The Politicians Husband…?

[recall]

Anyone watching ?

[StiffyByng]

I think it was definitely rape. She was obviously shocked and upset, during and after.

[Xenia]

They may have agreed although I don't think the intention was to give that impression. She was behaving the next day as "you owe me now" and I am taking your office and so the impression was given that their sex was not part of some agreed plan. It was certainly well done.

I don't like the sexism throughout it all, that it assumes men aren't happy with women's careers and that it should be harder if the woman but not the man has the busier job. Men have arms. It is as easy for them to change a nappy as women.

[TrampyPants]

wrt the rape, I agree. It was, to me, very clear that he had crossed that line. esp when he said "we all do things we're not proud of" when she told him that he had hurt her.

Sadly, Xenia, I think it's fairly accurate. There is a social assumption that the womans career isn't that important and that a man with a more successful wife will feel emasculated. It's fine if she is as successful (preferably slightly less) because it reflects well on him and their relationship is his accomplishment because "look at how evolved I am" is a great feather. But the series has highlighted how jealous some men can be if their wife started to eclipse them, especially since before he quit, she clearly did the majority of the childcare/household management despite also working ft in a similar, albeit less-prestigious job.

[Xenia]

Yes, TP and yet many men aren't like that and programmes which portray that stereotype make women watching think ah that's fine that my husband does not let me progress at work because everyone is in the same boat so programmes with that message do not help women at all. If the next episode ends with the husband getting his come uppeance and the minister ending up as prime minster with a happy family which is the result plenty of successful women have - happy home lives, children and work that would be good. I suspect it will not end like that. Yet even in the British diplomatic service increasingly the trailing spouses can be male and women are 60% of graduates.

[TrampyPants]

ah, I agree that many men are not like that, although I know far too many who are, but it is very clear that DT is the villain of the piece. He is an aggressive, controlling, bullying megalomaniac. His fury that his wife is now doing better than him is shown as A Very Bad Thing. Whats pissed me off the most, tbh, is the implication that she got the job because her dh messed up, and, to stick the boot into him. We hear that she passed up jobs in his favour, has neglected her own career to raise a family (as the vast majority of women do) and has generally lived in his shadow for far too long. And when she finally steps into the sun, its to annoy her husband.

[TrampyPants]

I'd love her to LTB, then take over as PM, and after a spell of counselling via RC and WA (which, of course would be beneficiaries of her time as leader) start a passionate non-manipulative relationship with someone gorgeous who doesn't have the emotional intelligence of a gnat.

[Xenia]

There is only one episode left so I doubt we are going to see too much of interest but her husband is not being set up to come out of it well so may be that is all we can expect.

[Mominatrix]

Frankly, I think they are both vile and that the only redeeming characters are the son and the grandfather.

Those who are seeing something sexist in the programme are barking slightly up the wrong tree. To get into the inner circle of politics requires a certain kind of personality, one which does not particularly like to be overshadowed and in the back seat. A marriage with two people like this is only bound for disaster, which is what we are witnessing. In terms of the rape - yes that is what it was, the DT character was physically doing what his wife had figuratively done to him, f*ing him/her up the a**. Disgusting of both parties.

There are plenty of men who can have happy marriages with a strong and successful woman, however certain careers require a particular character to get to the top which is not happy in a relationship with someone else with that character. Usually women with these sorts of personalities are happy with men who are also successful, but in a different field. Just look at a place like Hollywood, another egocentric minefield. Marriages between 2 equally prominent figures don't last long unless one takes a backseat for a bit. I don't think it is a sexist thing, just a balance thing.

[waikikamookau]

caught up with this on iplayer, very good, but I cant see how they are going to end it in one more episode.

and yes, agree, he may still be the one left holding the baby

[waikikamookau]

oh and his dad really puts himself out for him doesn't he, always there, until late in the evening, and he must be quite an old man

[waikikamookau]

he was absolutely shafted by his friend but I cannot think what his wife did wrong, apart from not taking his side on Newsnight style programme, but she admitted she was scared for her career.
and he now appears to be blaming her.
he is such a brilliant actor though david tenant. very believably angry when his wife kissed his friend.

[diddl]

I was also thinking what has she done wrong?

Should she not have taken the job?

Surely what job she takes has no bearing on what he is offered?

Also, I thought she was supposed to be helping him "bring down" Bruce-is she no longer doing that?

[waikikamookau]

it doesn't look like she is bringing down bruce now does it, he saw them talking and they went to Birmingham together.
and they kissed.

[Xenia]

Her husband is well portrayed as not very nice. No reason she should support him at all. She has not done anything wrong except marrying a silly man who is sexist and only wants success for himself.

