--- title: "Mrs Wilson: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/mrs-wilson/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/mrs-wilson" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Mrs Wilson (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find Mrs Wilson a compelling family mystery, with praise clustering around Ruth Wilson’s performance and the gradual disclosure of Alec’s deceptions. The reviews repeatedly credit Wilson with conveying Alison’s shift from hopeful young woman to guarded widow, giving the suspense an emotional weight beyond the next revelation. Several also value the series’ attention to grief, self-deception and the difficulty of knowing another person, even within a marriage. The reservations concern pacing and presentation rather than the story’s appeal, and the spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed, with no outright rejection. Variety finds the mystery gripping but overlong, while praising the supporting performances alongside Wilson. The Evening Standard’s assessment of the opening episode is more guarded, calling the presentation mannered and questioning Iain Glen’s ageing make-up. Elsewhere, smaller doubts concern heavy-handed hints about Alec’s past and whether Alison’s restraint makes her shock difficult to feel. ## IndieWire — Hanh Nguyen Rating B+. 31 March 2019. The review finds the limited series riveting, praising its suspenseful unfolding of Alec Wilson’s deceptions. It especially singles out Ruth Wilson’s performance for conveying Alison’s emotional range and resilience. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/mrs-wilson-review-ruth-wilson-bigamy-grandfather-masterpiece-pbs-1202054297/) ## The i Paper — Sarah Carson Rating ★★★★. 27 November 2018. The review praises the series as an enticing, carefully plotted and emotive family drama, while noting that some references to Alec’s mysterious life are heavy-handed. Ruth Wilson’s performance is singled out for its sensitivity and captivating shifts between Alison’s youth and widowhood. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/mrs-wilson-bbc1-review-ruth-tv-show-spy-alec-wilson-true-story-228046) ## The Guardian — Lucy Mangan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2018. Mangan finds the series compelling, sinister and melancholy, with its mystery pulling the viewer onward. She especially praises its meditation on how little people can know about one another despite love and trust. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/27/mrs-wilson-review-ruth-wilson-bbc-one-drama) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Robyn Bahr Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2019. The critic finds the miniseries a solid, gripping tale that explores both its protagonist’s grief and her self-deception. Ruth Wilson’s performance is singled out for deftly conveying Alison’s transformation from idealistic young woman to guarded widow. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/mrs-wilson-review-1198391/) ## Variety — Mekeisha Madden Toby Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2019. The review finds the miniseries entertaining but daunting, with a gripping mystery weighed down by excessive length. It especially praises the spellbinding performances of Ruth Wilson and Iain Glen, along with Fiona Shaw and Anupam Kher. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/tv/reviews/mrs-wilson-review-pbs-masterpiece-1203175130/) ## Evening Standard — Alastair McKay Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2018. The critic gives a mixed assessment of the opening episode, finding its family mystery engaging but its presentation rather mannered. They single out Ruth Wilson’s restrained performance, while questioning Iain Glen’s conspicuous ageing make-up. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/mrs-wilson-bigamy-secret-halfbrothers-and-spies-the-true-story-of-ruth-wilson-s-family-affair-a4001566.html) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2018. The episode is a deliberate, thoughtful domestic mystery, though Alison’s tightly controlled reaction can make her shock difficult to feel. Ruth Wilson is singled out for holding the screen as both the young secretary and the betrayed matriarch. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/mrs-wilson-episode-1-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/mrs-wilson.md