For years, there has been a consensus in society that women over a certain age become invisible. Sexism and misogyny have made women feel redundant in their own lives and experiences. In the fifth decade and beyond, many women find themselves in the space of caring for teenage and young adult children, while juggling careers and senior-care responsibilities for aging parents. In “Happy Valley” creator Sally Wainwright’s latest drama, BritBox‘s “Riot Women,” she puts the spotlight on women in midlife, delivering a story that not only puts these subjects on a pedestal but also turns the lens on a society that has continually cast them aside. Punchy, tender and heartfelt, even through its more muddled moments, the series, which first aired on BBC One in the fall of 2025 and has already been renewed for Season 2, is an intensely important but imperfect ride.

Set in the English town of Hebden Bridge, “Riot Women” opens in a picturesque cottage home. Beth (Joanna Scanlan), a 59-year-old school teacher, is at her wit’s end. Having placed her mother in a long-term care home (despite her thoughtless and greedy brother’s protesting), and fed up with her adult son Tom’s (Jonny Green) lack of consideration, she decides to take her own life. However, her suicide attempt is foiled when she gets a call from her old friend Jess (Lorraine Ashbourne), who invites her to join her newly formed rock band for a local fundraiser.

​A pub owner and proud grandmother, Jess is constantly at odds with her eldest daughter, Chloe (Shannon Lavelle) and is looking for a new outlet. Alongside Beth, who plays the piano, Jess recruits Holly (Tamsin Greig), a recently retired police officer, and her glum obstetrician-nurse sister, Yvonne (Amelia Bullmore). Rounding out the band are Holly’s former partner, Nisha (Taj Atwal) and her sister Kam (Chandeep Uppal), who are delighted to join in on the fun, but lack any musical talent. The Riot Women are eager to focus on something other than their ailing parents, ungrateful children, menopause symptoms and feelings of hopelessness. But the group doesn’t really come together until Beth randomly encounters Kitty (Rosalie Craig), a rambunctious alcoholic boasting a snarly attitude and a sensational voice.

​For six weeks, the group — but particularly Beth and Kitty — form an unlikely bond that begins with the music and expands as the ladies connect over varied life events, and a haunting decades-long secret. Episode 3 has some of the show’s strongest scenes, with one featuring Yvonne at work, which serves as a comedic break from the show’s more challenging subjects. Another revolves around a tender, revelatory conversation between Beth and Kitty about their shared and separate anguish.

Amid these gems and the phenomenal performances, “Riot Women” is not without flaws. Though all the characters are solid, willing and ready to expose their vulnerability, some aspects of the show are simply off-putting. To begin with, there are numerous displays of gendered violence across the six-episode season. Not only are bloody and violent acts shown, but the series also mentions child sex abuse and rape. While it’s vital to discuss these topics, it felt exhausting and unnecessary to endure the constant brutal depictions. Additionally, these scenes throw off the show’s tone because they are so brutal.

​Additionally, large chunks of the writing seemed heavy-handed and obvious. The men depicted in the series, for example, are largely horrific human beings. Fair enough, but without nuance, all of the male characters showcased here all feel like one jumbled mass man, a violent human being lacking emotional intelligence, couth and character. The men in “Riot Women” are so oppressively awful that it is difficult to exhale anytime they are on the screen. The story may have been better served if the men had been kept on the sidelines, and left out altogether. Moreover, the series likely would’ve benefited from a tighter edit. The episodes feel overstretched to hit the 60-minute mark, rather than reach it organically.

​Still, “Riot Women” offers a crucial perspective. It forces viewers to consider how women can reclaim their lives and time, often after decades of caretaking for others. It highlights how patriarchal systems are destroying us all, no matter our gender identities, and the disparities in healthcare systems that fail to come to the aid of menopausal women. Amid the hokey, albeit charming music as a backdrop, “Riot Women” shares a plethora of powerful stories that have been simmering below the surface, just waiting to be told.

All six episodes of “Riot Women” premiere Jan. 14 on BritBox.