Seriously Amazing ...
Since "The West Wing" went off the air over a year ago, I've been salivating for a new political drama without any satisfying nibbles.
Then about three weeks ago, I tuned into PBS to catch the latest installment of "Masterpiece Theatre" on the off-chance that they'd be re-airing "House of Cards" [hey, I like my antagonists conservative] but found myself transfixed by the woman who played Bubble in "Absolutely Fabulous." Jane Horrocks dropped the dippiness but kept the effervescent energy to play, you guessed it, an unlikely British prime minister.
"The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" made its debut and ended its run in the U.K. while Democrats in the U.S. were kicking the campaign season into high gear and reaping the rewards last year. But this little show has enough punch, wit, smarts and ethos to rival Aaron Sorkin's brainchild and legacy. Unfortunately, I tuned in too late to see how the seeds were sown, but the plot goes something like this:
A middle-age, Yorkshire mother of two and grocery store manager witnesses the sham and homogeneous element of politics in Britain and takes matters into her own hands, establishes a new political party -- the Purple Democratic Alliance -- runs for Parliament to prove a point and is content to let that be her contribution. The catch is, her point is made, clear as day and she wins a landslide election and becomes the new prime minister. The first two episodes were combined for the American debut so going from the hum-drum life of a suburbanite to No. 10 Downing Street is a bit of a blood-pumper.
Ros Pritchard has no political experience, but seems to echo that great Sorkin axiom, "If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. And if you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you." Her political party is financed by her wealthy, dowager-like employer [whose motivations are muddy, at best] and she draws experienced politicos from across the realm. A particular joy is watching Jodhi May ["Tipping The Velvet"] as Miranda Lennox, a savvy public relations expert who twists, wrangles, smudges and cajoles the truth, Ros's enemies and friends alike into presenting the best face on the candidate and later, prime minister.
Even greater still is watching Janet McTeer ["Tideland"] as Conservative Tory bulldog, Catherine Walker, getting ready to tear into Mrs. Pritchard and her political inexperience before an on-air debate defect to the Purple Democratic Alliance and eventually become the Chancellor of the Exchequer [analogous to the American Treasury Secretary]. She eventually becomes the loud, politically prudent, morally ambiguous and mildly cynical voice in Mrs. Pritchard's cabinet. Watching her dance, sometimes stepping on toes, with her former boss, the Leader of the Opposition, various other cabinet members and even her own speech-writer Ben Sixsmith [hellooo post-"Harry Potter," Brit hottie, Tom Mison] is just plain enthralling.
But it's not all overcoming obstacles and moral victories, there's plenty of human element and under-the-table dealings. Mr. Pritchard has one major skeleton in his closet that could threaten the government, the eldest Pritchard daughter bumbles her way into the spotlight -- albeit minus a few articles of clothing -- and of course, the requisite alcoholism, shady dealings and the ever-present Leader of the Opposition who takes up a pathological hobby of stewing over Walker's defection.
The main point, in case you missed it, is that "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" hosts a strong and proud ensemble cast of female ministers and cabinet members who, even when patronized by the big boys, soldier on and face forward. Even when she's engaging in the now-famous "walk-and-talk" throughout Whitehall, Parliament and No. 10, the prime minister tends to keep a handbag at the ready, just to remind us that it took a woman of extreme tenacity and serious self-reflection to shape the U.K. into the utopia-in-the-making that is coming round the corner.
Because the BBC seems to require only six episodes per series, this morsel of political altruism skips ahead fairly often and leaves this American gullet, starved for his usual 13-to-23 helpings a season, so it's easy to expect more and more as the series progresses. But, as I was reminded when I looked at the episode synopses, we are already on the fourth episode leaving only two more to go. It's easy for me to skip ahead and read the ending, but I savor each minute enough to know looking ahead would only spoil my appetite.
Seriously, "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" is exactly the kind of show those of us used to "The West Wing" have been waiting for, even if it is in a country across the Atlantic, it's still good, engaging drama and political intrigue. Do you think if we asked Her Majesty, very nicely, she'd rustle up a command performance for the next 14 months?
You know, just to tide us over while our own Tory president [who is a figure of disgust and mild ridicule in the first half of the series] rides out his 28 percent approval rating and our own Purple Democrats continue splitting hairs and making scapegoats the Republicans long enough to make us forget nothing in real, American, politics ever gets done?
"The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" airs on "Masterpiece Theatre" Sundays on PBS.
