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?

Mare of Easttown was incredible and Kate Winslet was amazing in it. I agree OP, I love programmes with strong female leads especially if they are older women. The bloke from amazon sounds like a twat.

I enjoy watching women play rugby too.

Except that they seem to be the ONLY women cast in films for women of that age, which is also a problem. They are the token 'older women'.

As a black woman this is how I feel about the casting of black actors as well. There are more actors than just Denzel, Idris and Samuel. Although I'll watch Viola in anything 😍

YANBU. Older, male, action heroes are still wheeled out and not only running around, dodging bullets and catching the bad guy, but still apparently irresistible to the 20-something “girl” who inevitably needs rescuing. It’s repulsive.
Yes, I’ve seen Lesley Manville, Sarah Lancashire, Frances McDormand, Sandra Oh, Jamie Lee Curtis et al all being amazing and commanding the screen in good quality, popular programmes and films recently.

Ooh Sandra Oh. I can just look at her face all day. I can't explain why. Just something...

He's put his own personal bias on that viewpoint- he may prefer not to watch older women but he's very out of touch with a vast number of people who do. Very unprofessional of him

I love Emma Thompson and Emily Watson and will watch anything they are in x

Lou on Netflix was great imo - very silly - a Taken style rescue film but with an arthritic middle aged woman at the helm. 10/10 for mum and daughter viewing.

Has anyone seen Netflix's Wanted? I suppose it's not an original of theirs, but it's an Australian show about 2 women (strangers to each other and on the surface incompatible), one late 20s, the other late 40s or early 50s, who have to go on the run after getting accidentally embroiled in the affairs of a bunch of crooked cops and gangsters.

Doesn't sound good, but it is BLOODY AMAZING. The plot is far more about character development than anything else, and they are both SO WELL WRITTEN and well acted!

If even the Australian TV networks can see the value of middle-aged actresses and characters, why can't Netflix itself...?

Btw, watch Wanted. I was hooked by the 2nd episode.

I work in TV and projects starring older women are a recognised trend at the moment. Sky’s commissioning team publicly announced that they actively looking for shows with older female protagonists. So your friend doesn’t sound very clued up, which is surprising given his background. In addition to Mare of Easttown, And Just Like That (grown up Sex and the City) has also been a hit, along with other US scripted shows like Grace and Frankie and Big Little Lies.

I'm trying to think of any good tv series I've seen lately that don't feature fab middle aged women but I'm struggling. Happy Valley, Unforgotten, Firefly Lane, Grace and Frankie, Killing Eve, The Chair, Back to Life, Dead to Me, American Horror Story...

I think the people higher up than the idiot man you spoke to are well aware that there are plenty of people who do want to watch interesting middle aged women and are starting to make sure that content is available. I mean any film with Frances McDormand in it is likely to be brilliant and do well. (3 billboards/Nomadland/Fargo/Women Talking).

Just finished watching the 3rd (and last) series of Star Trek: Picard. Late middle aged and older actresses definitely have the spotlight: Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Orla Brady, Amanda Plummer (not even to mention the crew they brought back from Star Trek TNG - Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Michelle Forbes). Plummer's character Vadic is especially interesting because they didn't glam her up at all, just sat a 66 year old woman in the rogue captain's chair and let her act.

Outlander's Caitríona Balfe (41) often seems to be the only woman in sight. And her character Claire is supposed to be mid-50s at this point in the story.

Law & Order SVU - in its 24th series! - is pretty much held together by Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay, 56).

The Handmaid's Tale, in spite of the emphasis on fertility as a job description, has loads of strong over-40 actresses: Elizabeth Moss, Alexis Bledell, Yvonne Strahofsky, Amanda Brugel, and of course Ann Dowd.

What's his actual job?

Seems weirdly specific the person you supposedly spoke to

Oscar nominations for best actress (copied apologies for capitals)

MICHELLE YEOH-60
CATE BLANCHETT- 53
ANA DE ARMAS-35
ANDREA RISEBOROUGH-41
MICHELLE WILLIAMS- 42

So someone must want to watch women who are 'middle aged'.

YANBU, my fantasy dinner party consists exclusively of MAW. Well, some of them could probably better be described as older women, but only because they’ve been on my list for so long. Alison Steadman, Jennifer Saunders, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Meryl Streep, Joanna Lumley, Dolly Parton, Dawn French, Emma Thompson, etc.

I honestly can’t think of a cohort of people you’d have more of a raucous evening with, than middle-aged women.

So of course I want to watch them on TV and in film.

What kind of job does he have?

Agree with pp middle age women can be brilliant to watch

Sarah L for example is superb. No one delivers a cutting monologue as she did in Happy Valley. But others too

Plus she’s real looking, not altered and dieted to end of times

Amazon's programming is all over the place atm: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/inside-amazon-studios-jen-salke-vision-shows-1235364913/

Grace and Frankie
Golden Girls
Happy Valley
Last Tango in Halifax

All smash hits. All brilliant.

Dude is talking from his perspective as though the default is male.

Dude is a sexist nob.

I will not put my bum on a cinema seat if the male lead is too much older than the female lead. Even if they're not in a relationship as such but he's her mentor and she really admires him, eugh.

I'm not alone. I'm 52 and a lot of my friends will the same way. If somebody of about 37 is cast next to Robert Redford who an ancient owlfella at this stage, I'm not PAYING to indulge male casting directors' delusions.

I love that women actors like Reese witherspoon are now reading books and thinking ''that'd make a great film'' so I'm going to buy the rights to make it in to a film. Books that women love that pass most men by.

It is funny that men still think of anything female as a bit niche, bit risky. When 50% of us our women. Men can be so thick

Interesting article. I can’t believe it’s a woman at the top!

I see there is a claim that their analytics and focus group research seems to lead them into boring white guy stuff with guns. I definitely believe it. And the amount of money they are throwing at these tedious duds! Unbelievable. If they weren’t attached to one of the richest companies in the world, surely their streaming arm would have folded long ago.

Yes, personally I love a good drama with mature woman at the centre and I LOVED Happy Valley.

But you often hear actors moaning that there are few parts for older women. It might have been Judi or one of the veteran thespians who said 'Oh yes there are - it's only if you're vain and expect to be the romantic lead that you'll struggle'. And I agree!

I'm only 26 but am head over heels in love with Nicola Walker. I'll watch anything she's in! Also loved happy valley.

I agree!

Beef on Netflix has a great middle aged female main character

Yes, but conversely older men ARE being given the romantic leads, generally with a much younger and more attractive woman.
Because there's nothing more irresistible to a beautiful young woman than a flaccid, forgetful, jowly old git, is there?