Riot Women BBC1

I don’t know how many times this has to be said but Riot Women was about so much more than the menopause - as anybody who has watched the six hour drama will know.

Not in any particular order. Child rape. Criminal gangs. Misogyny and sexual assault in the police force. Misogyny and inappropriate male sexual behaviour in general. Grubby, male underground social media networks. Alcohol and drug abuse. Depression and suicide. Infidelity. Marriage break up. Empty nests. Isolation. Feeing undervalued at work. The can of worms that can be opened when adopted children look for their natural parents. The pain of childbirth. Family arguments over inheritance. Dementia and caring for aged parents. Both Beth and sisters Holly and Yvonne have mothers with dementia.

It’s more about the strong bonds that women form to support one another to get through these life issues than menopause. One of the most poignant scenes for me was when Jess gives Kitty a job, knowing she’s been in prison. The most poignant is with Beth and Kitty in the restaurant.

One of the band members, rock drum-playing gran Jess (Lorraine Ashbourne), whose idea it is to start the band, has a transgender child, Miranda. Jess’s whole family could be described as alternative. Head of the family is dreadlocked spliff-smoking, former Greenham Common women Auntie Mary (Sue Johnson), who owns the pub Jess now runs. Jess’s and Beth’s mothers were both at Greenham Common with Mary. Jess also has a bi-sexual daughter, Chloe.

Both of Jess’s children have only minor parts in the drama. Transgender Miranda only has a couple of small scenes. one where she berates her mum for keeping up the (misunderstood) feud with Inez and another when she’s asked to stand in as backing singer after young police officer Nisha has been beaten to a pulp and left for dead. Miranda is on screen for five minutes at most in a six hour drama.

The trans person is young so the menopause irrelevant to them

paddyann54

Allira

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.

There has been a trans actor in Emmerdale for a few years now,He seems to be well accepted by the public …sire.y we should all aim to accept people for who they are?
Even if it’s not who they started out as.
I know several people who are transgender including two relatives ,they have never harmed anyone ,both are in loving relationships ships one is the dad of an adopted daughter who he clearly loves as his own .
Who are we to tell people how they can live their lives?
All but 2 of the eight trans people I know are female to male trans …..seems to me they find it easier to be accepted .
There’s always someone ,like you to point out they are trans when it’s male to female and yet we still think women are more caring..Not on here they aren’t .

You have missed the point paddyann.

No-one is criticising transgender people in soaps or plays on TV.

The whole point of this particular series is that it is about the female menopause.

ginny I hope the characters grow on you. I found there was a good balance of humour and drama which kept me interested throughout.

Ok , so I’ll carry on watching. I’ve only seen the first episode and it didn’t hook me.

I've just watched the last episode, I've enjoyed watching week by week rather than binge watching. It's been full on but brilliant. Can't wait for the second series - nothing announced yet but they can't leave all those cliffhangers.

Just watched the last 2 episodes.Billiant Brilliant . All the actors where fantastic and the twist who played Kitty,'s dad brilliant. Can't wait until second series .

So true to life . I know some of the subjects have happened to woman on GN. Some of the things covered what has happened in my family .

A must watch for all women ..

We watched the final 2 episodes last night and thought them harrowing but brilliant - and in parts very funny.
Impossible to say which of the actors was best as they were all outstanding.

Allira

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.

There has been a trans actor in Emmerdale for a few years now,He seems to be well accepted by the public …sire.y we should all aim to accept people for who they are?
Even if it’s not who they started out as.
I know several people who are transgender including two relatives ,they have never harmed anyone ,both are in loving relationships ships one is the dad of an adopted daughter who he clearly loves as his own .
Who are we to tell people how they can live their lives?
All but 2 of the eight trans people I know are female to male trans …..seems to me they find it easier to be accepted .
There’s always someone ,like you to point out they are trans when it’s male to female and yet we still think women are more caring..Not on here they aren’t .

It’s live on Sunday nights

My mum is loving this. I can’t watch it as it’s on the iplayer

MayBee70

Courtney Love was one of the first people to warn about Harvey Weinstein and was ostracised for it. The original music for the series is excellent, too. Makes me wonder why people like that don’t write our Eurovision entries.

She did, much like when John Lydon warned about Jimmy Savile.

Watched all episodes and really enjoyed
If all stories on the tv were true to life they would be pretty boring and it is likely few would watch

Courtney Love was one of the first people to warn about Harvey Weinstein and was ostracised for it. The original music for the series is excellent, too. Makes me wonder why people like that don’t write our Eurovision entries.

MayBee70

The series has made me remember how good Courtney Loves music was. Her performance at Glastonbury one year is one of the standout performances of all the acts I’ve watched at Glastonbury over the years.

The whole soundtrack is excellent. Radio Times list here:

www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/riot-women-bbc-soundtrack/

I really like Massive Attack with Sara Jane Hawley - Dissolved Girl.

And The Last Dinner Party singing a clean version of Nothing Matters on TheGraham Norton Show.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhC0ZaTD_-0

I’ve watched 2 episodes on my iPad and am loving it. Sally Wainwright can do no wrong. The acting is first class.

The series has made me remember how good Courtney Loves music was. Her performance at Glastonbury one year is one of the standout performances of all the acts I’ve watched at Glastonbury over the years.

MayBee70

Allira

MayBee70

I still think though that Ch4’s (much underrated) The Change is a much better series about menopausal women.

I recognised so many filming locations!
No, not everyone is that weird, honestly. 😁

It’s a bit worrying that I don’t actually find the characters in The Change weird. I kept comparing the trans character in Riot Women to the the one in The Change because the latter character was probably my favourite character in the series; then again I suppose The Change referred to not just one ‘change’.

Well, I haven't seen people prancing about in the Forest like some of them, but then, perhaps I should get out more!

I agree it was under-rated.

Allira

MayBee70

I still think though that Ch4’s (much underrated) The Change is a much better series about menopausal women.

I recognised so many filming locations!
No, not everyone is that weird, honestly. 😁

It’s a bit worrying that I don’t actually find the characters in The Change weird. I kept comparing the trans character in Riot Women to the the one in The Change because the latter character was probably my favourite character in the series; then again I suppose The Change referred to not just one ‘change’.

MayBee70

I still think though that Ch4’s (much underrated) The Change is a much better series about menopausal women.

I recognised so many filming locations!
No, not everyone is that weird, honestly. 😁

I still think though that Ch4’s (much underrated) The Change is a much better series about menopausal women.

Just watched the last episode which I must admit was very good.

Watched a few more episodes last night. It reminds me a bit of The Outlaws which I started off enjoying but then got a bit tired of. I think I agree with the Must Watch podcast and thinks it’s an ok series but not a must watch. I don’t really care about the characters and there seems to be a tick box of characters that need to be included. I also feel a bit uncomfortable about Ann Reid’s character; I guess I don’t like anything that focuses on dementia, but that’s just a personal thing.I will finish watching it, though.

Powerful drama. Chosen actors excellent!
Hand to binge watch. Sally Wainwright creates drama like no other!

Finished it last night and loved it. I really hope there will be a second series.