Joan episode 1 ending explained: Joan swallows diamonds

Joan is a British crime drama series created by Anna Symon, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Helen Black. The six-part series is directed by Richard Laxton. The series is adapted from Hannington's 2004 memoir I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief.

It stars Sophie Turner as the infamous jewel thief Joan Hannington. Frank Dillane, Mia Millichamp-Long, Kirsty J. Curtis, Gershwyn Eustache Jr., and Tomi May also play prominent roles.

Episode 1 sets the character of Joan, as she begins her journey as a thief due to desperation. But it is also made clear that she is easily seduced towards the life of crime as she easily steals a car to meet her daughter, whom she had to put in child services to save from her husband's violent associates.

At the end of the episode, she steals a few diamonds from her employer by swallowing them. She meets a mysterious gentleman in the bar, Boisie, who seems to have his foot on the wrong side of the law.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers for the show.

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Joan steals a car to meet his daughter

The opening episode of the series is eventful and interesting, as it introduces the lead character as an enthusiastic young woman who aspires to have all the luxury for herself and her daughter. However, her domestic life is filled with troubles due to her husband's association with illegal work and his constant physical abuse.

Though Joan is no damsel in distress, she puts her daughter Kelly in child services to protect her from some goons who threaten her. She takes help from her sister and gets a job in her salon, but life doesn't seem to get any better.

One day, she steals a car to visit Kelly. She does it with such ease that it's clear that she certainly has a talent for this kind of work. Though she is caught in a few hours by the police, she now understands that she can change her fate with a lucky slip of hand.

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Joan steals diamonds from her employer

The official synopsis of episode 1 reads:

A penniless mother who impulsively steals diamonds from the jewelry shop where she works is propelled into the world of crime as a result.

As the synopsis states, Joan steals diamonds from her employer. But the events surrounding it are also important. She gets the job using her clever, but the manager of the shop also has eyes on her.

One night he makes inappropriate advances toward her. She stops him and goes to the washroom assessing her situation. When she comes out, she finds the safe open, in which a few pieces of polished diamonds are wrapped in paper. She quickly gulps down the rocks and rushes out of the shop.

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Joan meets her partner-to-be, Boisie

After stealing the diamonds and storing them uncomfortably in her belly, she goes to a bar, where a mysterious man offers to pay for her drink, as she is short of money. The man Boisie, played by Frank Dillane, introduces himself as an antique articrafts dealer.

The next morning she wakes up in his elegant and spacious home. She finds cash in the living room drawer and a gun in the kitchen drawer, which makes it clear that Boisie is in some shady business. However, she is not deterred by the risk of involvement in criminal activities.

She goes to meet him in his gallery and asks him to find a buyer for the diamonds. Boisie agrees to do it and also offers her a job. The episode ends with the hint that the building of Boisie and Joan's criminal empire has begun.

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All six episodes of the series are available on ITVX in the U.K. The viewers of the United States can watch the series on The CW Network.