Is ‘Mrs Wilson’ worth watching? Here’s what the reviews say

The BBC’s new period drama Mrs Wilson recently aired in the UK.

Starring Luther actress Ruth Wilson as her own grandmother, alongside Keeley Hawes (The Durrells) and Iain Glen (Downton Abbey), the three-part mini-series is scripted by Indian Summers writer Anna Symon.

Mrs Wilson tells an incredible true story of espionage, betrayal and polygamy is set in 1960s London, 1940s London and 1930s India.

Watch the trailer:

The official synopsis reads: “It’s 1963, and Alison Wilson returns home to find husband Alexander dead. Blinded by grief, Alison is bewildered when a woman unexpectedly arrives at the door, claiming to be Alec’s ‘real wife’ Gladys.

“Alison embarks on a mission to discover who her husband really was. But by dissecting their wartime romance whilst working for the secret service, and learning about his mysterious past in India, it soon becomes clear to Alison that Alec died holding his secrets close to his chest.

“Alison is left craving the truth as she makes discoveries that threaten to tear her carefully crafted world apart.”

We’ve rounded up a selection of reviews for the mini-series to help you decide if you’d like to watch it:

 

“…a powerfully intriguing piece of work; and at a time when even most good dramas feel like they’re slightly showing off, a refreshingly understated one.” – The Spectator

 

“… this complex blend of deception and romance proved to be even better than hoped.” ★★★★★ – Daily Mail

 

“Mrs Wilson is one of the great dramatic gems of 2018, and deserves rather more recognition than it has yet received.” – MSN

 

“Ruth Wilson is quite compelling as her own gran, both as the young bride and the older widow. I was utterly gripped by her performance and the revelations about this frankly loathsome man.” ★★★★★ – The Independent

 

“A compellingly sinister howdunnit. This tale of marital deceit and espionage exerts a melancholy meditation on how little we can know about each other.” ★★★ – The Guardian

 

“It’s excellent: understated, rather lovely to look at, beautifully acted. Above all, I think it has something quite subtle to say about the way we all make stories of our lives, sometimes with fatal consequences. – New Statesman

 

“It’s a deliberate, slow and thoughtful hour of domestic mystery, presented unshowily against the backdrop of a nation first at war, then at peace.” – Den of Geek

 

Mrs Wilson begins in the USA on Sunday 31st March 2019 on Masterpiece on PBS.