Boy Meets Girl

I have just watched the first episode of this gender swap series. I was expecting the usual tired clichés that are usually generated by this often used storyline but I was blown away by the writing and the central performances. Rachael Stirling (I have never seen her before) carries the first episode with an excellent portrayal of the confusion and discomfort generated by a man finding himself in a woman's body.She is most definitely her mother's (Diana Rigg) daughter. It is played for both laughs and serious content and it works. Martin Freeman establishes the mans character from the start and has yet to come into the story proper but is his usual solid self. If the rest of the series is as good as the first episode then it is going to be essential viewing in the same way "Life on Mars" was. The characters which surround the two leads are all seasoned actors whom we have seen in several other TV series but they add good support. The whole thing is a real intriguing treat.

There have been dozens of films and television shows that have attempted to answer the question 'What would it be like to switch places someone else?' I have seen many of these, and this is by far the best. The acting is superb, the emotions are real, and the courses of action are rational and very believable. This makes it far more interesting and entertaining. The story centers mainly around Danny read, who wakes up in the body of Veronica Burton portrayed brilliantly by Rachel Stirling, after the two are struck by lightning near power lines. The idea that this could happen is the only suspension of disbelief required.

This show covered so many bases, gender confusion, mental health, class divides, relationships and family, weird stuff that happens when you get struck by lightning. I could watch Rachel Stirling watch paint dry, and she's amazing in this. As is Martin Freeman. It's a romp that brings up really serious moral issues in a complex way.