Boy Meets Girl

I have just watched the first episode of this gender swap series. I was expecting the usual tired clichés that are usually generated by this often used storyline but I was blown away by the writing and the central performances. Rachael Stirling (I have never seen her before) carries the first episode with an excellent portrayal of the confusion and discomfort generated by a man finding himself in a woman's body.She is most definitely her mother's (Diana Rigg) daughter. It is played for both laughs and serious content and it works. Martin Freeman establishes the mans character from the start and has yet to come into the story proper but is his usual solid self. If the rest of the series is as good as the first episode then it is going to be essential viewing in the same way "Life on Mars" was. The characters which surround the two leads are all seasoned actors whom we have seen in several other TV series but they add good support. The whole thing is a real intriguing treat.