The BBC period drama has been praised for its authentic performances, political narratives and enchanting Victorian romance — and it’s streaming now on BBC iPlayer
The BBC period drama is available to stream on iPlayer(Image: BBC)
According to television fans, this period drama set in the 1850s has wowed them with its performances, political storylines and, of course, sweeping romance.
North & South is a British BBC production adapted from the Victorian novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, set against the backdrop of the Great Exhibition of 1851.
It is renowned for its striking depiction of social and class divides across the country, and its highly regarded historical ambience makes it utterly compelling viewing.
One fan wrote on the review platform IMDB: “I’m a history teacher, so I’m very critical of adaptations, especially those that sentimentalise the past in any way. This is a superb rendering of the spirit of the industrial age and the many facets of class struggle within it. It’s also a richly romantic love story. The acting by all the cast is uniformly excellent, but Richard Armitage as Thornton is a standout.”
The series follows the journey of young Margaret Hale, played by Daniela Denby-Ashe, who is forced to relocate from the comforts of southern England to the North following the tragic loss of her father. She must confront the stark contrasts of life in an industrial era and struggles greatly to settle in, reports the Express.
Fans gush over masterpiece BBC series North and South(Image: BBC)
The stark contrasts become increasingly apparent when she meets the Thorntons, a family of cotton mill owners who have developed a disdain for her southern ways. As time passes, her empathy towards them grows, as does her affection and attraction for John Thornton, portrayed by Richard Armitage.
Another fan posted: “North and South took me completely by surprise… But Elizabeth Gaskell’s work on which the film is based is far more than a mere period romance. This is social commentary and a love story, the struggle of workers and masters/managers, as well as the misunderstanding of the intellectuals that forms a triangle in the film that is still alive today.
“The lead characters all take on a social conscience that grows with their love for each other to an understanding of the different worlds that lived together in this time of radical change.”
Viewers have heaped praise on the series’ performances, posting: “The acting is superb – the lead characters John and Hannah Thornton, Margaret Hale, and union man Nicholas Higgins are so natural that you forget that you are watching a movie and get simply enthralled in their story. The supporting characters are also strong, making this an unexpected gem of a movie.”
When it was originally broadcast, the BBC had virtually no expectations for the programme, and it received little publicity or promotion, yet it swiftly gathered momentum.
Many admirers credit this to the relatively obscure actor at the time, Armitage, who drew comparisons to Colin Firth’s portrayal in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
North and South is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.