The BBC has shared several new preview clips for next week's episode of Banished. None feature Joseph, unfortunately. The BBC has also shared a synopsis for next Thursday.

Major Ross is apoplectic when he hears the news about Tommy and Elizabeth. Always a pragmatist, his military experience tells him that a failure to mete out punishment will lead to social instability or worse. And in spite of himself, Major Ross is drawn to a beautiful young convict, Kitty McVitie.

But there is a complication. Kitty and Private MacDonald are deeply in love and enjoy a blissful monogamous relationship. However, under the makeshift laws of the colony unmarried convict women have become the sexual chattels of the soldiers, and with women in short supply sharing female convicts is the norm. All too soon Major Ross presents the young lovers with a heart wrenching dilemma.

On the beach the enigmatic convict Anne Meredith tells the vicar's wife, Mary Johnson that she sees sadness in her and can offer solace. Genteel Mary is horrified but finds herself fascinated to know more. Can Mary's sorrows be truly assuaged by Anne? Meanwhile a bid to save their friend James from starving, Tommy and Elizabeth have joined forces with him to tackle bully Marston, who is persisting in stealing their mate's food. Grassing up Marston to the Governor has achieved nothing except making James a pariah amongst the entire convict community. Drastic action is required. In the dead of when night wild dingoes howl and the moon shines brightly on the ocean not everyone in the camp is asleep.

In the morning Marston is gone and James is suspected of murder but there is no corpse. A waiting game begins; with no proof of wrongdoing fair-minded Governor Phillip decrees he will wait to see whether Marston has escaped or has indeed lost his life.