Time Series 3 Explores Young Offender Institution Crisis

BBC drama Time returns for its third series with a focus on a young offender institution, where writer Jimmy McGovern and co-writer Samuel Bailey explore the experiences of teenage inmates, prison staff and a chaplain facing a personal crisis.

The new series stars David Tennant as prison officer Bobby Bailey and Siobhan Finneran as chaplain Marie-Louise Odell, who becomes involved in the aftermath of a tragedy inside the institution. BBC One aired the third series on Sunday at 9pm.

According to BBC interviews, the production spent about 18 months developing the scripts, with McGovern and Bailey sharing writing duties before filming. The story follows young offenders Peter and James as they struggle with incarceration, violence and questions about their futures.

Bailey said he valued the collaboration with McGovern, whose previous work includes Cracker, The Street and Hillsborough. He described the process as a shared creative effort involving story development, script exchanges and discussions in Liverpool.

"Writing with Jimmy McGovern was a bit of a dream for me, really. He's a writer who I've always looked up to. I watched so many of his programs growing up, Cracker, The Street and Hillsborough, so many. When the opportunity to work with him came about, I absolutely jumped at it and the process has been great," said Samuel Bailey, co-writer of Time series 3.

Bailey said the young offender institution setting offered a different perspective from traditional prison dramas because it centers on young people with difficult backgrounds and remaining potential for change.

"Kids with kids" was one theme Bailey highlighted while discussing Peter's storyline, which examines young parents and cycles of hardship. He also described James as a character hiding fear behind confidence and aggression.

McGovern said his research visits to young offender institutions shaped the drama and raised concerns about conditions inside facilities. He criticized the use of separation policies that restrict young inmates' movement.

"It is absolutely appalling," said Jimmy McGovern, writer of Time.

"There's young boys with enormous energy banged up 23 hours a day and not allowed out of the cells," said Jimmy McGovern, writer of Time.

McGovern said he believed staff practices contributed to the situation, while acknowledging that prison work is difficult. The Prison Officers' Association disputed his criticism and argued that safety concerns require separation measures in violent environments.

"I'm afraid they're lazy," said Jimmy McGovern, writer of Time.

"I've met wonderful prison officers, but I've seen some lazy ones and the keep-apart system enables them to be lazy with an excuse for being lazy," said Jimmy McGovern, writer of Time.

Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, said officers face serious risks while working in young offender institutions.

"Keep-aparts are an essential safety measure in an environment where serious violence is a daily reality," said Mark Fairhurst, Prison Officers' Association chairman.

Daniel Ryan, who plays prison officer Freddie Jennings, said the involvement of younger actors changed the atmosphere of the series and brought new energy to the production. Digital Spy reported that the third series continues Time's focus on human behavior, forgiveness and hope.

"Having under 18s here will bring something very different to Time," said Daniel Ryan, actor in Time series 3.

The third series streams on BBC iPlayer alongside its BBC One broadcast.