Period drama fans rave about 'best television series' based on beloved books

Period drama enthusiasts are absolutely obsessed with one particular TV series currently available for streaming, whilst viewers have been lapping up another show dubbed the "epitome of charm" and a further programme branded "outstanding" by fans, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The series drew inspiration from a collection of novels and writings penned by a celebrated author.

Whilst this wasn't the debut television adaptation of the literary works, this particular version has undoubtedly made a lasting impression on viewers.

Countless fans have sung the drama's praises on IMDB, with one viewer awarding it a perfect 10/10 rating and declaring: "Flawless In Every Respect!".

The enthusiastic reviewer gushed: "At 65 years of age I have seen my share of movies and plays and I would have to say that this series is simply one of the, if not THE best productions I have ever had the pleasure of viewing."

"From camera work, through scripting, through character development it was simply beyond compare. The acting was of a level seldom encountered these days, or for that matter, any other days."

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Another glowing 10/10 review proclaimed: "The series was a sumptuous delight and I will miss my Sunday night's viewing.

"The story was brought to life wonderfully, with great direction, amazing costumes and brilliant acting."

A third 10/10 review was titled: "Fabulous version of Galsworthy's novel", with the user explaining: "I had never heard of The Forsyte Saga before seeing the mini-series but I enjoyed it so much that I bought the novel, and isn't that really what these adaptations of novels are all about- trying to interest people enough to read the book the movie was based on?".

"I'm glad this version wasn't completely true to the novel considering that so many of the characters in the novel are either underdeveloped or so enigmatic that it's hard to have any kind of feelings about them."

The Forsyte Saga drew inspiration from Nobel Prize-winning writer John Galsworthy's collection of the same title, which earned him the coveted honour.

The 2002 television drama spanned two series with 10 episodes in total, arriving 35 years following the BBC's tremendously popular 1967 adaptation.

This fresh take boasted an impressive ensemble cast, featuring the talents of Wolf Hall and Homeland's Damian Lewis, Gina McKee from Line of Duty and Notting Hill, Sherlock's Rupert Graves, Persuasion performer Corin Redgrave, and King Arthur star Ioan Gruffudd.

Additional performers included Sarah Winman, Gillian Kearney, John Carlisle, Amanda Root, Julian Ovenden, Alistair Petrie, and Ben Miles, amongst others.

The Forsyte Saga chronicled the experiences of three generations of the titular upper-middle-class English family spanning from the 1870s through to 1920. Viewers were taken on a rollercoaster ride through the family's ups and downs, charting their scandals, affairs and more.

Lead actor Lewis received heaps of praise, with one viewer penning a 10/10 review: "Damian Lewis made this mini-series for me!".

They elaborated: "I truly enjoyed this mini-series. I felt that Damian Lewis' portrayal of Soames was truly award-winning. After seeing him in other roles (most notably Band of Brothers), I am even more impressed with his range."

Another viewer chimed in: "I have not seen the original film or read the book, so I have a fresh perspective on this version of The Forsyte Saga. It is a brilliantly acted, emotionally stirring film. Damian Lewis is outstanding."

PBS recently revealed plans to remake The Forsyte Saga, with the new series The Forsytes set to debut in 2026, featuring a star-studded cast including Millie Gibson, Tuppence Middleton, Danny Griffin, Joshua Orpin, Jack Davenport, Stephen Moyer, and Eleanor Tomlinson.

The Forsyte Saga is streaming on ITVX now