Stonehouse

Stonehouse hit the right tone from the off. Its a true story about a crooked politician in Harold Wilson's government but has mischievous fun with its subject matter.

Production values were excellent all round, direction by Jon S Baird was assured, it had a whip-smart script by John Preston (who wrote 'A Very English Scandal') and the score by Rolfe Kent was great.

Viewers under 60 will ask who Stonehouse was - but you don't need background knowledge to enjoy this excellent drama. In a sense Stonehouse represents every entitled politician though the ages who's been caught out and skewered.

So much better than I expected, thoroughly recommended - its entertaining, very funny and Mathew MacFadyen is outstanding as Stonehouse.

ITV is on a roll with high quality dramas after the excellent Anne ,comes this gem .

The direction has a knowing and crisp feel , the script is truthful but very witty , the musical score superb .

The acting is fabulous , every member is good but standout is Macfadyen , whose lugubrious and dishevelled charm , (his voluminous hair seemed to have a life of its own ) ,captures the essence of an old school charmer who can't see his terrible behaviour for what it really is . The politics of the time were captured really well , Harold Wilson was spot on .

ITV deserve a lot of credit for putting together great creative teams and let's hope they continue with this level of quality .

John Stonehouse's fall from grace is a sad story, and the mildly comedic flavour of this production might be seen as inappropriate. But the fact is that his actions and attitudes were indeed somewhat farcical, and the writer, director and actors manage very well to stay just this side of playing it for laughs. Its roots in reality are never lost, and the viewer is left with a sense of pity and despair for Stonehouse, and sympathy for his family and others affected by his misguided decisions.

In a wider sense, the series highlights how someone short on common sense, but long on ambition and greed, can do well in politics by presenting a confident and convincing facade. I like the way Harold Wilson is portrayed as seeing Stonehouse as a good image for the Labour Party because he is handsome. And how he makes him Minister for Aviation because he'd been in the RAF for two years. I've no reason to think this is inconceivable, and it's an amusing reflection on how some of our current crop of politicians got where they are.

So full marks to everyone involved. The period detail is very impressive, taking me back to my younger days in the early 70s. The husband and wife team of Keeley Hawes and Matthew MacFadyen are superb as the Stonehouses, Emer Heatley does a marvellous job as Sheila Buckley the secretary, and Kevin McNally's portrayal of Harold Wilson is uncannily accurate.

Very watchable as the portrayal of real life characters is done well. Betty Boothroyd and Harold Wilson should have their own spin off series they were that good and some of their lines were very amusing. Keeley Hawes is always good at playing a middle class wife and she adds a bit of tongue in cheek nuance to a brilliant performance to match the plot. Which if it wasn't true, this story would be considered far fetched. What is also captured well is the 1970s so as someone who lived through this there is a wonderful sense of nostalgia. I highly recommend it as a binge watch to indulge yourself with.

As soon as the music starts you know this isn't going to be a dour, miserable drama, and the proclamation about things being dramatised, means it isn't going to be historically accurate , but none of that matters a jot, this is pure entertainment! Makes such a change from the number of dark dramas on TV these days.

The character of Stonehouse is wonderfully played by Matthew McFadyen, sometimes you despair at how unaware of his own ridiculousness he is, but then the next minute, you're rooting for him!

The ever dependable Keeley Hawes is excellent as the hard done to, but ever loyal wife.

Have to say the entire thing just flew by for me, which is always a good sign , and I'll certainly rewatch in the future.