P.O.W. (TV series)

P.O.W. was a television series consisting of 6 episodes, broadcast on ITV in 2003. The series starred James D'Arcy and Joe Absolom. The drama series is based on true stories, set in Germany in the year 1940 and follows the character of Jim Caddon as he is captured after his plane crashes during a bombing raid over Normandy. In contrast to previous entries in the World War Two prison escape genre such as The Colditz Story, it concentrated on escape attempts by other ranks rather than officers. The series was filmed in Lithuania and first broadcast on television on 10 October 2003. A second series has not been commissioned, though ITV followed it with several other World War Two dramas including Colditz and Island at War. The title "P.O.W." stands for "prisoner of war".

P.O.W.
Also known as
  • P.O.W
  • POW
GenreWar Drama
Created byMatthew Graham
Matt Jones
Written byMatthew Graham
Matt Jones
Directed byRoger Gartland
John Strickland
Starring
ComposerDebbie Wiseman
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Production locationLithuania
Running time48 Mins (Without Adverts)
Production companiesCompany Pictures
Company Television
DistributorAll3Media
Acorn Media
Release
Original networkITV
Original release10 October (2003-10-10) –
14 November 2003 (2003-11-14)
Chronology
Related showsColditz
Island at War

Cast

Episodes
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
"Episode 1"John StricklandMatthew Graham10 October 2003 (2003-10-10)
Having been shot down in October 1940, RAF Sgt. Jim Caddon finds himself incarcerated in a German POW camp, Stalag 39. Caddon is a bit of a hot heat and doesn't take well to being imprisoned nor does he like the attitude of the POW's senior officer, Capt. Baladi, who orders him not to attempt to escape. Gradually, Caddon begins to realize that there is method to their madness and helps with the planned escape of Sam Shanklin. The plan is to infest their hut with fleas and hide Shanklin in the mattress when they are taken away for de-lousing. Unfortunately, Shanklin dies after the Germans burn the mattresses.
"Episode 2"John StricklandMatthew Graham & Stephen Davis17 October 2003 (2003-10-17)
A new arrival, Harry Freeman, falls under suspicion when his fellow prisoners learn he's a fluent German speaker. Jim Caddon doesn't agree and he and Harry are assigned to go on a recon mission to get information on the area around Stalag XXXIX. When Harry ducks out at the last moment, it looks like Jim may have been wrong and Drew Pritchard takes matters into his own hands. Cricket provides the solution when there's a lack of oxygen for the tunnelers.
"Episode 3"John StricklandChris Lang24 October 2003 (2003-10-24)
When one of the men is found murdered, Capt. Attercombe decides to launch his own investigation and keep the death a secret from Kommandant Dreiber. The dead man had recently received a letter from his girlfriend telling him she had married a local police constable. He was deeply humiliated and had threatened several of his fellow prisoners about not telling anyone about the situation. When Robbie Crane confesses to the crime, he is to be turned over to the camp authorities, but Drew Pritchard has a better solution. With the assistance of another man, Crane escapes.
"Episode 4"Roger GartlandClive Dawson31 October 2003 (2003-10-31)
When told by Captain Attercombe that he has been taken off the escape list and will not be accompanying those using the tunnel, Jim Caddon decides the time has come to make a break for it. Unexpectedly joined by Larry Boyd, they decide to follow the same route to be used by those who will soon escape through the tunnel. It doesn't take long for the Germans to realize the men have escaped and a Gestapo officer leads the hunt. Caddon is wounded during the escape. He is healed by Hanna, a German woman who has no loyalty to the Nazis. They end up having sex, but Caddon is betrayed the next morning by a Nazi-loyal friend of Hanna. Caddon makes a run for it, running into Boyd. The two are caught by Feltmann of the Gestapo. Feltmann non-fatally shoots Boyd and Caddon strangles him to death with his own shotgun. When Caddon and Boyd realize that their mates will be walking into a trap, they have to decide whether to give themselves up and return to the camp to warn them.
"Episode 5"Roger GartlandTom Grieves7 November 2003 (2003-11-07)
The Gestapo has determined that there is a spy in the camp, impersonating one of the downed airmen. They are able to work out that it's one of three recent arrivals, which includes Jim Caddon. The three men are brutally interrogated but none will admit to being the spy. Getting nowhere, the Gestapo officer, Major Stahl, decides to execute prisoners until the man comes forward. This all leads to a very special mission for Jim Caddon.
"Episode 6"Roger GartlandMatthew Graham14 November 2003 (2003-11-14)
When the POWs learn from their radio that there is to be a massive air raid in their area, they decide that it would be the perfect time to use their tunnel for the mass escape. They push to finish the last few yards into the woods but a cave-in seemingly ends their hopes of escape. Until, that is, Drew Pritchard comes up with a brilliant idea. It's also left to Pritchard to steal a travel pass from the Kommandant's office. When he is caught, Commandant Dreiber is prepared to use whatever means necessary to find out what is going on.

Home release

After the series aired it was released on DVD, by Acorn Media UK, containing the following extras:[1]

  • Production notes
  • Picture gallery
  • Interactive menus
  • Scene selection
  • P.O.W. Hooch recipe
  • Cast filmographies
  • P.O.W. slang dictionary

References
  1. "DVD on Amazon.co.uk". Retrieved 22 March 2012.

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