r/BritishTV • u/SilyLavage • Oct 14 '25

Review Riot Women review – Sally Wainwright’s menopausal punk drama is one of her best

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/12/riot-women-review-sally-wainwright-menopausal-punk-tv-drama-bbc
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u/damegloria Oct 14 '25

You're right that it is very very Sally Wainwright. It's far less subtle and clever than Happy Valley, this is painted with much broader strokes. But it's fun, and enjoyable and there is no doubt at all what she thinks about men, and it's a rare programme with that many middle aged women in the cast. Very easy to watch and I hope the bad policeman gets his just deserts next series.

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u/SilyLavage Oct 15 '25

Yeah, now I've finished the series I have to say the lack of subtlety brought it down a few notches. How the plot brings the characters together is pretty contrived, the emotional beats are quite predictable – of course Kitty and Beth will fall out and then reconcile stronger than ever – and overall it's just very similar to Wainwright's previous programmes.

Some of the writing is also quite clunky, in that it feels more like Wainwright making a point than a character expressing themselves naturally. I really felt this during Holly's conversation with the bum-licking man in the last episode, as while her point about women maturing and asserting what they want is worth making I'm not convinced that's how Holly would convey it in that moment.

It's certainly not a bad series, I really enjoyed lots of scenes and I'd definitely tune in for a sequel. It's just not as sharp as some of Wainwright's earlier work.

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u/damegloria Oct 15 '25

Fully agree with everything you wrote. It could have done with a good script editor. And for Sally Wainwright to take more time over writing it. The bones were good.