The Bletchley Circle

The show opens with the first instalment of a two‑part series, presented as a self‑contained episode that forms the opening half of a larger narrative arc. As the initial segment, it sets the stage for the events that will unfold across both parts, establishing tone and introducing the central characters. In this opening chapter, Millie becomes the victim of an abduction carried out by a group of gangsters associated with Soho. The kidnappers, described as typical Soho criminal types, seize her, plunging the storyline into a gritty underworld scenario that immediately raises the stakes for everyone involved. At the same time, Alice, who maintains her own connections to the illicit trade, begins to suspect that Millie's disappearance is not a random act of violence but rather a direct consequence of her own black‑market dealings. She reads the kidnapping as a possible warning or retaliation, linking the crime back to the shadowy commerce in which she’s entangled. Because of this growing suspicion, Alice deliberately avoids drawing the police into the matter, opting instead to manage the crisis on her own terms. Her decision to keep law enforcement at arm's length underscores a reluctance to expose her illegal activities, while also highlighting her determination to resolve the situation without official intervention.