events with other women who support abortion and meets Jenny. Hannah says she is there because she heard that the government is considering changing the law on fatal fetal abnormality. The women claim they’re trying to buy them off with a concession and they want it to be all or nothing. Hannah exclaims that they have to go for this because women are being forced to give birth to dead babies. When she returns home, she tells Jonathan about the meeting and getting everyone interested in her story.

Hannah says they need victims or women who’ve been through it to stand up and tell their stories but Jonathan doesn’t like being called a victim. He asks if she wants to relive the last time of their lives in public. She explains it feels good like the start of something new. She is ready to do it but she’ll tell the lawyers they can’t use her name or show her face. She believes it’ll be worth it as long as it helps one other person. Next, Theresa meets with Rachel and learns that some members of the press will be there but they can’t report her name or anything that could identify her. She goes in front of the judge and hears the charges filed against her. Theresa is shocked when the prosecutor asks for the case to be tried in front of a jury.

 

Three Families Review

I’ve been waiting for months for some great television to watch and I think I’ve finally found a few shows with this and Time. Both had spectacular opening episodes but they’re short so I’ll need to find something else soon enough. Three Families is fascinating, controversial, and heartbreaking. Although I’ve only watched the first episode, I am confident that the second is going to be incredibly emotional.

I always enjoy it when these shows focus on true stories and they actually feel authentic. I can’t complain about the acting since everyone has done exceptionally well. Sinead Keenan, Amy James-Kelly, and Colin Morgan have been great in their respective roles. I can’t wait to watch the next episode. Overall, the first episode of Three Families was one of the best I’ve seen in months so I’d give it an 8.5 out of 10. Future recaps of Three Families will be available on Reel Mockery here.