The British series Happy Valley has been an outstanding triumph of great writing and brilliant acting. It returned after a long wait of almost 8 years for its 3rd and final season. It was worth the wait. There are spoilers ahead in this discussion.
As I watched the final episode of season 2 of Gentleman Jack I was struck by how much had happened to Anne Lister (Suranne Jones) and Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle) since the start of their marriage. This real life 1830s lesbian couple did not have an easy adjustment to being together.
The Nest, from the BBC, is a five part mini series streaming on Acorn TV. Sophie Rundle and Martin Compston star as a Glasgow couple desperate to have a child.
An Inspector Calls is based on a well-known play by J.B. Priestley set in 1912 England. This is the 3rd movie version of the story, beautifully directed this time by Aisling Walsh. It’s a BBC production, available in the U.S. on Prime Video.
It’s hilarious how repressed the Brits were about sex in 1982. At least in public. Brief Encounters tells the story of four women who wade into that repression as Ann Summers party plan saleswomen and turn their worlds upside down.
Gentleman Jack season 1 ended in the U.S. It was excellent in every way. A brilliant achievement involving writers, directors, costumers, actors, and Anne Lister’s secret diaries.
I’ve been noticing a lot of what you might call grace notes in Gentleman Jack. Minor characters, casting choices, reasons to break the 4th wall. There are a few spoilers from episode 2 ahead.
Like any true fan of Sally Wainwright’s writing, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the series Gentleman Jack. Episode 1 aired last night: I’ll take a look at a few of the things that struck me about the first episode.
I’m quite excited about Gentleman Jack. It’s an 8 hour historical drama series about Anne Lister, one of England’s earliest out lesbians. It’s written by Sally Wainwright. It stars Suranne Jones. Could anything get better than that?
Bodyguard, a political thriller from the BBC, is solidly entertaining. It races through 6 episodes full speed ahead with twists, turns and surprises that keep you on the edge of your seat. The series is available on Netflix.
