A Mulher na Parede

This thoughtful and compelling drama gripped me from the very start. Superb writing (and it was no surprise to find out this comes from the same writer who wrote the wonderful Calm With Horses). This is a writer to et excited about and I'd love to see more from him instead of the same dull tried and tested writers the BBC and ITV usually lean on. Wonderful characterisation and excellent performances compliment this story, part historical, part thriller and succeeding at both.

My only criticism would be that there is a slight reliance on the 'maternity drives women mad trope' - in this case women whose children were taken by the catholic church's magdalen laundry system. They all seem to be severely damaged and while there is oaf course a truth to this for many, women are inherently resilient and there are plenty who survived these horrors and somehow didn't go mad.

But this is a tiny glitch in an otherwise perfect series which managed to be informative, thrilling and entertaining while treating the subject matter extremely sensitively.

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.

Set in 2015 this series plays out against the backdrop of the scandal of the Magdalene Nurseries in Ireland finally being exposed, seen through the experience of the protagonist. Ruth Wilson plays against type with a very convincing performance and accent in the lead role.

Its an interesting, moving and intriguing story which is part social history and part psychological and Gothic thriller - for me all the elements worked well together. Production values were excellent, it was well directed and photographed the music by David Holmes and Brian Irvine deserves mention as it added a lot to it and the script by Joe Murtagh (Writer of the beautiful film Calm with Horses) was assured.

All in all loved every episode and Ruth Wilson will surely get a Bafta nomination for best actress for her outstanding work here.

Highly recommended, its a quality piece of work in every department.

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.

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.