The Duchess on Netflix

[dayswithaY]

Has anyone seen this? It's Katherine Ryan playing a single mum called Katherine, not sure how much is meant to be her. She wears fabulous clothes, lives in an amazing London house, owns her own bespoke pottery business with her equally cool friend, daughter looks like Greta Thunberg, and she has a lovely boyfriend who is devoted to her. So far, so realistic.

It seems to be another one of these female lead comedy dramas (I Hate Suzie, Fleabag, Sally 4 Ever), where the kooky main character ends up in various sexually degrading scenes but is just a free spirit who takes it all in her stride in designer clothes.

That said, it's drawing me in even though she makes jaw droppingly stupid life choices, it's full of stereotypes (school gate Mums, deadbeat Dads) and some of the cast can't act for toffee.

Got about halfway through and decided it was a bit rubbish. Shame, as I usually like Kathryn Ryan. I kept thinking “it’s not as good as Motherland”

Same as you op, I watched them all in quick succession. Did I enjoy them though?

Katherine Ryan is one of those people who fascinates me, I’ve watched all of her stand up on YouTube, she’s very funny but something stops me from saying I’m a fan.

No way would pottery with boobs on be able to fund a central London house and lavish wardrobe/expensive kitchen/little dogs.

I know of a boob mug maker in Leeds, I wonder what they think of the show?

I thought it was hilarious. Obviously it's supposed to be a bit of fun to watch so I didn't get too hung up on her lifestyle/income. It made me giggle and I was able to binge watch it in a day

Wasn’t for me I switched off after two episodes. I loved fleabag though and one called motherload on BBC was brill

Spoilers! I just thought the character was horrible - she behaved like a bully herself towards the mother of the bully child. I do not understand why she wanted a baby with the skanky ex rock star who she hated when she had a lovely boyfriend. I suppose it's not meant to make sense.

The scene in the alleyway just made me cringe so hard. It was just "look at me I'm so edgy and out there." Like it's a gross-out competition. I'm obviously too old for this, I felt embarrassed for her.

I watched them all & it just seemed to be missing something. The actors weren’t great & that showed in the delivery of some of the funnier lines.
Maybe Katherine Ryan should have had some input from someone else.
Sharon Horgan would have done this so much better.

@dayswithaY

Spoilers! I just thought the character was horrible - she behaved like a bully herself towards the mother of the bully child. I do not understand why she wanted a baby with the skanky ex rock star who she hated when she had a lovely boyfriend. I suppose it's not meant to make sense.

The scene in the alleyway just made me cringe so hard. It was just "look at me I'm so edgy and out there." Like it's a gross-out competition. I'm obviously too old for this, I felt embarrassed for her.

Yes I agree totally with the alleyway scene, I feel like I’ve seen it done better by other people. It felt like one huge wink to camera and went on for a minute too long.

I agree Sharon Horgan can do unlikeable women making bad decisions in a really funny believable and interesting way.

This had the sort of ‘ooh get me aren’t I cray-zee’ vibe.

I hated it, it looked like it could be good but it was just over the top trying to shock.

As others said, not as good as motherland, where you can relate to all the characters and they feel believable.

I think Katherine Ryan is hilarious and strangely mesmerising to look at. I wanted to love The Duchess, I did but it was...fine. I thought the parts where she was playing her stand up persona were better but any dialogue was pretty clunky.

Outfits were amazing though, especially the hair bands.

Only made it half way through the first episode. I felt like it was trying waaayyy too hard to be a more shocking look-at-me version of Motherland. Awful acting and sadly just not funny or likeable enough to stick with.

I watched the first few. Probably won’t bother with the rest. The characters are all so two dimensional? I quite like KR’s standup, but this feels like she’s trying to be Phoebe Waller-Bridge and failing.

Also, her clothes are horrible.

I don't know if she is attempting to make a 2020s version of Ab Fab? Kooky needy childish mother and sanctimonious daughter who parents the adult.

I like Workin' Moms for a comedic view on motherhood.

Sharon Horgan would have done this so much better.
As above, nothing more to be said, really. Katherine Ryan is just not funny. Or an actress at all, tbh.

Watched first episode - just rubbish!

It was too forced - the entire thing just unrealistic. I listened to a Radio interview on Heart UK with Katherine Ryan about the show and I found her quite stilted - she didn't quite connect with the presenters but I thought I'll give it a go. I wanted something light after just finishing the Handmaid's Tale.

Fleabag is shed loads better and funnier.

Sharon Horgan raised the bar and this is a pale imitation, and Sharon's clothes are better.

Just quoted Katherine Ryan on another thread, so I guess I am a fan 🤷‍♀️. I think her best work is definitely her stand up though.

It was dreadful! I really wanted to like it but just cringed too much.

Workin Moms, Motherland, Catastrophe similar sort of thing but much, much better than this.

Not a fan. Hated the mum at school gate scenes. Hated the anal sex is funny gags. Wooden acting. Quite liked the irish dad that lived on the boat. But otherwise 3/10.
I usually like these "reality comedy " progs but this one felt a bit jumping on the bandwagon.

I'm watching episode two at the moment. But I'm not liking the main character. She seems immature, flighty and selfish. Don't think I'm going to keep going with it.

I watched a few episodes but couldn't really get into it. KR seems disconnected on her own show and just not likeable or relatable in any way.. Agree with PP, workin' moms, catastrophe, motherland are all miles better. Game Face was also great.

I really liked it! I watched it all in one go. It was funny but moving in parts, and the clothes and interiors were gorgeous. Plus the main character is meant to be a bitch isn’t she? She’s unapologetic. The ending was perfect too, so it was a thumbs up from me!

I usually like these "reality comedy " progs but this one felt a bit jumping on the bandwagon

Eh?! It was pure fantasy! Nothing about it was realistic! I thought that was the point, no?

I dislike Katherine Ryan and have loved Sharon Horgan since the 'how to be a good mother's doc she did over ten years ago..... but.....

I loved the Duchess. First couple of episodes not great but the whole thing is just a love letter to her (real life) daughter. That's why she makes outwardly dodgy decisions...they're all consistent with her completely out of control adoration of her child. Although all the lifestyle, clothes etc were total fantasy, the scenes with Olive at the hairdressers, and her total fury at anything upsetting her daughter in the last episode, just rang true for me.

Plus I liked the boy band jokes... 'last off the stool' :)