The Amazing Mrs Pritchard

Hasn't this been done a hundred times? You'd think after Margaret Thatcher this wouldn't be such a shocking premise. I found the whole thing silly and irritating.

I dislike prejudice in any form so it offends me to hear statements like, "Women are better at politics because they can admit when they've made a mistake." I don't think work has a gender, I don't think women are better at politics any more than men are better at engineering. I also dislike seeing women treat their husbands like children and their children like adults.

This might make a nice "follow your dream" film for school girls except for the fact that the film teaches that self-esteem is a more useful career preparation than education or experience.

The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard is a superb performance by a very believable cast. The story is one of hope, against a backdrop of political despair that many in the world today face. The idea that one of the marginal people can rise above the corrupt incompetence that many in national parties claim is just the way things are done, is very inspiring. Jane Horrocks was consummate for the part. Jane's dynamic range gave us a believable character we have to cheer for, from one of the little people to that of a world leader in a couple of episodes, she made this performance most memorable.

The foibles of those around Mrs. Pritchard add the dramatic element found often in reality: it isn't what a person really wants to accomplish, it is how that person reacts to those in the world around them that makes for a charismatic winner.

Newcomer Jemma McKenzie-Brown who played young Georgina Pritchard with enthusiasm, was the innocent yet solid support for Mrs. Pritchard's transition from Mom to Prime Minister.

The entire supporting cast was wonderful.

The story, the cast's performances and direction all are top notch. 10 of 10!

I can't help it. English acting is my opium. It intoxicates me, it enslaves me. They do it better (acting) over there than anywhere else.

The cast is superb, starting with Jane Horrocks in the title role. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of seeing her, and Michael Caine, in the delightful "Little Voice".

I am most drawn to Mrs. Pritchard's chief aide, Catherine Walker, played by the astounding Janet Mcteer. This is a performance beyond mere acting. A woman who can seem mannish, frighteningly formidable, cruel, yet vulnerable, in desperate need of affection, and just when you think she would frighten most men, she goes to bed with a man old enough to be her son.

I reviewed Ms. Mcteer very favorably in the 2000, "Songcatcher", and forgot about it till I looked up her credits, in the wonderful IMDb. IMDb is surely one of the great venues of our time. I would like to thank Mr. IMDb, but this information doesn't seem to be available.

I've only seen the first three installments. No. 4 of 6 is on it's way, and I can't wait!!

This is one of the least realistic,and most annoying, things I have ever seen. The plot is nonsense, the central character smug, the acting second rate,and the setting totally unrealistic. Most infuriating of all, it projects a Britain that is entirely white and middle class. Not only are all the main actors ,and apparently therefore candidates in Mrs Pritchard's party, white , but even the extras seem to have come from old Tory central (casting) office ! The only non white faces seem to be in the background at the hospital-although not,of course, doctors. If this is what television believes the world if like,and what people would vote for, then you wonder why David Cameron is bothering about image change.

By the end of E2 I could only think of one word to describe it - superficial. A shallow plot that even the first rate acting of Jane Horrocks and the other leads couldn't turn into anything convincing.

I was reminded of "The Marvellous Mrs Maisel". Although I did eventually find that rather tiresome, the story was much more convincing.

But Mrs P improved by E4. Or maybe I'd just got used to it. But the dilemma's Mrs P faced were interesting and I was keen to find out what happened.