Mr Bates vs The Post Office

Available on ITVX

Every now and then, we are reminded of culture’s ability to unite people behind a cause. There are countless examples of this littered throughout human history, and ITV’s outstanding Mr Bates vs The Post Office may just be the latest example.

Written by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by James Strong, this mini-series recounts the British Post Office scandal, which saw hundreds of subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted for theft, false accounting, and/or fraud. It is one of the gravest miscarriages of justice in British history, yet one that has largely gone under the radar until now. Thankfully, this stellar show has reinvigorated public interest in the long-standing attempts of Alan Bates (here played by a peak-form Toby Jones) and the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance to hold the Post Office and, perhaps more importantly, the U.K. government to account.

Hughes’ approach to this emotive subject is commendable, paying respect to the personal tragedy that has befallen those affected by the scandal while also drumming up outrage at the cruel machinations of its orchestrators. As mentioned, Jones is also in fine fettle and supported commendably by an ensemble cast that includes the always dependable Alex Jennings, Ian Hart, Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Monica Dolan.

At the time of writing, the impact of the show has been underlined by the fact that the case of the Justice For Subpostmasters Alliance is the first item up for discussion at the reopening of Parliament after its winter recess, with pressure growing to strip the former Post Office CEO, Paula Vennells, of her CBE. That, my friends, is the power of collective action and great storytelling, and long may it continue.