Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Weighty docudrama has mature themes, government bullying.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office
What's the Story?
Based on a true story, MR. BATES VS. THE POST OFFICE is a docudrama about the British Post Office scandal. In the 2000s Mr. Alan Bates (Toby Jones) was forced to close his small mailing business when the British Postal Service accused him of mishandling funds. But Bates believes that the problem stemmed from glitches in Horizon, the new and expensive IT software program that the government invested in, and which all postal clerks who run individual post offices are required to use in order to report their earnings. With the support of his wife Suzanne (Julie Hesmondhalgh), Bates proceeds to study computers and IT in order to identify the flaws in the system. Citing a lack of complaints from others, both Horizon and the British Post Office continue to harass and prosecute hundreds of people across the United Kingdom for over 20 years for theft, fraud, and false accounting. Among them are Jo Hamilton (Monica Dolan), Saman Kaur (Krupa Pattani), and Lee Castleton (Will Mellor), all of whose lives are destroyed by ongoing legal battles, threats of jail time, and financial ruin. But Bates' determination offers them hope that they too will find justice.
Is It Any Good?
The British series offers a weighty dramatic presentation that effectively breaks down the real-life details surrounding one of the greatest legal injustices in U.K. history. While Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office focuses on Bates' efforts to pursue justice, it also introduces viewers to seven other victims (out of what is now known to be over 2000) whose lives were nearly (or completely) destroyed because of a faulty software program and systemic barriers that allowed the British legal system to victimize innocent small business owners.
By contextualizing their stories in very human ways, Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office successfully redrew the British public's attention to the overall scandal years after the Alan Bates case was concluded. It produced such a national outcry that new laws were enacted to change the postal service system and to protect the postal clerks who have been a victim of it. It's not the most action-packed of docudramas, but the story it tells is both compelling and infuriating.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about some of the messages this series sends about the importance of fighting for justice. Why did so many postal submasters and -mistresses have such a hard time getting it?
Mr. Bates vs. the Post Office has the distinction of reigniting the public interest in what happened, led to changes in the British legal system. Are there instances in the U.S. where a TV series or film has led to a public call to action? Did that call lead to positive change?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 7, 2024
- Cast : Toby Jones , Monica Dolan , Will Mellor
- Network : PBS
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Courage , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : April 10, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate