Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

76% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 34% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings

Sephy Hadley and Callum McGregor are star-crossed lovers at the intersection of the Black ruling class and the white underclass in a dystopian society divided by color; together, they face a world of violence, oppression and loss.

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Noughts + Crosses — Season 1

Noughts + Crosses — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Though handsomely produced and full of charming performances, Noughts + Crosses fails to capture the scope of its source material, leaving little room for nuance in its revisionist history.

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Critics Reviews

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Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Daniel Fienberg Hollywood Reporter I can't really recommend a YA romance with a core coupling this inert or an alt-history that left me scratching my head so frequently, but I still respect the scope of the tapestry Noughts + Crosses is working on. Sep 9, 2020 Full Review Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Fionnuala Halligan Screen International Three writers adapted Blackman's work: Lydia Adetunji, Nathaniel Price and Rachel De-Lahay. Their work is consistently sharp and on-the-money. Sep 9, 2020 Full Review Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Nadra Kareem Nittle AV Club In the end, the acting saves the series from a romance that's initially undercooked and a race-reversal narrative that could do more to complicate its alternate universe. Rated: B- Sep 9, 2020 Full Review Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Sarah McMullan Stuff.co.nz It does a beautiful job visually reinforcing the idea that racism is the problem, not race. May 23, 2022 Full Review Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Tobi Akingbade NME (New Musical Express) Despite the common fear that the majority of book to on-screen adaptations are poorly made, Blackman's creation works well as a TV show even if some of the romantic scenes feel a little childish. Rated: 4/5 Jul 13, 2021 Full Review Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Joe Lipsett Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast The adaptation is far more streamlined than its source material, but it does a far superior job of establishing the geopolitical landscaping. There is too much reliance on the star crossed romance, but the hair and costumes are perfection. May 21, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Rob E Question. Where's Lynette? Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/30/24 Full Review trevor t I get why a nonsense rag like the Guardian would like this but that fact is, it is rubbish. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member It was essentially just reverse-role Apartheid. There was no humor, too many clichés, and overall just terrible acting. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member An entertaining and thought-provoking series, really beautifully produced. Hilarious how many white people here seem threatened by a show that simply retells history through a flipped racial lens. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review r 9 Strong enough first season.I don't love 'Noughts + Crosses', at least not yet, but it is still an opening season that I did enjoy sufficiently. The concept is no doubt an interesting and fairly complex one, it throws up interesting scenarios and thoughts. With that said, for season two, I hope they are a bit more neater with the real life parallels. A lot of them here do feel very forced, particularly the "blanca" thing. I can certainly see what they're attempting but as a programme it needs to be a bit more creative - and not just rely on the real world.The noughts/crosses thing itself is cool, though part of me feels like they could've left it in the title/credits and that's it. It goes with what I said a moment ago, it comes across as forced - especially across the opening few episodes. It isn't a difficult thing to understand, so we don't need it repeated so often - in my opinion, it would've been way better if it was subtly left in the title/credits.Cast-wise it's decent. Masali Baduza (Sephy) is the best actor onscreen, I thoroughly enjoyed her whole performance across the six episodes. I also liked Jonathan Ajayi, as Lekan, despite the obvious; he plays his character very well. Jack Rowan (Callum) is the best of the rest, though Paterson Joseph (Kamal), Helen Baxendale (Meggie) and Shaun Dingwall (Dorn) are solid too.A bit more subtlety and creativity would go a long way, so hopefully they improve in those regards in season two; assuming it happens, which I hope it does. All in all, very much worth a watch. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member The whole premise seems like massive cliche, even for kids' entertainment. Rated 1.5/5 Stars • Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Noughts + Crosses — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Masali Baduza Sephy Hadley Jack Rowan Callum McGregor Helen Baxendale Meggie McGregor Paterson Joseph Kamal Hadley Shaun Dingwall Jack Dorn Josh Dylan Jude McGregor
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Mar 5, 2020 Episode 1 In London, Black Cross police officers break up a white Nought party and injure Danny; his friend Callum, also a Nought, and Sephy, the daughter of a powerful Cross politician, fall in love amid racial tensions. Details Episode 2 Aired Mar 12, 2020 Episode 2 Callum and Sephy try to get some alone time; militia leader Jack Dorn is arrested but strikes a deal; Sephy's jealous boyfriend, Lieutenant Lekan, goes on a violent rampage against interracial couples; Callum's dad gets fired. Details Episode 3 Aired Mar 19, 2020 Episode 3 Lekan plots an attack during a Nought holiday and Callum is among those posted in the security detail; Jude confronts him, but Callum shows restraint and pays a price; Callum and Sephy continue their relationship but get caught up in a bomb attack. Details Episode 4 Aired Mar 26, 2020 Episode 4 Albion is shaken by the aftermath of the bombing at Demwa Hospital; Sephy makes a mistake that changes Callum's life forever; Ryan faces an impossible choice; as the pressure on Opal grows, Kamal lays the groundwork to push her out once and for all. Details Episode 5 Aired Mar 5, 2020 Episode 5 When the McGregor family receives life-changing news, Callum desperately tries to discover the truth and winds up committing to the cause; Sephy makes a discovery that forces her to question everything. Details Episode 6 Aired Mar 5, 2020 Episode 6 Now working with the Liberation Militia, Callum makes a bold decision and arrives at a monumental discovery; a deal with Sephy's father is made; Jack goes rogue and his betrayal comes with a steep price. Details

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Noughts + Crosses — Season 1

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Director
Julian Holmes

Executive Producer
Preethi Mavahalli, Kibwe Tavares, Patrick Reardon, Jeff Skoll, Miura Kite, Ben Irving, Damien Timmer

Screenwriter
Malorie Blackman, Lydia Adetunji

Network
BBC

Genre
Drama

Original Language
British English

Release Date
Mar 5, 2020
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Noughts + Crosses: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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