Tenko: Series 1

Season overview

Tenko is a television drama series co-produced by the BBC and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that explores the experiences of women during the Second World War. The first season, set between 1941 and 1942, focuses on a group of women who were formerly comfortably well-off expatriates living in Singapore. Following the Fall of Singapore in February 1942, these women are captured by the Japanese. The narrative charts the subsequent drama as they are sent to live in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Within this setting, the women face conditions characterized by squalor and deprivation. The series is based on real-life experiences and depicts the challenges faced by British, Australian, and Dutch women as they navigate their new reality as prisoners of war. As the season progresses, the story examines the impact of these circumstances on the group, documenting their struggle to survive and maintain their humanity while enduring the harsh environment of the camp. The production serves as a historical drama that highlights the plight of these women during the conflict in the Pacific theater, focusing on their displacement and the abrupt loss of their previous lives as they are forced into captivity.