It could be argued that the best period pieces are the ones that feel relevant at any point in time. It's one thing to make art that replicates the past. It's another to present the past in a way that still feels like the same stuff we deal with today, only in a different time. I wouldn't necessarily say it's a good thing that Three Little Birds, a six-part series that follows a trio of young Jamaican women migrating to England, feels relevant today. As I write this, it hasn't even been a week since Texas decided to take border control into its own hands against the government's wishes. But the series does feel relevant, and that's a small but significant part of its power.
The titular "birds" are Leah (Rochelle Neil), who moves with her three children to escape her abusive husband; her half-sister Chantrelle (Saffron Coomber), and their soon to be sister-in-law Hosanna (Yazmin Belo). Leah is hoping to get the devout and somewhat uptight Hosanna together with her loyal brother Ashton (Javone Prince), while Chantrelle finds work as a nanny for a wealthy white family. Three Little Birds doesn't seek to capture a sprawling narrative—it instead wants to capture a realistic, uncomfortable, and powerful one about the importance of human decency.
Being that this is a particularly hostile neighborhood in 1950s Britain, the main characters experience a lot of racism. It's sad how prevalent it is in the story—there are reminders of what they face everywhere, from working conditions to transportation to looks from passersby. But what distinguishes the series from something focused on misery is that it balances this with moments of levity and joy. There are points where the characters thrive in their environment, and while it will often be surrounded by misery, all the good scenes grow into something moving in the end.
The show does have its issues. The character of Hosanna goes mostly underdeveloped, and Leah, despite a good storyline about her trying to find work, is given a somewhat weak plot about a new lover. But then there's Ashton's unshakable desire to be a good husband and the financial strife he brings upon himself to do so, and Chantrelle's creepy experiences on the job, that are pretty captivating. Even the weaker storylines at least have great performances backing them up—Neil and Coomber start the series strong and Prince brings some really great additions near the end. There are great side performances as well—they round out the world and make it feel lived-in.
Another strong aspect of this show is its production elements. The sets are realistic, the costumes feel very real, and the filmmaking, albeit a little basic, is still quite serviceable. The use of licensed music feels purposeful and is often a ton of fun. The only major criticism I have is what the show doesn't explore; I wish there was more of this series. Chantrelle has a relationship with another nanny that skirts the line of platonic and romantic that I would've loved to see more of, and there's a revelation with Ashton's character near the end that changes a lot about his character and that I also wanted to spend more time with.
But at the end of the day, what we get is still really, really good, despite the fact that I wanted more for that complete package of a first season. (I do think the intention is for there to be more with the way the finale ends, which I think would be lovely.) Despite some narrative meandering and plot threads that I wished were stronger, Three Little Birds is a really great show that's worth the time. For every one moment of cheese, there are three of genuine sincerity and heartfelt emotion that are still on my mind. It's not a good thing that it's relevant, but if you need a reminder of the power of decency, understanding and kindness mixed with the unfair struggles of prejudice, this is an excellent choice for a watch.
Three Little Birds is now available to stream on BritBox.
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