A Very British Scandal is a fantastic series! There is really nothing more to say about it but the acting and pace of the story are just brilliant. I have never heard of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll before this series and I want to learn more about them after seeing this. The fact that Margaret, the Duchess, stood up to the Duke knowing the repercussions makes it a shame that she is not talked about more in today’s society.
To put the show in modern terms, imagine the hottest couple in the world getting divorced and all of their private news being talked about in the streets. Claire Foy is fantastic as Margaret and stands up for what she believes in. While she knows that the Duke is in the wrong she also knows the battle she will have to face to win her case. Paul Bettany is so hateable in his portrayal of the Duke of Argyll. He perfectly switches from a handsome rogue one minute to a hateful bastard right before your eyes.
While the series is short and feels rushed toward the end, we do get to see how society turned its backs on what men of power would do. Very reminiscent of how we see those in power getting away with crimes and the other side being made to feel hopeless in trying to fight against the powers that be. The build-up to the court case is perfectly paced but the case itself feels like it could have been an episode all by itself.
All three episodes of A Very British Scandal are now available to stream on Prime Video.
A Very British Scandal. Written by Sarah Phelps (The Pale Horse, Dublin Murders), A Very British Scandal focuses on the divorce of the Duke (Paul Bettany) and Duchess of Argyll (Claire Foy), one of the most notorious, extraordinary, and brutal legal cases of the 20th century.
Famed for her charisma, beauty, and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, dominated the front pages as a divorce featuring accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recording, bribery, and an explicit Polaroid picture all played out in the white-hot glare of the 1960s media.
A Very British Scandal turns this scandal inside out in order to explore the social and political climate of postwar Britain, looking at attitudes towards women, and asking whether institutional misogyny was widespread at the time. As her contemporaries, the press, and the judiciary sought to vilify her, Margaret kept her head held high with bravery and resilience, refusing to go quietly as she was betrayed by her friends and publicly shamed by a society that reveled in her fall from grace.
Produced by Blueprint Pictures, A Very British Scandal will be available on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Sony Pictures Television are the international distributors and brokered the deal with Amazon Studios.