EastEnders actress Lacey Turner returns to BBC One in Our Girl as East London girl Molly Dawes, now a soldier in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Written by Tony Grounds, the five new episodes follow last year’s one-off single drama, with new cast members including Misfits actor Iwan Rheon as Smurf, a face from Molly’s past that she’d rather forget, and Ben Aldridge (Lark Rise to Candleford) as Captain James.
Order Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
Buy last year’s feature-length special on DVD on Amazon.
Six months later from where we last saw her after completing her initial training, Molly is deployed to Afghanistan as a serving medic. As one of the last missions before the British Army withdraws from the country, Molly is thrilled to be joining the platoon but makes a bad first impression on their leader, Captain James. Things only get worse when Molly discovers Smurf is a member of the platoon. As Molly feels the pressure to prove herself, a growing friendship with a local Afghan girl puts Molly in a precarious position with more than her reputation in jeopardy.
Molly is forced to grow up quickly by the unforgettable experiences she faces, and the extraordinary challenges she’ll share with the platoon will give them almost as much importance in her life as her family. Afghanistan will change Molly’s view of life in ways she could never have foreseen – and shape the character of our girl forever.
Pilot
Sunday 24 March 2013, 9pm
The 90-minute film tells the story of Molly Dawes, the eldest of five kids with little future, a difficult father and a mother who always wanted more for her.
Born and raised in the London Borough of Newham, it tells her story from nobody to a soldier in the Royal Army Medical Corps, to her final arrival in Afghanistan.
Episode 1
Sunday 21 September 2014, 9pm
Medic Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner) is over the moon when she is sent to Afghanistan on one of the army’s final deployments.
But when she arrives she quickly learns that she needs to prove herself to her new platoon. More than once she fails to make a good impression – but worse still, she has to deal with Smurf (Iwan Rheon), an old flame who is part of the regiment and who is making her life harder than it should be.
She gets no help or support from her demanding commanding officer, the handsome Captain James (Ben Aldridge), who doesn’t seem to notice just how brilliant she is at her job. The challenge is on for Molly to prove her worth to him. But when an unforeseen event puts a soldier’s life in danger, Molly must show she’s more than just one of the boys – she’s Our Girl.
Episode 2
Sunday 28 September 2014, 9pm
The growing friendship between Molly (Lacey Turner) and a little Afghan girl, Bashira, threatens to compromise Molly’s ability to do her job with impartiality.
Warned by Captain James (Ben Aldridge) about becoming too involved with the locals, Molly wonders whether the child is actually friend or foe. But when Bashira lets slip some vital information about the insurgency, the entire platoon has no choice but to embark upon a potentially explosive mission.
Soon, Molly will face the fallout of befriending the locals as the lives of both herself and Bashira are endangered.
Episode 3
Sunday 5 October 2014, 9pm
Molly (Lacey Turner) and Smurf (Iwan Rheon) return to the UK for ‘rest and relaxation’, but both quickly find that they struggle enormously to fit into the normal world.
They both worry for their platoon, left behind in Afghanistan in a particularly threatening situation. Unable to fit back into family life, Molly finds Smurf is the only person who understands what’s going on in her head and their friendship deepens into something very close.
Smurf makes a surprise declaration which might ruin everything, completely unaware that Molly’s heart lies back in Afghanistan.
Once finally back in the field, an old enemy is getting closer to Molly than she realises and threatens vengeance.
Episode 4
Sunday 12 October 2014, 9pm
The platoon prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan. Emotions ride high when both Captain James (Ben Aldridge) and Smurf (Iwan Rheon) declare their love for Molly (Lacey Turner) – creating an illicit love triangle that compromises all army regulations.
Trouble finds Molly one last time when she becomes entangled in a raid against the Taliban. Soon, the entire platoon are sent on a final and terrifying mission. If disaster isn’t to strike, no one can take their eye off the job for a moment.
James, Smurf and Molly know the rules. But isn’t love stronger than army regulations?
Episode 5
Sunday 19 October 2014, 9pm
Returning home from Afghanistan, difficult questions rain down on Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner).
Who will live and who will die? Can she ever pick up the pieces? Brave choices beckon for Our Girl as she faces her biggest challenge yet: how will she face her own future?
Order Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
Buy last year’s feature-length special on DVD on Amazon.
Watch the trailer…
Are you looking forward to the new season? Let us know below…