The Duchess

Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess is a fun, light-hearted Netflix original series that explores life as a modern working mother. Katherine plays a fictional version of herself, and the show follows her raising her daughter to be an independent and strong-minded young girl with an understanding of the world beyond her years. The Duchess is increasingly engaging as the series progresses, as Ryan’s sharp wit and intelligent humour shines through in the more subtle moments of the show. Although Katherine’s tumultuous and argumentative relationship with many of the other adults can seem a little cartoon-ish at times, this adds to the farcical and hyperbolic nature of much of the comedy in the series.

The Duchess is largely a feel-good comedy, however Ryan does also highlight some common struggles many mothers experience in a natural way that enhances the storyline and provokes empathy and an emotional connection to her character. Katherine’s loving dedication to parenthood, combined with her entrepreneurial nature and progressive values, increases the audience’s affection and respect towards her as the show goes on.

I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys light-hearted, feel-good comedies.

Rating: 4/5