I’d had a busy day yesterday, and after dinner was just getting around to reading the Sunday paper. My wife and I were both reading in the living room, and as I finished the paper, I picked up the TV Guide just to glance at whether there had been anything on the tube that night. Low and behold it said there was a new MT - looked up at the clock and it was 8:04, so we hurried into the other room and switched on the telly. Good timing.
We were really pleased with the show. Very entertaining, as well as giving you food for thought concerning politics, public participation, demands upon politicians, etc. Glad to see it was a 2 parter - will be interested in seeing how Mrs. Pritchard does as she gets used to her new job.
And man, is her hubby a tool or what?
Just what is that rich lady’s deal? I gotta figure she comes out as the bad guy/girl.
Man, am I the only person who watched this show?
Cause if so, I think y’all missed some mighty fine viewing.
I especially thought they handled the ending especially well - but I guess I’m just talking to myself…
(uh, no - Masterpiece Theater. I was surprised no one responded to my OP, because I thought there were a few regular viewers round these parts. I guess they are all waiting up for MT’s Jane Austen fest coming in the spring - that is, hoping the writer’s strike is settled by then!)
I saw the first two episodes of “The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard” on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater, and have to say I was underwhelmed. I’m a British political junkie - the “House of Cards” trilogy is a favorite of mine - but this was just meh.
It got off to a good start - seeing her upbraiding the squabbling politicos in front of her store was great. But it quickly veered into political fantasy. For her to put a party together so quickly, actually win a majority and move into 10 Downing Street was totally implausible. And once there, she seemed totally out of her league and indecisive - even a little irritating. I’ve taped the last three episodes and probably will watch them, eventually, but without any high expectations.
Wikipedia says the show bombed in the UK and a proper finale was never even filmed. Too bad. Some real missed potential.
My mom and I are definitely waiting for the Jane Austen fest starting in January. I don’t think the writer’s strike should effect that, should it? All the miniseries they’re showing have already aired in England, and Masterpiece Theatre doesn’t do the introduction anymore. (Right? I don’t usually catch the beginning of the shows; I’m usually about five minutes late.)
Anyway, we watched the first fifteen minutes or so of “The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard” and just couldn’t get into it. I think we were a little burnt out by all the modern-day mysteries on Mystery that have been running. We’re both ready for some historical drama.
Her accent is from the north of England, I think. Incidentally, a little Googling taught me that the name of her (fictional) constituency is taken from The Pickwick Papers, which featured a rollicking parliamentary election.
The actress who plays Mrs. Pritchard also did the voice of the bubble-headed often-knitting chicken from Chicken Run.
My son - somewhat of an afficianado of Brit accents - refered to it as a Northland accent. But he’s just a Chicago kid.
I guess it may not have been up to the level of MT, but it certainly was head and shoulders above most else on TV (which wouldn’t require much!) I especially liked the character of her (finance?) minister - Katherine, and her romance with the young speech writer Ben.
Also enjoyed seeing a government peopled so heavily by women.
Jane Horrocks, who played Mrs. Pritchard, is not only the knitting chicken from Chicken Run or Bubbles from AbFab, but also Katie Grin (also from AbFab) and Little Voice. The woman has an amazing ability to do voices and accents.