Check your local listings.
Seriously.
Then about three weeks ago, I tuned into PBS to catch the latest installment of "Masterpiece Theatre" on the off-chance that they'd be re-airing "House of Cards" [hey, I like my antagonists conservative] but found myself transfixed by the woman who played Bubble in "Absolutely Fabulous." Jane Horrocks dropped the dippiness but kept the effervescent energy to play, you guessed it, an unlikely British prime minister.
"The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" made its debut and ended its run in the U.K. while Democrats in the U.S. were kicking the campaign season into high gear and reaping the rewards last year. But this little show has enough punch, wit, smarts and ethos to rival Aaron Sorkin's brainchild and legacy. Unfortunately, I tuned in too late to see how the seeds were sown, but the plot goes something like this:
A middle-age, Yorkshire mother of two and grocery store manager witnesses the sham and homogeneous element of politics in Britain and takes matters into her own hands, establishes a new political party -- the Purple Democratic Alliance -- runs for Parliament to prove a point and is content to let that be her contribution. The catch is, her point is made, clear as day and she wins a landslide election and becomes the new prime minister. The first two episodes were combined for the American debut so going from the hum-drum life of a suburbanite to No. 10 Downing Street is a bit of a blood-pumper.
Ros Pritchard has no political experience, but seems to echo that great Sorkin axiom, "If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. And if you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you." Her political party is financed by her wealthy, dowager-like employer [whose motivations are muddy, at best] and she draws experienced politicos from across the realm. A particular joy is watching Jodhi May ["Tipping The Velvet"] as Miranda Lennox, a savvy public relations expert who twists, wrangles, smudges and cajoles the truth, Ros's enemies and friends alike into presenting the best face on the candidate and later, prime minister.
Even greater still is watching Janet McTeer ["Tideland"] as Conservative Tory bulldog, Catherine Walker, getting ready to tear into Mrs. Pritchard and her political inexperience before an on-air debate defect to the Purple Democratic Alliance and eventually become the Chancellor of the Exchequer [analogous to the American Treasury Secretary]. She eventually becomes the loud, politically prudent, morally ambiguous and mildly cynical voice in Mrs. Pritchard's cabinet. Watching her dance, sometimes stepping on toes, with her former boss, the Leader of the Opposition, various other cabinet members and even her own speech-writer Ben Sixsmith [hellooo post-"Harry Potter," Brit hottie, Tom Mison] is just plain enthralling.
But it's not all overcoming obstacles and moral victories, there's plenty of human element and under-the-table dealings. Mr. Pritchard has one major skeleton in his closet that could threaten the government, the eldest Pritchard daughter bumbles her way into the spotlight -- albeit minus a few articles of clothing -- and of course, the requisite alcoholism, shady dealings and the ever-present Leader of the Opposition who takes up a pathological hobby of stewing over Walker's defection.
The main point, in case you missed it, is that "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" hosts a strong and proud ensemble cast of female ministers and cabinet members who, even when patronized by the big boys, soldier on and face forward. Even when she's engaging in the now-famous "walk-and-talk" throughout Whitehall, Parliament and No. 10, the prime minister tends to keep a handbag at the ready, just to remind us that it took a woman of extreme tenacity and serious self-reflection to shape the U.K. into the utopia-in-the-making that is coming round the corner.
Because the BBC seems to require only six episodes per series, this morsel of political altruism skips ahead fairly often and leaves this American gullet, starved for his usual 13-to-23 helpings a season, so it's easy to expect more and more as the series progresses. But, as I was reminded when I looked at the episode synopses, we are already on the fourth episode leaving only two more to go. It's easy for me to skip ahead and read the ending, but I savor each minute enough to know looking ahead would only spoil my appetite.
Seriously, "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" is exactly the kind of show those of us used to "The West Wing" have been waiting for, even if it is in a country across the Atlantic, it's still good, engaging drama and political intrigue. Do you think if we asked Her Majesty, very nicely, she'd rustle up a command performance for the next 14 months?
You know, just to tide us over while our own Tory president [who is a figure of disgust and mild ridicule in the first half of the series] rides out his 28 percent approval rating and our own Purple Democrats continue splitting hairs and making scapegoats the Republicans long enough to make us forget nothing in real, American, politics ever gets done?
"The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard" airs on "Masterpiece Theatre" Sundays on PBS.
Check your local listings.
Seriously.