terrible... so disappointed.

Just so...so bad

Admirable film.

A Brilliant Conflict

I watched this very skeptically. I was not familiar with the novel or the earlier productions, but this show was done very nicely. All actors were convincing as was the setting for the drama. The main actress did a phenomenal job, but Richard Armitage stole the show. I was completely bowled over after having seen his performance in the Hobbit series recently that this was the same actor. Overall this is a good watch especially if you are a fan of English period drama's. The music is also excellent and really sets the mood. Cinematography is always very important in period pieces and this show was great to show the early mills society in North England. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes history and good story.

...an extravagant portrayal of the beautiful, the tragic & often senseless waste of time cause by restraint of feelings in human society. A satisfying story in every way, save a second or third series.So beguiled was I, by the many charms of this show, that, half way through the FIRST EPISODE I was compelled to pause while I looked up it's IMDb & WIKI to find out HOW ON EARTH I managed overlook this polished gem of British Television. The reason is simple: The original air date 2004. At that time, Richard Armitage's presence in British TV was relatively obscure. This series put him on the map in Britain, but the Downton Abby/British Drama market here had yet to REALLY take off. I never became aware of this actor until Armitage joined the cast of, "Spooks," in 2008 (MI-5 in N. America). Once his "Visage" crossed The Pond & blessed our TV screens that expanded exponentially with our passion for British Television, there was no looking back and happily, Richard Armitage is featured in a plethora of A-list TV shows & Films.I'll finish with a direct quote from Wikipedia & a thank you to the streaming services for bringing us this work of art!! xoxo :) -Kemble"As the BBC had low expectations for the series, it was not well publicized and went almost unnoticed by critics. Audiences, however, were more receptive; hours after the first episode aired in November 2004, the message board of the programme's website crashed because of the number of visitors the site was receiving, forcing host bbc.co.uk to shut it down. This sudden interest on the serial was attributed to Richard Armitage................"

Let me just begin by pointing out how some people avoid period dramas because they are fraught with misery & dejecting circumstances. And how these moments of loss & sadness are the priceless backbone for life on the stage & beyond. Sadness teaches us all the importance of that which has more value than money can accommodate for. And it is perhaps the only instance where emotion & thought are in agreement! There are no conflicts. And this symbiotic peace is demonstrated flawlessly in many period dramas; North & South is no exception. No! In fact, it IS the exception! It is the one rare instance where love itself is treated as a loss on two persons throughout the program! And it is done so very well! Even more impressive is how the couple are aware of this irony by the final chapter & how they manage to keep it both romantic & elementary in the consummation of their relationship! So very charming! I envy such a take on love!! I don't know.. who'd be a bachelor! OK. So the production isn't anything particularly spectacular, the score can get in the way sometimes but is overall very fitting, the scenery isn't specifically cinematic, & the dialogue is hardly prose. Just because this has a high rating doesn't mean it is a premium production. But what it does have is fine character screen play, & competent acting of a well paced narrative. It doesn't grab your attention as prompt as Cranford say. It takes its' time & draws you in at a steady rate. The third episode really takes hold. I'd like to admit that I tend to have a real struggle where "strong independent women" are concerned. I hate how they are written (by men half the time) as tough girls who show no fear, confusion, compassion & merely act like.. well.. men. Margaret Hale, to me, is the perfect example of the superior traits that women have. Brave in the presence of fear, responsible during a loss, hopeful when despair is abound, wholehearted against the cold hearted, well spoken when tensions are high, outspoken when emotions are low, & utterly fervent. Something that is entirely lost upon Hollywood. Their women shall be doing roundhouse kicks in skimpy skirts 20 years to come. Something has to be said about the lead couple. Both of them are flawless! I can see how the ladies take to Richard Armitage! Wow! Talk about sex appeal!! Every time he's on screen, I give him my full attention as though he commands it! And Daniela Denby-Ashe is transformed into her headstrong counterpart. A great pair with lots of chemistry. North & South shall surprise you from start to end with it's social commentary & keep hopeless romantics like myself happily transfixed! Give it a go.

I've been wanting to watch this mini-series for a while now, but I never finished the book so long ago, so I felt bad. I really need to give the book a second chance and I will...thanks to this adaptation.Sooooooooo good. I loved the cast and I loved the story. I honestly watched all four episodes in one day, because I needed to know what would happen next. I especially loved Mr. Thornton...even though he was a butt sometimes - I may be biased because I adore Richard Armitage. I did want to punch Margaret though, because she was a pain and wouldn't be honest with Mr. Thornton. Just tell him the truth! GAH! It's so obvious he will believe you and not betray you, because not only does he love you, but he loves your father so that family secret matters not to him. Why can't people just be honest? I get not telling everyone your family secret, but I think the man you love and who loves you deserves the truth.Okay, I did feel bad for Margaret, because she had a nice simple life in southern England with the trees and the house in nature and her father decides to move them to the North for no real reason. The reason - once he tells - is stupid and not really worth the move. Perhaps, in the book they explain it more. We shall see. I am certainly glad that it took a while for the two to get together; it made the first kiss and acceptance of proposal worth the wait. There was a lot they had to work out and prove to each other, before they could get together. Honestly, I am glad they divided this into 4 parts, because they could add more story-line and explain more. Each character also got a good amount of spotlight. The revolt and the people involved got the spotlight it deserved and I'm glad they didn't cut out the dirty truth of the time period. People were being taken advantage of and not getting enough money. Even though they stood up and demanded more, Mr. Thornton was a man of his time period and refused to pay them. Like every romance-y story, he does have a change of heart, but it takes a big event...I will not say what happens, but it does change his heart and see Margaret's point of view. In the end, I am now super excited to give the book a second chance. This was a great adaptation and made me in love with the story. It is not a simple romance, but there are personal issues and society issues that keep them apart for a while. They do come together, but they earned it. They both had to change to be able to love each other fully. I am glad they showed the truth of the time period; there was good, but also people had to suffer and not get paid enough for their work. I recommend this to those that love historical fiction and romance. It is a good story. I stamp this with 5 stars. Favorite Character(s): Mr Thornton (even though he was butt at the beginning), Margaret (even though she deserved a slap for being dumb), Betsy, and Nicholas Not-so Favorite Character(s): Fanny and Hannah Re-watch?: Yes. It was good.