‘Masterpiece’ BBC TV series hailed ‘one of the finest’ | UK News

The BBC has produced some wonderful exhibits over the years. Just a few that come to thoughts are Luther, Sherlock and Happy Valley, which not only took the UK by storm but had been cherished by audiences around the world. But there’s another series that has been described as “one of the finest ever made,” and it also gave Daniel Craig his breakthrough position.

The show in query is Our Friends in the North, a “powerful and emotional” BBC drama that first aired on BBC Two in early 1996. Written by Peter Flannery, it follows 4 buddies from Newcastle upon Tyne across three turbulent a long time, from 1964 to 1995.

It tells the story of Nicky, Mary, Tosker and Geordie, whose lives intertwine against the backdrop of Britain’s political and social change.

The series touches on real occasions such as the miners’ strike, corruption scandals and the Great Storm of 1987.

Starring Daniel Craig, Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee and Mark Strong, the nine-part serial explores friendship, ambition and loss, set against the shifting panorama of fashionable Britain.

Craig’s efficiency as Geordie has since been recognised as his breakout position, bringing him to the consideration of producer Barbara Broccoli, who later forged him as James Bond.

Audiences around the world have fallen in love with the show over the years, with many rewatching it a number of occasions.

One reviewer said: “I watched this excellent series when it was first shown. I’m watching it again now and it’s as good as I remember.

“The cast are brilliant and it’s so well written, with characters you really care about and a gritty storyline that takes you on a journey through Britain’s cultural and political past – the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Another added: “It’s one of the finest series ever made by the BBC. Daniel Craig is outstanding in his breakthrough role. The series has to be watched.”

A 3rd individual wrote: “This was truly landmark TV with the BBC doing what it does best. A moving and thought provoking series that looked at some of the grittier points of modern Britain’s history and the often neglected North.”

What’s more, the series was met with large important acclaim. It gained a number of BAFTAs and Royal Television Society awards and was later ranked by The Guardian as the third biggest British tv drama of all time.

The British Film Institute named it one of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes of the twentieth century, while The Daily Telegraph hailed it as “a production where all worked to serve a writer’s vision”.

Our Friends in the North is at present accessible to stream with ITVx’s premium subscription.