Second season of WWII-era show ‘Bomb Girls’ premieres

The two actresses have spent the past two years playing Lorna Corbett and Gladys Witham in the Albuquerque-based ReelzChannel series and have become attached to the characters who live during World War II. The second season will air at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 27.

“Being on set for all this time, I feel like we’ve become part of this era,” Tilly says. “Lorna is a big part of my life right now and I’m forever grateful.”

	On TV “Bomb Girls” premieres at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 on Albuquerque-based ReelzChannel, Channel 299 on Dish; Channel 238 on DirecTV and 161 on Comcast. The series will run two episodes every Wednesday for six weeks

The series follows Tilly’s character, who is the shift matron at a bomb factory in Canada during World War II. It captures a period when society was experiencing fundamental changes in the workplace and at home. While they’re building bombs, the group of women also find themselves flourishing with newfound freedom, discovering strengths they never before imagined.

At the same time they’re often woefully under-equipped for the new challenges they face. Amid propaganda and sexual harassment, crossing social and cultural boundaries, these remarkable women form a sisterhood never experienced before.

Season two of the series begins just after the attack on Pearl Harbor and draws viewers deep into 1942 with its music, fashion, romance and the thrill of being alive in dangerous times.

Despite America entering the war, the Axis powers are still winning every major battle. The Allies are beginning to deeply feel the price of combat, complete with casualty lists, rationing, hidden foes, unholy alliances, and the ever-present danger of explosives.

Gladys, played by Jodi Balfour, center, works on the bomb-making line in “Bomb Girls.” (Courtesy of Muse Entertainment )

Yet at the time same time, the women and men of Victory Munitions find ways to flourish under adversity, to defiantly live in joy, to forge unexpected bonds of friendship and love. In embracing risk, they find unexpected rewards and adventure.

“It’s been a wild ride for us,” Balfour explains. “The writing has gotten better with this new season and the cast has grown together a lot more.”

Balfour plays Gladys, who comes from well-to-do family and during the first season, forces her family to let her work on the bomb building line.

Balfour says Gladys has grown through the two seasons and says it’s been an incredible trajectory for the character.

“She’s gone from being a very isolated and being put up on a pedestal to being part of an awesome community of strong women,” she says. “In many ways she’s more fearless and is testing the boundaries. Gladys has a fair amount of audacity and she’s lucky to be brought up in gender restrictions and in terms of money, she’s grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth.”

Balfour says Gladys continues to grow in the new season and viewers will be able to see her courage.

“She’s becoming the woman she wants to be,” she explains. “But we have to remember the time we’re in. Not many women were able to accomplish this because of the restrictions placed against them. But Gladys is a fighter.”

Meanwhile Tilly’s character, Lorna, remains the shift matron for the women in the factory. Yet the strong-minded and safe character finds herself caught in a love triangle.

“Lorna seemed like she was trying to fight a forest fire with a child’s bucket,” she explains. “She was always trying to be the best person that she could be. It seems like she always had blinders on. With the new season, we see her take control of her life. She’s realizing that there’s more to life than just doing for others and starts to question many things about herself. It’s a very introspective season for Lorna, yet she still has to watch out for her girls on the line.”

Both women agree that working on the series has helped bring some awareness to these women who worked making bombs.

“I’ve been walking through the streets in Vancouver and people will stop me,” Balfour says. “They will tell me stories of their grandmothers and relatives who worked in these factories in the ’40s. It’s inspiring because we’ve tried to give these women depth and tell the story of their lives.”

Tilly – who has appeared in films “Fame,” “Tex,” “Psycho II,” “Agnes of God” and “The Big Chill” – says it’s been amazing to be part of such an important show.

“You don’t learn about these men and women who worked in these factories,” she says. “I know when I first got the role, I had to do research on what they did. Now, I’m a pro and am committed to portraying these women as honestly as I can. Plus, the clothes are pretty cool too. In what other series would I get the opportunity to wear clothes that aren’t seen as much anymore? People back then dressed to the nines at all times.”

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