Three Little Birds episode one mild spoilers follow
During an exclusive interview with Digital Spy, Three Little Birds creator Lenny Henry shared one very important message about the post-Windrush drama. As he explained: "We thought it was all 'sufferation' and trials and tribulation, but there's joy here… There's aspiration here."
"It's not just about carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and being arrested, and dashed into jail.
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"This is about people with style, and with wit, and with jokes."
This isn't to dismiss the hardship of a generation that was encouraged to make the trip to England for work only to be brutalised, discriminated against and – in a lot of cases –eventually deported.
Instead, Henry's words acknowledge that throughout all the ugliness and pain, happiness and hope were not lost.
Happiness and hope are why we, as a people, have persevered.
This ethos is crucially and heavily embedded in every facet of Three Little Birds.
It is a large part of what makes the show so utterly charming and the drama uses comedy in a clever way to illustrate it.
It's not inserted as a way to bring light relief from all the misery but to reflect the joyful spirit of the Black community and our ability to tap into light even in the darkest of times.
The three main characters Leah (Rochelle Neil), Chantrelle (Saffron Coomber) and Hosanna (Yazmin Belo) are an embodiment of this.
Initially, Leah has the hardest load to carry, both back in her home country of Jamaica – shackled to her abusive, drunkard husband Ephraim (Leemore Marrett Jr) – and then later when she escapes to England and is estranged from her children.
In spite of this, there is a playfulness and joy that seeps out of her personality, such as when she teases her children about catching the chicken for their meal.
This teasing nature is threaded through her character, coming out again and again, like when she snatches a bible from preacher's daughter Hosanna, who is giving an impromptu sermon to the backdrop of a rambunctious party scene.
"If [Jesus] was here, he'd tell you to relax," she tells Hosanna before running off in a child-like fashion.
That moment also serves to show how even Hosanna's regal and virtuous nature can be earnest yet comedic in the right settings.
"The element of humour that came from her was so innate," Belo explained to Digital Spy.
"She never drew for laughter…If she's telling you something it's what she believes in. It may come out with a chuckle, and it may affect people differently."
That becomes evident very early on.
Her frankness when she catches sight of her prospective husband Aston (Javone Prince) for the first time is a moment that raises a smile.
"He seems to have sagged a little bit in the middle," she says pointedly, referring to the fact that he is noticeably heavier than the man in the photograph.
Chantrelle is the staunch opposite of Hosanna and as such, her comedic beats are delivered in a manner that suits her confident, sensuous persona.
Chantrelle's flick of the leg as she readjusts her hosiery at the airport customs department isn't exactly going to have you clutching your side but her bold flirtiness in the most unexpected places (like customs) is organically humorous. As is the reaction from the onlookers.
Her sharp wit then makes itself known when she shrewdly attempts to prevent a Black man from being detained by 'accidentally' obstructing his pursuers.
She then switches on the charm again when handing over her passport, offering a gentle smile to the official (one intense enough to feel like a wink), indicating that she knows how to play the game.
Her flitting between flirty and astute tells us that she's more than just the pretty face she presents and acts as a secret conversation between the audience and the character while feeding into the playfulness of the show.
As is the nature of the times in which Three Little Birds is set, things quickly become more dangerous and sinister for these ladies and at times, there is no room for humour, especially when it reaches darker heights.
However, Three Little Birds never forgets to return to a place of joy that captures the heart and tenacity of a people whose spirit is stronger than their struggles.
Three Little Birds is airing on ITV weekly on Sunday at 8pm, all episodes are also available to watch now on ITVX.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
