Ladies of Letters

I laughed til I cried. I cried til I laughed. This is decidedly my favourite British female led comedy. These women are brilliant. Their long careers were a testament to their abilities. I've binge-watched it three times and will again. I just adore the entire concept. You aren't ever quite sure if their "friendship" is really THAT contentious. I'm Vera. A past real and for true hippie. Love a vodka tonic (mostly vodka, of course). Irene reminds me of a lot of women friends and it's glorious! I'm old(ish) and I see them portraying life as old(ish) women who long for a past that didn't really exist~except in their memories.

"Ladies of Letters" vividly displays - humorously and with great acting abilities - how difficult it can be for middle-aged women to make new friends - a rare topic indeed. I, an American, have always enjoyed British entertainment of various sorts so I was glad for this TV series from 2009 which aired on PBS and Acorn in 2022. I haven't as yet read the book but have it on order. ~ Vera and Irene, who live rather solitary lives at some distance from one another in England, first meet at a wedding and begin a lengthy correspondence after one mails a thank you note to the other. The two have much in common - both are widows who live alone in freestanding houses with pet dogs and gardens to tend and no household helpers, and both are mothers with grandchildren on the way - but they also have their differences which are apparent even in the opening credits. ~ Although the storyline is exaggerated for entertainment purposes, there is much truth in this fictional relationship which unfolds over 20 half-hour episodes. I was especially impressed with how active both stars - Anne Reid and Maureen Lipman - are as they flawlessly speak non-stop. Their ever-changing surroundings and wardrobes reveal their personalities. They continually deal with unexpected and sometimes unjust challenges that come their way. ~ I would have rated this a 10 except that it was so difficult for me to keep up with the rapid-fire dialogue that I could only follow the massive flow of words by turning on the closed captioning, and I disliked the sometimes fierce antagonism that erupted between the two women. I myself had continued a longstanding long-distance correspondence with a college friend until time and tide eventually broke the connection so I very much appreciate discovering "Ladies of Letters," a rare find and a unique gem. Bravo!

I haven't heard the radio series but I love the TV series and hope we get another season.

The presentation is so unusual and Anne Reid and Maureen Lipman make a great team.

It feels more like a BBC series - ITV don't seem to be promoting it at all.

I wonder why Patrcia Routledgedidn't do the TV version. I didn't catch it first time around but am half way through the re-showing - The 2 characters are such a lovely contrast. Maureen automatically cleaning up her cell in prison! Congratulations to the writers. I hope there are enough viewers to merit more. Please!

I absolutely love these ladies and their sharp wit. They are pen-pals in the beginning and appear so prim and proper, but they are full of "vinegar".

The series takes you through the trials and tribulations of growing older, flaky kids who are "grown" and changes we all go through that we may not want to make, but must. They take it all with a grain of salt and muddle their way through.

All the while, they do their best to keep some kind of normalcy at the forefront! Impossible task, but they try.

I watched a few episodes of this series on PBS and just couldn't get enough. Wish it would be released here in the US in DVD form.

If you liked "Absolutely Fabulous" you will love these ladies!

I've watched this series many times over, it doesn't diminish with subsequent viewings, the humour is shall, cutting and delivered with absolute perfection.

Reid and Lipman are just glorious in their respective parts, the momentum switches between the two, with each taking chunks out of the other at will.

I preferred the first series, the earlier episodes in particular, but the second series is also very good.

It's so sad that people don't handwrite letters to one another anymore, this series proves how much fun you can have on paper.

Wonderful series, 9/10.