Band of Gold

Having grown up in the Bradford area in the 40s and 50's, when I found this series on a streaming channel in Florida this year (2024) I couldn't resist it. Ee bah gum! Bradford's changed from what I remember. From the series one gets the impression that it is a vast red light district, with women in skimpy clothing cheerfuly lining the streets selling their bodies as if it was a balmy 70F. I remember Bradford as freezing cold and wet and windy 360 days a year. This was 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queeen of the Desert', in Bradford, with Geraldine James playing Bernadette. There was so much black humor I might be forgiven for thinking it was a comedy. The casting is beyond superb and one can see why Samantha Morton became a star as she dominates every scene she is in. Cathy Tyson was excellent, although I have never seen her before or since, and Geraldine James, who normally plays upper class women, was a revelation as the aging streetwalker approaching the end of her shelf life and knowing that unless she found another occupation, it was downhill all the way "until I'm doing blow jobs for a lager and packet of crisps". My only complainit, and one star locked off, was the almost comic killing spree in series 2, though I was glad to see Dez get what he deserved. The men did not come off well, especially Gina's feckless husband and the corrupt policeman played by David Scholfield. Overall, despite the gallows humor, the lives of the women was shown to be sordid and desperate. Sunday night Masterpiece Theatre it is not.

This show actually included three series, the last one called "Gold," with Geraldine James now a social outreach worker and Cathy Tyson having retired from the profession. All were very good, the second series particularly: excellent acting, believable characters, and shot in a way that called be called artistic (though much of the setting was back streets and bars). It was here that Samantha Morton first became really noticed as an actress.The first two series were written by Kay Mellors, and the fact that the last was not detracts from it a bit. It's still worthwhile, and would be nice to watch again. If only it, and the others, were more available.

Okay, this show was not the sort of thing that I would go for straight away although I have seen a good few parts and I know that it is quite a strong drama which is not afraid to go into the gory details of prostitution, especially when their operations go wrong.

It made me sick to see a couple of women going into prostitution to provide for their children while not allowing the dads to help, but then again that's what some women do. Sadly this does reflect real life. Then again it feels a bit like male-bashing propaganda.

There is quite a bit of language and violence and a very small amount of scenes of a sexual nature. This is surprising as with a programme of this nature, you would expect to see a lot more. So the fact that the video release was given the 18 certificate must mean that the violence and language is enough to tip it over, and believe me it does.

Good gripping drama, if you can take it.

Especially the first two series, the story is excellent and the characters and acting is very good. Liked watching it for the 90's throwback.

Band of Gold is a misleading title for a drama set amid the sordid world of street prostitution in the back streets of Bradford in the North of England. The series is up with the best of British drama with memorable characters achingly realistically portrayed. But there is one notable drawback. The first episode is so brilliantly written and involving with an ending sensational enough to leave me breathless that everything following is something of an anticlimax and the end of the series is certainly rather a let down.

But even at its worst Band of Gold is better than most of what passes for drama on TV today. See it if you get the chance.