--- title: "Riot Women: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/riot-women/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/riot-women" critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 9 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." --- # Riot Women (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 78 from 9 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like Riot Women, and several like it a great deal. The praise clusters on the ensemble: Joanna Scanlan and Rosalie Craig are named again and again, Craig’s chaotic Kitty in particular. Reviewers credit Sally Wainwright with making the bottled-up anger of five midlife women, and the punk band they form to let it out, both funny and serious, and more than one puts it beside Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax. The attention to menopause, caregiving and feeling invisible is widely thought overdue. The reservations are about subtlety. Even admiring reviews concede the messaging tips into sermon at times. Variety finds the writing heavy-handed, the male characters thin and the episodes too long, and The Telegraph, the one outright dissenter, finds it unsubtle to the point of hectoring on the menopause, cast notwithstanding. The spread is wide: seven of nine are firmly positive, and the two doubters object to what the enthusiasts forgive. ## Radio Times — Abby Robinson Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2025. The critic calls it Wainwright's most empowering and uplifting work yet, a drama that champions new beginnings, sisterhood and women reclaiming their voices through music and friendship. It singles out the transformative power of the band for the five middle-aged protagonists dealing with menopause, family pressures and feeling invisible. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/sally-wainwright-riot-women-feminist-comment/) ## The AV Club — Jenna Scherer Rating A-. 12 January 2026. The critic calls the series a fierce, funny, and profound ensemble dramedy about middle-aged women forming a punk band as an outlet for rage and reinvention. Strong performances, especially from Joanna Scanlan and Rosalie Craig, anchor the exploration of menopause, community, and dark themes balanced with comedy. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/riot-women-review-tv-britbox) ## The Guardian — Lucy Mangan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2025. This high-pedigree TV drama about midlife women who form a punk band is up there with Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax. It is rich, plot-packed, and perfectly seasoned with humour. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/12/riot-women-review-sally-wainwright-menopausal-punk-tv-drama-bbc) ## The i Paper — Julia Raeside Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2025. The critic praises Sally Wainwright’s series for capturing the bottled-up rage and midlife pressures of its five female protagonists through their formation of a punk band. She highlights the strong ensemble performances, especially Rosalie Craig as the chaotic Kitty, and notes how the show empowers viewers by making menopausal women feel seen. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/riot-women-rocket-fuelled-middle-aged-female-rage-3971726) ## Evening Standard — Vicky Jessop Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2025. Wainwright’s drama is a glorious feminist roar and battle cry for overlooked middle-aged women who form a punk band to smash the patriarchy and fight invisibility. It is not subtle but features excellent character work and performances, especially from Joanna Scanlan and Rosalie Craig. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/riot-women-review-bbc-one-sally-wainwright-b1252542.html) ## The Times — Carol Midgley Rating ★★★★☆. 12 October 2025. Sally Wainwright’s Riot Women started with a dramatic punch and kept up the raucously high energy. It is an absolute banger with brio and “f*** you” attitude, though some messages became a bit sermonish. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/riot-women-review-bbc-br0knqc6k) ## Variety — Aramide Tinubu Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2026. The critic finds the series a thoughtful if imperfect look at midlife women reclaiming their voices via a punk band, praising the heartfelt tone, strong performances, and focus on overlooked issues like menopause and caregiving. She criticizes heavy-handed writing, excessive violence, one-dimensional male characters, and overstretched episodes. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/riot-women-review-britbox-1236629458/) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2025. Riot Women is a rampage against middle age and the menopause with a top-drawer cast, but it is crushingly unsubtle and heavy-handed with the menopause stuff. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/riot-women-bbc-one-review/) ## Digital Spy — Laura Jane Turner Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 October 2025. The critic recommends Riot Women as essential viewing that captures similar qualities to Happy Valley through its dark tone, ensemble cast of women, and blend of drama and comedy. They highlight the authentic portrayal of midlife experiences and the show's ability to deliver emotional depth without being miserable. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a69016467/riot-women-bbc-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/riot-women.md