To think that the idea that no one wants to watch middle aged women on TV/Film should be OVER

[littleripper]

I was speaking to a man who works for Amazon streaming service yesterday and he was repeating the idea that no one wants to watch middle aged women, therefore no one invests in shows/films about them.

In the last year Happy Valley has been the stand out smash hit British TV show and Everything Everywhere All At Once did very well and took the awards. I challenged him and was told I was wrong and didn't know what I am talking about (which I don't)

I spoke to DD18 and DS 19 about it later and they both said that not only did they think I was right, but that the current reality TV choice in their groups was Race Across the World and everyone was rooting for the 2 middle aged women!

I am sure some of you do know what you are talking about. So am I unreasonable to suggest that if they make good quality TV starring women, people of all ages will watch and enjoy it?

Presumably op meant his job means he has insight into what drives programme commissioning, not that he drives the vans!

It's a well known issue, despite mumsnet apparently never having heard of it. I agree op, and viewing figures would go up, not down, if more middle aged women were in top roles.

I agree. I'm glad to see Julia Roberts (55) is still getting lots of film roles. I thought 'Ticket to Paradise' was rubbish in terms of plot and scripting but it was a redeeming feature that a 55 year old woman was cast as the romantic lead.

He’s part of the problem. That’s all. He’s one of the old school. And as ever he feels super entitled to focus his attention on diminishing older women as if it’s the way things have to stay. There is lots of evidence to the contrary too and things are changing.

Killing Eve was also amazing for featuring older female characters. Sarah Lancashire, Nicola Walker, Olivia Coleman, Gillian Anderson all command large audiences.

He’s not wrong that older women aren’t represented enough. He is wrong that viewers don’t want to watch them.

https://seejane.org/research-informs-empowers/women-over-50-report/

Gina Davies has set up a foundation to challenge this! Good for her.

I suspect Gina knows a bit about this problem, so I'm off for a long read :)

I would say that we don't know what he knows. If he's in data analytics and sees the streaming figures, he may have some data to back up what he's saying.

I will say, however, that I cancelled Amazon Prime as someone who likes watching female led dramas etc, there was barely anything on there. The selection and what they invested in felt distinctly masculine to me.

So I would like to see his data, but I think it would be skewed by the very poor selection of shows they had on there.

Netflix clearly aims more at women, with strong original rom coms for example, almost single-handedly re-invigorating the genre. I bet their data looks different (I believe Netflix's most streamed show is Bridgerton, Amazon's Bridgerton is what exactly?

This is exactly what I said to him, but will more frowning 😂

I also asked him what he thought of "Dead Ringers" - the new Amazon show about twin female Drs and he said it didn't interest him. Which made me laugh a lot.

Did he mention White Lotus?

And of course, the queen of Succession, J Smith-Cameron, the inspiration for my username.

Ooh Dead Ringers is pretty good. (So far — I've only watched the first episode as yet.)

Oh yeah — Dead To Me is another good one. Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini.

I also want to shout out to one of the OGs of middle-aged women leading well-written dramas on TV — Key Mellor's Band of Gold from the mid-90s. I watched it as a teenager and thought it was brilliant, especially Barbara Dickson and Geraldine James.

Big Little Lies. Amazing.

Yellowjackets as a PP said…Last Tango in Halifax…Motherland (massive hit)…Magpie Murders…

I absolutely love watching middle aged and older women - I’m having a slow brain day and can’t think of an example, but I know I’ve watched a few mini series on Netflix this year and been absolutely mesmerised by beautiful faces with wrinkles!

I love seeing older women in advertising too - I will stop and look in a way I don’t at younger men and women, maybe because that seems so cliché I don’t even register it.

Your Amazon man sounds like he needs to find a new job.

Yes! Such a good show. Melanie Lynsey also appeared in a couple episodes of The Last of Us where she played a tough leader, she is great.

I know we all have different preferences but I really don't understand how people can still be interested in yet another male-heavy action movie. Fast and the Furious is about to release its TENTH film??

I’m having a slow brain day and can’t think of an example, but I know I’ve watched a few mini series on Netflix this year and been absolutely mesmerised by beautiful faces with wrinkles!

Many don't have wrinkles these days. Can't watch Nicole Kidman or Sandra Bullock any more for that reason. Their faces have gone blank.

One of the best things about the last series of Picard, was the older actresses. It was amazing to see so many older women brought back many years later.

I always pay attention especially to age differences between couples. Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried is one that immediately comes to mind, there's nearly 30 years between them!

There are many excellent middle-ages actresses, and no I don't mean Julia Roberts.

I know we all have different preferences but I really don't understand how people can still be interested in yet another male-heavy action movie. Fast and the Furious is about to release its TENTH film??

Teenage boys are a massive and lucrative market in cinema, especially in the US and to a lesser extent in China and South Korea. I think this is the demographic those movies are largely aimed at.

That said I don't hate the F&F movies myself and I'm definitely not a teenage boy. They're silly but entertaining. Helen Mirren is in four of them and Charlize Theron in three.

I think that stars like Jennifer Aniston, Sandra Bullock and Melissa Mccarthy have clearly shown that there is a huge market for middle aged women. It’s an ageing population and that should be reflected in the programming

I LOVE yellow jackets. Its superb.
I watch anything with Nicola Walker / Sarah Lancashire in.

I actually prefer watching women in the 30-60 range. Motherhood and Workin' Moms on Netflix are my current "Netflix before bed" series.

I always pay attention especially to age differences between couples.

Me too. And for the record (small and unimportnt though it is), it makes me think the male stars are twats. It doesn't do their image much good, in my eyes.

Tom Cruise, of course, being the poster boy old man for such scenarios.

Another one I really enjoyed was "Ozark". Laura Linney and Janet McTeer were marvellous ( as was Julia Garner, but she is younger).

Geri is the finest isn't she? What a role!