[waikikamookau]

I doubt that either of them are very nice, being politicians and all

[2rebecca]

It's unbelievable the way they have both had personality changes.
She apparently wrote his leadership bid/immigration speech and they previously had a loving relationship yet she doesn't bother telling him she's changed her mind about having her career nose dive along with his re the TV interview and seems keen to exclude him and humiliate him and rarely see her kids.
He's spending all his time trying to control her rather than be pleased for her and rebuild his career. He is still an MP after all, not a house husband.
The nanny offering herself to him was just bizarre.

I agree that it needs more than 3 episodes if it's not to have a Dr Who type rapidly wrapped up improbable ending.

[Spiritedwolf]

I thought the pool rescue thing was weird... the nanny and pool life guards failed to rescue the boy before DT had come down from the upstairs gallery and jumps into the pool fully clothed... and yet, afterwards they talk about it as if he'd been slightly neglectful and it was his fault the son had nearly drowned? (was he meant to be in the pool with him or something?)

AND... I'd expect that if a high profile politician who had just hit the headlines with a resignation jumped fully clothed into a public swimming pool to save his ASD son from drowning while the pool staff stood by... I'd expect it would hit the headlines, especially if he had the personality of this chap who would want to further a future leadership bid! It was just weird the lack of aftermath. Its all a bit weird.

I was really disturbed that it wasn't made clear that rape within marriage is really wrong and a serious crime, maybe its realistic that people don't immediately end the relationship but there seemed to be little comeback, with both treating it like he'd called her a name in the middle of a fight or something.

I hope that as its the BBC and the calibre of the lead actors that they will treat the subject sensitively... but as it stands, I'm rather aware that sometimes abuse is shown on TV to tell an important story, part of which is that abuse is a-bad-thing... and other times its just to show women being abused presumably as entertainment I felt really uncomfortable about the message of that episode "Yeah, as a woman you can get ahead in your career at the expense of your husband, but then a bad thing like rape will happen to you to put you back in your place. Also, your ASD child will suffer because you have a career (though he didn't when your H did) and be in danger, and your H will be a hero for doing the domestic stuff that you were unappreciated for before".

I think part of the problem is she doesn't have a confidant to say... "your husband shouldn't have raped you, press charges and leave the basterd" this might have been signposting the point, but it was more important than "Ever wonder if we could solve poverty and unemployment if we spent less time on our careers" comment which was overlabouring the point really.

I want to like this because of the premis and actors... but its making me feel too angry atm, dh must have been fed up of me suspecting DT of all sorts, even when he was being nice BUT I WAS RIGHT that it was an act.

The 'sex once without adequate protection must equal pregnancy' thing would be very annoying and predictable... as anyone who has taken more than 1 month to concieve would agree (6 years in my case!)

[2rebecca]

It's unbelievable that a career politician would use a diaphragm for contraception though. Once she got in the cabinet she should have been along for a mirena or the pill. Neither of them have time for the kids they have why would they want more?
Agree I expected local paper headlines when he rescued his son and wasn't sure why he got told off.
If he's supposed to be an MP I don't see why he's doing so much domestic stuff anyway, he's got a job to go to. As they are both MPs I don't see why they don't have an office each in the house anyway. Doesn't he still have Westminster off ice space? All MSPs (Scottish parliament) have some sort of office space at holyrood and I don't expect my MP or MSP to be watching their kids swim and cook fancy dinners whilst my taxes pay for them to work.

[idlevice]

I think a lot of the plot inconsistincies & niggles could be down to it being a three-parter. It would be more satisfying to be at least twice that length so the story could be more fleshed out. It's a good premise with a good cast so would be very watchable as a longer series.

"Uttter wanker" is a polite description for DT's character. He was so vile in the scene where he plonks down Freya's coffee with an apathetic "sorry" on the morning after. I thought DT acted that very well without appearing either appearing smug. The crisp white shirt look was delectable even if he was being a heinous bastard. I really need to watch it twice - once for ogling purposes & again for more ogling to actually take in the story.

[Xenia]

sw, yes, TV has a moral duty sometimes to make those things clear. In my view it is equally wrong that it portrayed it as being harder for women to exceed their husbands than vice versa when huge numbers of high paid women live with lower earning men now but tV lives to promote prejudice I suppose.

Arguably it was more realistic in portraying couples tolerating things which they could instead report so perhaps the fact she did nothing about it makes it all the more interesting.

It is still pretty well done. I enjoyed it.

[StiffyByng]

Yes, 2rebecca, the way he's behaving as if he's essentially unemployed is a major irritation to me. Backbench MPs actually have pretty busy lives, not just the odd constituency surgery.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

at 'Ooh a plumbers wiipe' and 'is this pork'?'

I'm really enjoying it. Nice and melodramatic. Love Emily W. David T's hair is painful though, as is his accent.

[LineRunner]

Yes the 'unemployed MP' routine is ridiculous. They have offices, staff and caseloads to run.

[Eliza22]

Agree....is it me, or does DT keep lapsing into Scottish accent?

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

No, he does, it's embarrassing. Couldn't his character just be Scottish and save us all the misery?