“Time” — Sean Bean & Stephen Graham’s prison drama, explained
“Time” is BBC One’s acclaimed 2021 prison drama created by Jimmy McGovern. Sean Bean plays Mark Cobden, a guilt-ridden former teacher serving his first sentence; Stephen Graham is Eric McNally, a principled prison officer pulled into a moral vice. It’s a tight three-episode story that looks ordinary people squarely in the eye and asks: what does punishment actually do?
What “Time” is about (Series 1 — 2021)
Series 1 follows Mark Cobden (Sean Bean), a first-time prisoner wrecked by remorse after a fatal drink-driving incident, and Eric McNally (Stephen Graham), a veteran officer who believes in doing things properly. Inside, Mark faces the raw, everyday grind—induction, cellmates, debts, fear. Eric tries to keep his wing stable until he’s blackmailed by a dangerous inmate who threatens his family. The show’s power is how small decisions, made under pressure, add up to life-changing consequences.
Why it hit so hard with UK audiences
- Human scale: No cartoon villains. People feel recognisable—officers cutting corners to survive a shift; prisoners juggling shame, danger and hope.
- Sharp writing: Jimmy McGovern keeps speeches short and choices messy. It feels reported rather than invented.
- Performances: Bean plays Mark like a man walking barefoot across glass; Graham gives Eric a quiet dignity that makes his dilemma properly painful.
If you’ve got lived experience—yourself or someone close—the scenes of first nights, the noise at unlock, the way time stretches… they ring uncomfortably true.
Themes: guilt, survival, and what prison is for
“Time” asks whether punishment can ever be neat. Mark wants punishment because he thinks he deserves it; the system gives him something messier: fear, boredom, rare kindness, and a chance—if he’s lucky—to rebuild. Eric believes in boundaries and calm wings; he’s forced to pick between his code and his family. None of it is theoretical. It’s food queues, medication lines, cell searches, paperwork, and the long, long evenings.
How realistic is it?
It’s still TV—there are compressions and coincidences—but details are carefully observed: induction interviews, property sheets, ad-hoc peer support, and the unglamorous stuff that never makes press releases.
Key cast & creatives
- Sean Bean — Mark Cobden
- Stephen Graham — Eric McNally
- Siobhan Finneran — Marie-Louise
- Hannah Walters — Sonia McNally
- Writer/Creator: Jimmy McGovern
- Director: Lewis Arnold
- Episodes: 3 (limited series format)
Awards & recognition
The first series picked up multiple BAFTAs (including Best Mini-Series and Leading Actor for Sean Bean at the 2022 BAFTA Television Awards) alongside a heap of critics’ prizes. Put simply: it wasn’t just popular—it was respected.
Where to watch in the UK
- BBC iPlayer — usually the home for streaming in the UK (availability varies; sign-in required, UK only).
- BBC Programmes page — official synopses, episode info and credits.
If links change, search iPlayer for “Time (Sean Bean)”—the series tile is easy to spot.
How Series 2 (2023) connects to Series 1
“Time” returned in 2023 with a new story set in a women’s prison—a spiritual follow-up rather than a direct sequel. The cast features Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey, with the same three-episode structure and focus on everyday reality: childcare from inside, addiction, and the practicalities of trying to start again when you’ve already lost so much.
Are Sean Bean or Stephen Graham in Series 2?
No. The second series tells a separate story with new characters, but it keeps McGovern’s tone: precise, humane, and sometimes hard to watch.
What the show gets people talking about
- First nights & safety: Why the first 24–48 hours matter so much for self-harm prevention and basic orientation.
- Staff pressures: The tension between keeping order and keeping people alive—with thin staffing and constant triage.
- Family impact: “Doing time” doesn’t stop at the gate; families do it too, in visits rooms and on buses home.
- Rehabilitation vs reality: Education and programmes exist, but the real work is motivation + stability + support on release.
I’m not pretending the show is a documentary; it isn’t. But if it nudges someone to bring ID to a visit, top up phone credit, or push for a housing referral before release, that’s something tangible.
Production notes (spoiler-lite)
The locations lean Northern, with a muted colour palette and a focus on texture over spectacle—steel, scuffed lino, harsh lighting at unlock, cramped cells. Direction avoids grandstanding: the camera often sits at head height and lets actors carry the moment. When violence happens it’s fast, messy and brief.
Episode rhythm
Each part frames a moral squeeze. Early episodes build routines (meds, work, chaplaincy, education); later episodes force impossible choices—who gets protected, who gets punished, and who pays the price at home.
Practical help if you’re visiting someone inside (England & Wales)
- Start with our plain-English guide to first prison visits (ID, what to bring, searching, how phone credit works).
- Check the prison’s site for visiting times and approved items; every establishment has quirks.
- Money and property rules vary; use official channels and keep receipts.
Got a specific question? Email [email protected] and we’ll point you to the right policy page.
Character focus: Mark & Eric
Mark Cobden (Sean Bean)
Mark is the kind of prisoner prisons quietly dread: contrite, fragile, and obviously out of his depth. He keeps apologising because he doesn’t know what else to do. The series lets him fail without humiliating him—he learns enough to keep safe, stumbles again, and inches forward.
Eric McNally (Stephen Graham)
Eric’s a professional, not a saint. He’s respected because he listens, writes things up properly and doesn’t posture. Watching him get boxed in is horrible precisely because he’s the man you want on the landing when something kicks off. Graham plays him with the shoulders of someone who carries too much.
If you only take three things from “Time”
- Prison is a system of trade-offs: Safety vs autonomy, routine vs dignity.
- Small kindnesses matter: A bed move, a phone call approval, a calm officer can change a day.
- Release is a beginning, not an ending: Housing, work, addiction support and family ties decide outcomes more than any speech in court.
Useful links
- Watch on BBC iPlayer (UK) — availability can change; sign-in required.
- BBC Programmes – “Time” — official episode pages and credits.
FAQs
Is “Time” based on a true story?
No single case—Jimmy McGovern drew on real experiences and research to create a believable composite. The detail feels authentic even when characters are fictional.
Are Sean Bean and Stephen Graham in Series 2?
No. Series 2 (2023) is a women’s-prison story with Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey. Same tone, different characters.
How many episodes are there?
Three episodes per series—short, focused, and designed to be watched over a weekend.
Where can I stream it legally in the UK?
On BBC iPlayer while it’s available. Outside the UK, distribution varies by territory.
Is it suitable for younger viewers?
It deals with adult themes—violence, grief, addiction—and is rated accordingly. Check the guidance on the iPlayer page before watching with teens.
