The new miniseries coming in April to MASTERPIECE is a real-life David and Goliath story that shook Britain to its core. Starring Toby Jones (Empire of Light, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Sherlock), Mr Bates vs The Post Office chronicles the jaw-dropping plight of hundreds of postal workers accused of a crime they didn’t commit—but went to jail for and worse. It’s a story that UK journalists have reported on for years but once dramatized for TV, set off a firestorm of public outrage that forced the Prime Minister to act. “Toby Jones is perfect in a devastating tale of a national scandal,” says The Guardian (UK).
Check out the official trailer, learn how and where you can watch, who’s in the cast, the number of episodes, and then tune in to witness how a TV drama triggered justice.
What is Mr Bates vs The Post Office About?
The drama—based on true and recent events—follows the British Post Office’s unjust prosecution of 700+ of its own local managers for theft and fraud after money seemed to disappear from branches. In truth, the country-wide problem was caused by faulty accounting software installed in the late 1990s; something the highest levels in the Post Office denied for years. Enter real-life hero Alan Bates, the fired postal worker who marshaled his peers and campaigned for decades (and still does) to pursue restitution. What actually happened to these innocents? And how far does Mr Bates get in his crusade?
Mr Bates vs The Post Office will deeply touch all who relish seeing underdogs championed. It humanely dramatizes “a grave injustice with terrific acting and plan-spoken righteousness,” says Rotten Tomatoes. “All credit to the [show’s] writer Gwyneth Hughes for the efficiency of her script, which conveyed a mind-boggling scandal clearly and crisply,” says The Times (UK).
Who’s in the Cast of Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Actor Toby Jones portrays the protagonist Alan Bates, an even-tempered everyman who stands up to corporate bullies and won’t back down. Monica Dolan (The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe) is the affable branch manager Jo Hamilton, reduced to deep debt and shame in assuming the accounting software is right and she’s wrong. “Having Jones and Dolan as our entry point to the human cost of such horrifying corporate skullduggery is the perfect choice,” says The Guardian (UK).
The stellar ensemble cast also includes Julie Hesmondhalgh (The Pact, The Trouble With Maggie Cole), Alex Jennings (The Crown, Victoria, Unforgotten), Ian Hart (The Responder), Lia Williams (The Crown, The Capture), Will Mellor (Coronation Street, No Offence), Clare Calbraith (Grace, Home Fires, Unforgotten, Baptiste), Shaun Dooley (Gentleman Jack, It’s A Sin, Grantchester), Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey, Beecham House), and Katherine Kelly (Bloods, Gentleman Jack), among others.
What’s the Buzz About Mr Bates vs The Post Office?
The miniseries caused an electrifying stir in Britain when it aired in January 2024; it rattled the public and prompted almost immediate political response. “The dramatization of a real-life British scandal was so effective in portraying a lesser-known miscarriage of justice to the public, that in just a week it moved more than a million people to sign a petition calling for justice for the accused, and prompted the British government to announce a new law,” reports the BBC.
The political drama is also amassing viewers at an astounding rate. According to Deadline, it’s the most watched drama in the UK since Line of Duty’s sixth season aired in 2021 on the BBC; the show even beat British broadcaster ITV’s launch of Downton Abbey.
When will Mr Bates vs The Post Office Air on MASTERPIECE?
MASTERPIECE on PBS will broadcast Mr Bates vs The Post Office on Sunday nights at 9/8c beginning April 7, 2024. Each episode will be available for online streaming for 14 days starting at 9/8c on the night of national broadcast. You can also stream full episodes with the PBS App, PBS Passport, and the PBS MASTERPIECE Prime Video Channel.
How Many Episodes in Mr Bates vs The Post Office?
The decades-long fight to clear postal workers’ names is tautly chronicled in four hour-long episodes.
Episode 1 | April 7, 2024 at 9/8c
Mysterious financial losses lead the Post Office to fire and prosecute village Subpostmasters, who have no way to prove their innocence.
Episode 2 | April 14, 2024 at 9/8c
Alan Bates and the Subpostmasters begin their fight for the truth and justice with new allies in Parliament, but first they must convince an independent investigator of their honesty.
Episode 3 | April 21, 2024 at 9/8c
Alan allies with the Post Office in the hope his friends can get justice at last, but can he trust the people who have let them down so badly?
Episode 4 | April 28, 2024 at 9/8c
Alan and his friends finally get the chance to embark on the epic challenge of battling the Post Office in court.
Watch the Trailer for Mr Bates vs The Post Office
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