Mountain Mogul

Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks stars as a tough oil executive at odds with a Canadian mountain community

- Rebecca Mahoney

As sassy secretary Joan Holloway in 1960s drama Mad Men, Christina Hendricks created one of the most memorable characters in TV history. Joan was alluring, self-assured, smart and strong. Many of these qualities can be found in the actress’s latest role in Sky Atlantic’s Tin Star, a 10-part drama which follows events in a rural Canadian mountain town after its tranquillity is spectacularly shattered by the setting up of a new oil refinery.

Hendricks plays Mrs Elizabeth Bradshaw, the oil company executive tasked with ensuring a trouble-free takeover of the idyllic dwelling of Little Big Bear. Mrs Bradshaw is steely, highly intelligent and charismatic but, in this week’s episode, when she tries to smooth-talk police chief Jim Worth (Tim Roth), she only succeeds in antagonising the cop.