WPC 56

The series is about Gina Dawson's, who is one of the first WPCs(Woman Police Constable), life as female police officer at precinct where dominated by male in West Midlands. Naturally She faces some difficulties as a woman because time is 1950s and it is the peak of the sexism and also awaking of the male protest. WPC 56's genre contains both drama and comedy and also beauty of the Jennie Jacques. There is an aspect, a thing thing that I can distinguish WPC 56 than other TV series. İt is not about the story telling or acting performance. Even I do like the both of them, there is an original shade in TV series. Both TV series focuses the female police officer's life and her life that is made difficult by her family, colleagues and dominant culture ideology of her community at that years, WPC 56 shows us and it take us an journey that how conditions of woman in business are in first. Also it offers us a compression about woman in the field that dominated by male between past and present. Consequently it is a great series to witness an era and discover how the woman rights and woman in business life comes far from past to present. I hope that there are more TV shows like WPC 56. I like that kind of series that there is real cause to makes it. So I rate it 8/10 because it deserves that. Acting, storytelling, scenario and reflection of an era when tells struggle of women are very fascinating.

Jennie Jacques portrays all the ambitions, fears & acceptances of young women in 1956 England. I let myself go when watching the case solving, but I forget the plot when the camera is focused on her. I literally have to shake my head at times to follow the story.

I really like the scenes where she's not on camera. But from the first 5 minutes of episode one, she's the portrayed character I want to see next.

Not her fault, but Jennie Jacques' eyes are too magnetic. That said, the little known supporting cast are drawn from the deep well of British acting talent. This was Britain in 1956.

That I found Jennie Jacques' beauty distracting should not deter others from giving this a first viewing. She did what the writers & director dictated, & her performance is worthy of high praise.

I mark this down because of formulaic writing, but I mark it up because of the ensemble performances.

This is series worthy of watching.

The negative of the show is that much of it is predictable. The powerful men have to act macho and the woman is not respected as an equal. The woman has much better instincts as a copper than the men who've been on the police force for years. The worst of the coppers is, predictably, almost a 2-dimensional character, at least through the 2 seasons I've seen so far.

The positives include that there are some sensitive male characters who give Gina a chance. The supporting cast is excellent. The plots are interesting and appropriate to the times. And the attention to detail (sexism, racism, brutality, repressed sexuality, clothing, sets, hair styles, makeup, music, dialog) makes me almost believe it really is 1956 on the set.

Having lived through the 1950s (age 11 in 1956) I can attest that much of what we see on this show was very much like this. In many work places women were considered to be either eye-candy or efficient old maids who had no life outside of their employment, This continued well into the 60s until the women's movement had some clout. It would have been even more so for Gina who would have been about 10 years older than I was in 1956.

Gina's character has to be independent enough to take on a nontraditional job, tough enough to be a cop, yet still have a sensitive side. I think Jennie Jacques manages to pull it off well.

I've just read on WPC 56 official Social networking page, that there's no more WPC56? Yet the 3rd series was the BEST by far?! Wow BBC heads, you are not keeping up!

The new WPC Annie Taylor is amazing! Why would the BBC take this off?

The programme has improved ten fold with the new WPC & the amazing new, thrilling story lines, it so deserves/ed an evening slot!

Seasons 1 & 2 were (although good) no where near as strong as season 3. and was like starting over a brand new programme. Claudia Jessie, a much stronger actor which impacted on the character's strength! SHAME ON YOU BBC for taking off this amazing show?! I bet you are keeping Doctors though? no offence, I see that Claudia Jessie got nominated best storyline in the soap awards in Doctors? might be a clue there BBC?

Unbelievable!

Right off the bat, the show's premise presents several creative venues to pursue. You have a woman officer in a male dominant profession, allowing premise for critique of workplace sexism, assault, gender discrimination, and oppression. You can also tie with racial and socioeconomic issues and create a golden show.

This is where the first season starts, showing a lot of promise. But it quickly turns to cliches of personal relationships for the women officer. It is sad to see such a good premise being wasted in form of a one-dimensional character who is defined by her love life and the men in her life. The second season onward, this show is no different from any other gender-normative writing. I wish the writers rethink why they wanted to make the show in the first place. Personal lives are interesting, but it shouldn't define the character alone. Her ambitions, passions, inner struggles all could be explored, but weren't. Perhaps get more women writers and producers.