The Woman in the Wall

After a bout of sleepless nights and mental exhaustion, Lorna Brady wakes up one morning to discover a dead woman in her house, believing she's killed her, she walls her up, and then tries to piece together what happened.

Thought provoking, dramatic and provocative, The Woman in the Wall is yet another cracking drama from The BBC, 2023 has been a fine year for the drama wing of The Beeb, this is among the best of them.

I enjoyed the opening episode, I was a bit mixed by the second and third parts, but from four onwards I was captivated. Parts five and six are truly brilliant.

It goes on a totally unexpected journey, you think it's about one thing, but it moves in an altogether darker, more sinister direction, I did not anticipate the outcome.

Ruth Wilson is magical from start to finish, it's a tremendous performance from the star, she sounds and looks so different, there is nothing she cannot do. The supporting cast are fantastic also, Daryl McCormack is brilliant as Akande, if you get a chance check out a film called The Lesson, in which he appears with Richard E. Grant, he's great in it.

Some stunning location work, it looks amazing too, and I loved that music.

9/10.

For acting skill and chemistry this is the best series since Happy Valley. Ruth Wilson and Daryl McCormack are absolutely top. They've both come a long way since girl assassin in Luther and boy gangster in Peaky Blinder. There isn't a weakness with any of the actors.

The script although like a spiders poisonous web and convoluted eventually clears the smoke and much dust.

Fine camerawork and scenery helps build a creepy tension. No jokes, just deadly dark. The RC Church doesn't come off too well and the local police especially Simon Delaney as Massey eventually redeem themselves. Recycling babies and hiding from Mr Cruelty isn't a happy subject so please take a deep breath. It's not nice but worth patience and concentration.

I could if I were permitted, write a review of this series in two words: Ruth Wilson. Ms Wison is simply exceptional as Lorna Brady giving one of the finest performances I have ever seen in a TV drama. It is hard and emotionally draining to watch at times and that is in large measure because of the superb performances of the whole cast. Incredibly powerful, superbly written and performed, the plot focuses on the suffering of young girls who were cruelly treated in the Laundries and other Catholic institutions, the pain of which continued into adulthood. The series could easily have become an aggressive polemic about the Catholic Church as a whole, but cleverly avoids that, concentrating instead on the victims and their fight for justice against a Church and State desperate to cover up their crimes. Along with a murder investigation and other mysterious events, it is gripping and heartbreaking in turns. Quite simply British drama at its best. A must watch.

I've had the pleasure of visiting Ireland on several occasions. And have always received a warm welcome which is nice considering the past between the two countries. However it seems whenever the BBC make a program in Ireland it's either about Easter rising or the Irish Catholic Church in particular taking of children from women, Who had given birth out of wedlock.

Not only were these children taken away from the mother's, the women themselves would be sent to convent's run by the Catholic Church and nun's who give the gestapo a run for their money.

Ruth Wilson is excellent as always as the mentally disturbed woman who's life it seemed had been destroyed by her time in the convent.

I suppose it's an original twist on ground we have trodden on before.

7/10.

Not usually one to write reviews but felt I had to. It seems every negative review is because they didn't use exclusively Irish actors. To rate a show 1 star because you don't like the accent and isn't completely up to your liking is pretty petty. The overall rating for this is criminally low. Genuinely one of the best TV shows I've ever seen, if not the best.

The acting, the music, the overall feel, it's absolutely gripping. The performances from the lead actress and actor are 2 of the best I've ever seen.

Can't wait for episodes 5 and 6, just hope it has an ending worthy of the rest of the show.