Aiming to fill the Bodyguard-shaped hole in viewers’ lives, new BBC1 drama The Cry – which sees Victoria’s Jenna Coleman as a mother searching for her missing son – left BBC1 audiences feeling a little baffled after its first episode.
And for one reason in particular: the show’s continuous time-hopping. Taking direction from the story’s original book of the same name penned by Helen Fitzgerald, the first instalment jumped between past, present and future.
The interwoven chronology meant in the same episode viewers saw Coleman’s character Joanna begin an extramarital affair with partner Alistair (Ewen Leslie), struggle with postpartum depression and grapple with the disappearance of her son Noah – but not in the correct order.
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For many, The Cry’s flashbacks were perplexing…
Can someone else watching #thecry PLEASE tell me they’re as confused as I am from the constant scene flashbacks.
— Paul Broughall (@paulieblogger) September 30, 2018
Why are there no dramas on tv anymore which tell everything in chronological order!!! So confused #TheCry
— Siân. (@sianeliza_) September 30, 2018
Think Jenna has time travelled in this more than she EVER did in #DoctorWho… and we're only 20 minutes in!! 😋😋😋 #TheCry
— Gibby (@GibbyBlogger) September 30, 2018
The new BBC drama #TheCry is jumping around far too often for my liking. Don't understand a thing of what's happening so far
— Jordan (@Jordan91Dixon) September 30, 2018
when cant handle the flashfowards and the flashbacks of BBC's New Drama The Cry 🤔🤔🤔😔😔🙏 #TheCry pic.twitter.com/5itzqupPlI
— Ciaran (YouTuber) (@ComedianNotso) September 30, 2018
15 minutes into #TheCry and I haven't a clue what's happening. I have a look on Twitter for help and everyone else seems as lost as me. We'll get through this together.
— Joseph Burns (@retlivdead) September 30, 2018
However, others found the drama easy to follow…
Don’t understand why people are getting so confused by the flashbacks and flashforwards in #thecry. Fresh faced Jenna, pre baby. Gap year clothes/bags under eyes Jenna, had baby & baby kidnapped. Power wardrobe Jenna with highlights, courtcase some time after!
— SamEades (@SamEades) October 1, 2018
I genuinely don't understand how so many people couldn't follow the time jumping in #TheCry? I thought it worked great for the sake of keeping certain plot points secret for later episodes, and I just read that the book was structured in the same way. I didn't mind it at all.
— Amber (@rollyjogerjones) October 1, 2018
And some were solely focused on Coleman’s “gripping” performance as a mother in crisis…
@Jenna_Coleman_ bravo on tonight's epi of #TheCry !!! Can't wait until next week!
— Shelly Kay (@ShellyKaynyc) October 1, 2018
How good was @Jenna_Coleman_ in #TheCry last night, roll on next Sunday…..👍👍
— Mark Kelly 😎 (@MachineGun1967) October 1, 2018
Bravo @Jenna_Coleman_ for tonight’s performance in #TheCry Utterly gripping! 👏
— Nicky Campbell (@NickyCampbellTV) September 30, 2018
im here to say that
JENNA COLEMAN INVENTED ACTING AND THE CRY IS A PURE MASTERPIECE IM IN LOVE #TheCry pic.twitter.com/IXs81IJBUi— lalis loves hughesman (@tobyregblow) September 30, 2018
…While others were occupied hating Coleman’s unhelpful partner Alistair – especially when he popped in earplugs and put on his eyeshades as Joanna tried to comfort their crying child on the couple’s 30-hour flight to Australia.
That husband would get a swift kick in the nether region if he slept through a 30 hour flight with a newborn #TheCry
— Rachel (@rmoomin84) September 30, 2018
If my partner had earplugs and an eye mask and was sleeping on the plane whilst I was child wrangling… I'd have bloody woken him up! #TheCry
— Bettina (@BeautySwot) September 30, 2018
Jenna Coleman is excellent in #TheCry. The husband is a total arse. He's lucky she didn't suffocate him with his travel pillow on that plane.
— Nicki Taunt (@Blackhalo72) September 30, 2018
In fact, many were seriously stressed out by the plane scene, particularly when a stewardess and fellow passengers demanded Joanna shut “it” up.
As someone about to take a long haul flight, I really hope there won’t be a crying baby on the plane. But if there is, I hope I’d be a bit more sympathetic than these passengers. #TheCry
— Roz Laws (@rozlaws) September 30, 2018
That was so intense!I could feel her pain on the plane with all people staring at her with a crying baby 😩 But WHAT has happened to baby Noah?! Can't wait for next week, hooked already #TheCry
— stevie (@steviecook_89) September 30, 2018
I WANT TO PUNCH EVERY SINGLE CREATURE ON THIS PLANE STRAIGHT IN THE FACE! WTF! #TheCry
— karolina 🍀 (@jodiiewhittaker) September 30, 2018
Whether you found the series opener too stressful or not, viewers can expect another three episodes of The Cry where hopefully we’ll find out what actually happened to Noah and Joanna. Or just be left seriously confused.
The Cry continues on Sundays at 9pm on BBC1
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