Riot Women and midlife

I watched the first episode of Sally Wainwright’s Riot Women on BBC iPlayer this Sunday, and it left a deep impression on me. The show focuses on middle-aged women navigating that uniquely intense stage of life – caught between raising children and caring for ageing parents. Two of the characters are dealing with a parent’s dementia, while also confronting menopause and the other challenges that seem to hit all at once at this age.

What struck me most is how honestly the show portrays the anger, frustration, and exhaustion of this period in life. There’s no sugarcoating it, and no easy resolutions – just real, complex women facing real, complex circumstances. Watching it felt like someone had finally acknowledged the emotional labour, the fear, and the sense of being stretched in every direction, while still maintaining their sense of self.

Sally Wainwright, the creator of Riot Women, has discussed her mother’s battle with dementia, which influenced the show’s portrayal of ageing parents. Her personal experience makes the series even more poignant, and I really appreciate public figures speaking openly about dementia – a topic, as I’ve discussed elsewhere (here and here), that we don’t talk about enough.

Just as an aside: I promised myself I’d write a blog post every week, and I can’t quite believe I’m actually managing it alongside work, children, dementia, and everything else. It’s a reminder that we can still do the things we want to do. Middle age brings a certain creativity and bravery that often goes uncelebrated, but it’s real, and it’s powerful.

Riot Women made me think about recognition. Seeing these stories told on screen felt like a small act of validation for everyone living through this stage of life – and a reminder of our own resilience and strength.