Now that the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony is over (what a great sport the Queen is!), it’s time to get back to our regularly scheduled programming, I mean posts.
When it comes to female characters in British TV shows, Miss Marple, DCI Jane Tennison, and Lady Mary Crawley might be some of the first ones that come to mind. Or perhaps Hyacinth Bucket, Geraldine the vicar, and Assumpta Fitzgerald. Each is memorable and makes each of their respective programs worth watching.
But there are so many more great female characters — powerful, strong, and clever ones — that you might not think of, because you don’t know about them or their shows haven’t gotten much play in the States in a while to remind you of them. So allow me to introduce (or reintroduce) you to a few of the ones that I find compelling.
Harriet Smith — Of the series The Ambassador and played by Pauline Collins. As the new British Ambassador to Ireland, Smith has plenty on her plate, work-wise and home-wise, in Dublin. She’s well-intentioned in her dealings with Irish government officials, but often meets with posturing and resistance. Ditto with her elder son, who blames her for his father’s murder. (She was the intended victim). But stay she does, as does her aide John Stone (played by Denis Lawson), to keep relations between the two countries as civil and workable as possible.
Janine Lewis — Of the series Blue Murder and played by Caroline Quentin. This DCI is a newly-single working mom with smarts, wit, and a desire to do her best to take care of her family and police business in Manchester. Unlike, say, DCI Tennison, Lewis has good relationships with the men on her team and no alcohol abuse issues. That’s not to say, though, that all is peachy. Her life is out of balance and the sexual tension between her and DI Mayne (played by Ian Kelsey) can be distracting. Yet she gets it all handled, sometimes even gracefully.
Flora Matlock — Of the miniseries The Politician’s Wife and played by Juliet Stevenson. Matlock is mortified and devastated, dignified and resolute, clever and cunning, all over the course of three episodes. After learning that her husband (played by Trevor Eve), a member of Parliament, has been having an affair with a former prostitute (played by Minnie Driver), she stands by his side in order to help save his career. But there’s more to saving face than meets the eye, and she plays out the adage “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” beautifully.
There are other compelling female characters, of course, and I’ll cover them in future posts. And coming soon: male characters of British TV worth watching.
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