The Amazing Mrs Pritchard

I watched this show mainly because it was written by Sally Wainwright, creator of the excellent At Home With the Braithwaites and ITV's recent Jane Hall. She is a fantastic writer with a strong sense for creating 'real' people, especially those in the North and, in particular, women. There was also the added bonus of the great cast. Jane Horrocks is a fantastic actress, anyone who has seen Little Voice knows how versatile she is, and the supporting cast all bring their own strengths. I had never seen either Jodhi May or Carey Mulligan outside of a corset so it was great to see them do something contemporary.

I thoroughly enjoyed this programme. There was something so likable about Ros Pritchard that I found myself rooting for her from the start (although I can't say the same about her husband!). You could say that the two daughters, especially the youngest, were a little too similar to the daughters from The Braithwaites, but I really didn't mind. The characterisations and dialogue was spot on, I laughed out loud several times. As well as being funny and entertaining, Mrs Pritchard managed to make some very serious, and real, points about the state of modern politics and the problem of voter apathy. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series.

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.

I liked it. As a short series, I found it interesting and more importantly, entertaining and for me, that's what TV is about: entertainment!! I've just read one comment saying the whole thing was so PC and another saying the opposite. I just find this strange and fail to see why every single program on TV needs to tick all the PC check-boxes for some people and needs to oppose all the PC rubbish for others. What's wrong with pure entertainment that's not 'designed' to fit a particular agenda? Sure some of it is fantastic - meant as in pertaining to fantasy - but what the hell in wrong with that? I don't watch much TV, preferring to pick and choose stuff I think might be interesting and this short series fitted the bill nicely.

Firstly I think the previous comment was perhaps a little harsh. So far this program has operated at a highly interesting angle, by having an initial intense fast pace, and a gradual slow down before throwing a new thing at the audience to consider.

There is continually something for the audience to think about, and about 15 things at the same time. All the concerns of someone running a country, while it is slightly unrealistic with some of the simplicity it makes the point it's trying to make very well.

Much of the policies "Mrs. Pritchard" tends to raise are real life policies. Won't say any more here.

As a piece of Tuesday night viewing it's worth watching, unlike much of whats on at the moment.

Epiosde 1 screened last night - Tuesday 3 October

It was a good start with plenty to develop in the further 5 episodes.

Often in these kind of shows where real people play themselves, the real people lack credibility - They appear to act. But here Kirsty Wark and Peter Snow played themselves with the authority one should expect from the original.

Jane Horrocks was excellent and her beleaguered hubby was entirely believable.

There was also an excellent balance between shabby politicians and exposing the job they do as remorselessly difficult. It is to hoped that this balance can be maintained throughout the production.

Interesting that it is billed as comedy when the laughs were few and far between. Not that that is a bad thing.