Riot Women BBC1

Aveline

I read that one of them was a man ie a transwoman. More BBC shoe horning in diversity?

I don't think so.
It would make rather a mockery of the menopause if so.

“ only wrote it “. 🌞

Thank you Petra at 39. I had a total hysterectomy but allergic to hrt, was told my skin would change etc, go grey, nothing happened, I just felt free from pain, didn't put on weight and carried on teaching. Best thing I had done.

Sally Wainwright only wrote it - BBC funded it and cast it.

I binge watched it and the last scene more than hints there will be a second series, can't wait. Great acting, great storyline exactly what I enjoy, thank you Sally Wainwright.

Allsorts
You state that you had periods. If your periods stopped you had a menopause.
You might not have had the awful symptoms but you definitely had a menopause.

Aveline

I read that one of them was a man ie a transwoman. More BBC shoe horning in diversity?

Some years ago, having a female pilot, senior manager, chief constable etc could have led to the bbc shoe horning in diversity.

In any event, Sally Wainwright wrote it, not the bbc

I never had a menopause, wasn't mentioned when I worked as periods weren't, mine were excessive and caused misery but I never even told my mom, so all the attention it gets now seems extreme. Will watch it, however the one person I find believable and could identify with, is Beth and her relationship with son Tom, the others not so but no doubt many like them.. I became a bit invisible when I turned 70 but that has its advantages. So most appear too old for the menopause but too young to be invisible.

I read that one of them was a man ie a transwoman. More BBC shoe horning in diversity?

I loved it - will definitely be watching it again 😊

I was looking forward to watching it on iPlayer this afternoon but Vodafone has been down and still is.
😡😡

I’ve binge watched it, I’m on episode 5 and I’m loving it. I can relate to Beth being invisible and her son Tom who doesn’t read her text messages, says sorry mum I must have missed that, I’m not going to spoil it by saying more but the group of actresses are a wonderful mix and in my opinion Sally Wainwright has got another winner, great writer and understands life.

I watched episode one and loved it

I enjoyed, no more far fetched than some of the series , where the neighbours are killing each other, I thought the characters were strong and their problems typical of that inbetween age group ,the feeling of being looked upon as a carer/ mother/babysitter and at everyone's beck and call but being disregarded and unappreciated by your family/work colleagues.

I binge watched three episodes last night - love it!

I’ve just caught up with last nights episode and agree the trailer did it no favours. I just loved the programme! Maybe the menopause theme is stretching credulity a bit but who cares? Brilliant writing and brilliant cast and definitely recommending it to anyone who’ll listen!

eddiecat78

I agree the women are more post-menopausal than menopausal but I loved it - especially the scene in the pub.
Allira there was an extensive warning at the begining about the opening scene

Thanks, eddiecat78, I missed that.
Definitely necessary.

I enjoyed it and will carry on watching it . I love Hebden Bridge and brilliant to see the town . I also love Sally Wainright and all the actresses BUT I did find parts of it a bit woke .Every film or drama at the moment seems to be over loaded with these themes of mixed race families , transgender children , gay relationships etc etc .Yes I know there are lots of families like this and this is their normal but for one drama and first episode it was just too much for me . It was however a good introduction to all the characters .
As for depicting men as feckless , patronising types , well I hate that type of stereotyping as much as I hate women as being depicted as weak , dumb and ditsy .
I have a brilliant husband who is none of these things and three wonderful sons who have learned through his example to respect and look up to women and treat them as equals .

Indeed. I watched on iPlayer which has clear trigger warnings.

Men are always secondary in Wainwright’s dramas. She is all about writing strong female characters; Janet Scott, Rachel Bailey and Gill Murray in Scott & Bailey; Celia Dawson, Caroline McKenzie-Dawson, Gillian Greenwood in Last Tango; Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley; Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack.

The emphasis is always on the bonds that women form with other women, often in adversity. Like it or not, that adversity is often caused by the bad behaviour of men.

In Riot Women, as Kitty’s story emerges over the six episodes, her wild, erratic, self-destructive behaviour makes for uncomfortable viewing but is entirely understandable. The meltdown in the supermarket is caused by a present day betrayal and something else which has triggered a terrible trauma experienced in the past.

The men were useless, feckless, patronising stereotypes.

Were they?

Beth’s brother is a man who resents what he regards as his inheritance being spent on their mother’s dementia care. Are you saying these arguments don’t happen in families? Let’s put mother in a cheaper care home even though the money now being spent on her care is what she worked for.

Her son Tom is dealing with what adopted children who go in search of natural parents have to do - face the uncertainly of what they might discover - the kind of apprehension people taking part in TVs Long Lost Family must face.

Tim is also the kind of young man whose behaviour is complained about almost weekly on this board; the son who ends up spending more time with his in-laws than his own mother.

Jerry is a hard working man who obviously adores Jess.

Holly’s ex-husband Tony has to balance police staffing levels and station morale with knowing that not all his officers are angels and turning a blind eye to it. I suspect Sir Mark Rowley has the same concerns. This was a timely drama not least because of the recent Panorama revelations about continuing misogynistic and racist behaviour in the Met.

Kitty’s father and brothers were a notorious crime gang. OCGs do exist. They are mentioned frequently on this board.

Are these stereotypes? I don’t think so. They are just dramatic depictions of real life issues.

I agree the women are more post-menopausal than menopausal but I loved it - especially the scene in the pub.
Allira there was an extensive warning at the begining about the opening scene

petra

Allira

petra

The clips that have been shown were enough for me 👎

Wonderful women struggling against the odds , all stereotypes petra

The men were useless, feckless, patronising stereotypes.

I didn’t miss much then 😂

As other posters thought it was very good, perhaps you should try it for yourself instead of taking my word for it!

A matter of personal taste.
Personally, I thought it was OTT with extremes of character.

Allira

petra

The clips that have been shown were enough for me 👎

Wonderful women struggling against the odds , all stereotypes petra

The men were useless, feckless, patronising stereotypes.

I didn’t miss much then 😂

petra

The clips that have been shown were enough for me 👎

Wonderful women struggling against the odds , all stereotypes petra

The men were useless, feckless, patronising stereotypes.

eazybee

A collection of very good actresses kept it afloat, but little sympathy for the menopausal angst.
Loved the secondary school Headmaster.

Me neither.
They should have chosen actresses who were a bit younger although Joanna Scanlan does look younger than her age.

I just want to suggest "Have you ever thought about HRT?"

I don't think Sally Wainwright has ever written a wrong word
Everyone has an off day.

The first scene could be triggering for some people, too. Distasteful.

I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to the next episode. A good mix of humour and drama.