The TV show depicts a true story, which angered viewers can’t believe actually happened.
Showcasing its impact, it’s received an impressive score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.5/10 on IMDb.
Taking to social media and praising the drama, one viewer shares: “I was sick to the core of my stomach after watching this.”
Another person types: “I cannot explain how angry I felt about watching this injustice.”
“I watched this with my mouth wide open in shock,” a third adds.
The four-part limited series, penned by Gwyneth Hughes, has received widespread critical acclaim for its powerful dramatization of a real-life scandal that rocked the U.K. between 1999 and 2015. While the series takes creative liberties, it is rooted in the true story of a devastating miscarriage of justice.
John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal remarked, “It is hard to fathom the depths of self-serving deceit at the heart of the series.” Anna Leszkiewicz of the New Statesman praised its emotional depth and social impact, writing, “In narrating this injustice with empathy, immediacy, and urgency, television drama has succeeded where journalism has failed.” The Arts Desk’s Helen Hawkins added, “The true horror of this toxic, shameful scandal still awaits savage forensic scrutiny. But this is a welcome first stir of the pot.”
At the center of the story is postmaster Alan Bates, portrayed by Toby Jones, known for his roles in Harry Potter and Captain America: The First Avenger. Through Bates’ fight for justice, the series sheds light on one of the most shocking institutional failures in recent British history.
The drama explores the heartbreaking story of a postal scandal that saw the wrongful convictions of hundreds of sub-postmasters.
A sub-postmaster is a self-employed person who runs a sub-post office on behalf of the Post Office, meaning they are responsible for the security of the office’s cash and stock.
The program documents a new computer system called Horizon across the U.K. leading to 900 sub-postmasters being prosecuted for stealing due to incorrect information in the new system.
The Post Office took many to court, prosecuting 700 people between 1999 and 2015. An additional 238 cases were brought by other bodies, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), as per BBC.
The scandal is considered the U.K.’s most widespread miscarriage of justice.
In the drama, Mr. Bates and his wife Suzanne Sercombe, put their life savings into buying a Post Office branch in Llandudno, North Wales.
Mr. Bates refused to accept liability for the incorrect information caused by Hozier so set up a campaign as a whistleblower for the unjust actions of the Post Office.
In an interview with The Guardian, senior writer Hughes spoke of Mr Bates vs The Post Office and its ‘incredibly powerful’ narrative.
She said: “It’s for reaching out across the stage or through the screen, grabbing you by the throat and saying: care about me.
“And when it works, it’s incredibly powerful. In this case, it’s been put to the service of this terrible event in our country’s history. If you want to really get people’s attention, tell them a story. And in this case, a true story.”
