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Honour is a two-part ITV drama which is so-called because it deals with the potential honour killing of 20-year-old Banaz Mahmod, the case led by DCI Caroline Goode (Keeley Hawes – Bodyguard).
At the start, we’re told it’s a true story about a police investigation between 2006-2007, but that some names have been changed and some characters, details and scenes have been created for the purposes of dramatisation. This is par for the course in drama. I don’t know what’s been changed/added, but either way, naturally, the police have to begin their investigation assuming Banaz is alive and being held against her will.
What follows is series of interviews with people such as Banaz’s boyfriend, Rahmat Sulemani (Moe Bar-El), who’s very forthcoming about information such as how her last text to her boyfriend was about how much she loved him. Meanwhile, her ex-husband, Ali Abbas Homar (Sammy Broly), isn’t the least bit approachable.
All the while, Caroline is pained to find the answer to the mystery, but when answers come, note that you’ll need a strong stomach to take everything in; and her interest is piqued early on since, when talking to the family, she observes there’s not a single photo of Banaz in their house.
However, the drama is not only about the destination but the journey in terms of trying to find her, but also in discovering who knows what amongst all of the potential witnesses.
Alas – in the first episode at least, as the cops go about their business in seeking the truth, it’s all rather formulaic and a bit dull, and the second episode follows along similar lines.
As an aside, both Mark Stanley, as Caroline’s second-in-command, DS Andy Craig, and Alexa Davies, as Keilly Jones – working on the case from the office, were both in White House Farm at the start of 2020.
Honour is on ITV from Monday September 28th at 9pm, and concludes the following night at the same time. It is available to pre-order on DVD, ahead of its release on October 19th.
After broadcast, each episode will be on the ITV Hub.
Overall Score: 5/10
Director: Richard Laxton
Producers: Emma Jouannet, Alliea Nazar
Writer: Gwyneth Hughes
Consultant: Caroline Goode
Additional Material from the book “Honour“: Caroline Goode
Music: Matthew Herbert
Cast:
DCI Caroline Goode: Keeley Hawes
DS Andy Craig: Mark Stanley
Keilly Jones: Alexa Davies
DC Sarah Raymond: Amanda Lawrence
Banaz Mahmod: Buket Komur
DS Stuart Reeves: Michael Jibson
Rahmat Sulemani: Moe Bar-El
Mahmod Mahmod: Umit Ulgen
Behya Mahmod: Fisun Burgess
Phil Adams: David Kennedy
Ari Mahmod: Selva Rasalingham
Ari’s Solicitor: Shiraz Khan
Bekhal Mahmod: Rhianne Barreto
Ali Abbas Homar: Sammy Broly
Diana Nammi: Ahd Kamel
A&E Nurse: Ello Kenion
Nawzad Gelly: Nasser Memarzia
Mahmod’s Solicitor: Graeme Hawley
PC Lorna Wilson: Angela Bull
Mohammed Hama: Waj Ali
Jo Matthews: Andrea Hall
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.