The Television Series Sally Wainwright

This book-length study of Sally Wainwright’s television, including analysis of globally recognised television series such as Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, and Gentleman Jack, considers Wainwright’s work in terms of genre, melodrama and through the concept of emotion. The first comprehensive study of Sally Wainwright, this book examines the celebrated British screenwriter, director and producer through the lens of feminist television criticism and the concept of emotion, offering a detailed exploration of Wainwright’s significant contributions to British television drama. Drawing on original interview material with Wainwright, the book opens with a biographical overview, situating Wainwright’s work and sensibilities in Northern England alongside other Northern women writers such as Kay Mellor and Lynda La Plante. A central focus of the study is Wainwright’s creation of heroic female characters, exemplified by Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley and Janet Scott and Rachel Bailey in Scott & Bailey. The book focuses extensively on the global success of Gentleman Jack, not only considering the contribution Wainwright has made to feminist and lesbian history but also the impact the series had on its fans through a discussion on Gentleman Jack Changed My Life. The book concludes by examining Wainwright’s structuring of ‘home’ in both regional and national contexts.Essential reading for scholars of feminist television, British television, and drama, as well as fans of Sally Wainwright, this book illuminates how Wainwright’s influential work engages with and contributes to feminist discourse in television. The first and only book length study of British screenwriter, director and producer Sally Wainwright. Authors Gorton and Johnson brings together Wainwright’s key television series and television films with theoretical work on the concept of emotion and feminist television criticism, exploring Wainwright's contributions to British television through the heroic female characters she creates. The book covers a wide range of theoretical work on melodrama, genre and emotion to explore Wainwright’s televisual texts, offering analysis of globally recognised television series such as Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, and Gentleman Jack.