peterrichboy

It's very rare for me to binge watch an entire five-part series in one night, I started to watch Mr Bates versus the post office at around 10 o'clock and finish the last episode at three in the morning! Needless to say I'm feeling very tired this morning. But boy was it worth it.

I had been vaguely aware of the Post Office scandal involving a new computer system that had been installed in all the UK Post offices. What I wasn't aware of was how these poor people who had lost there jobs there integrity and in some cases their lives had to fight to clear their names and their reputations and at least get some sort of compensation for what has happened to them.

This is a classic David and Goliath story of the small man taking on the massive corporate Conglomerates in this case the post office and Fujitsu computer company who installed the system. At times this is a truly heartbreaking story of how honest hard-working people are made to look criminals and thieves when they clearly weren't.

This has a top-notch cast headed by soon-to-be National treasure Toby Jones who is perfect for the role of Mr Bates.

I have to admit I new little of the life of Cary Grant, apart from he was called Archibald Leach from Bristol and went on to be one of Hollywoods biggest stars. His journey there is a truly remarkable one, from a poverty stricken background and a lonely childhood Grant's journey to being one of the richest actors in Hollywood.

The show focuses on the years Grant spent with Dyan Cannon a stunning attractive much younger actress. Which is hardly surprising as it is based on her memoirs. And this would be my only criticism as Grant was married four times in total and made some of the greatest movies of the 50s and 60s.

I new nothing of Grant's later relationship with his mother who he assumed was dead for many years. The performance's by this all British cast are excellent and Issaacs just about get's the voice and mannerisms of this Hollywood legend right. 8/10.

I notice there are some 10/10 reviews here. Well it's Hardly in the same league as Line Of Duty! It's a totally ridiculous story of a middle class suburban neighbourhood, that starts when a young attractive couple move in to one of the houses. They become friends with a couple across the road and this leads to a an affair and it all starts to kick off, especially when a creepy resident from across the road played nicely by Hugh Dennis starts spying on them through a telescope.

There are several other sub plots along the way including corrupt police, diamond smuggling and a local online paper trying to catch a major criminal.

To be fair they cram hell of a lot in these six episodes and it moves along at such a fast pace you don't stop to think how daft the plot is. 6/10.