Nolly

Nolly is funny and touching, and does its job of giving Gordon her due.

A splendid showcase for Helena Bonham Carter, “Nolly” zooms in on a very particular time and character in British history, revolving around the unceremonious firing of Noele Gordon, the star of a popular soap opera. While not the usual corseted stuff for which PBS’ “Masterpiece” is known, the three-part limited series serves as a reminder of how actresses who spoke their minds were often summarily labeled “difficult,” then and now.

It’s a warm, smart, and concise portrait of British actress Noele Gordon, known as Nolly.

The story of Noele Gordon's sacking might not sound fit for prestige television, but Bonham Carter and Davies' belief in righting her bosses' wrongs makes for a touching series, with lessons that are still relevant decades on.

It is warm, thoughtful and gorgeous, and by the end of it, I was a little bit in love with Nolly myself.

The compression here feels more manic than economic; Davies’ writing floats intriguing statements of purpose – a defense of soap as a popular form, a study of how to bow out – only for them to dissipate as we shuttle back and forth through a six-decade career.

It’s clear that Davies and his cast have a unanimous enthusiasm for Gordon’s no-nonsense, feminist perspective on the industry that jilts her. Viewers unfamiliar with the cultural moment it depicts might struggle to get past the opening episode, but those that do will find something treacly yet efficiently moving, with Bonham Carter on sensational form.