‘Outstanding’ war period drama viewers say ‘better than Downton Abbey’
The BBC’s acclaimed World War One period drama, has been praised by viewers as ‘truly remarkable’ and compared to Downton Abbey – and you can stream all six episodes
If you’re on the hunt for your next period drama fix, then this could be the ideal destination, with one standalone series you can binge-watch across six ‘inspiring’ episodes.
The British television drama, The Crimson Field, was first aired on BBC back in 2014, and while it was never commissioned for another series, viewers continue to discover it and heap praise upon it.
The show has fans ‘hooked’ as they follow the lives of various medical staff and patients unfolding during the harrowing times of the First World War.
It’s set within a fictional field hospital in France at the height of the conflict, capturing the essence of the era while bringing to life the stories and people behind this momentous historic event.
For many, it’s the ensemble cast that propels the series forward, with plenty of fresh and familiar faces delivering some ‘remarkable’ performances.
That cast includes Rupert Graves as Major Edward Crecy, alongside Oona Chaplin as Kitty Trevelyan, Hermione Norris as Grace Carter, Suranne Jones as Sister Joan Livesey and Kevin Doyle as Lt Col Roland Brett.
One viewer left a review on Rotten Tomatoes, saying: “I rate The Crimson Field with ‘Call the Midwife’ and ‘Downton Abbey.’ It is British drama at its best with a fantastic cast of those some of you may remember from other shows. However, there is no stereotype in their roles from previous shows. Truly remarkable acting.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Another review on IMDb added: “Within the first minutes of watching this series I knew that I was hooked. It gives an honest representation of life in the war hospitals of Northern France during the First World War. While many depictions of wartime focus on the absolute patriotism of those involved, this series shows that lines do get blurred when individual, real people are involved.”
The reviewer went on to say that it shares “a lot in common” with Downton Abbey, exploring similar themes in a “unique” fashion.
The review said: “Where D.A. explores the realities of hierarchy in early 20th-century British society, The Crimson Field does the same with the ranking within the army and hospital camps.”
Despite the show’s creator, Sarah Phelps, reportedly having mapped out four additional series, it was axed after just one season owing to poor audience figures and budgetary constraints.
Screenwriter Sarah Phelps is credited with penning more than 90 episodes of EastEnders, alongside numerous adaptations for the BBC, including Great Expectations and Oliver Twist.
Phelps took to social media to break the news that the show would not be continuing, confessing she was “gutted”. She said: “Gutted doesn’t even touch the sides of how I feel”.
The Crimson Field is available on Amazon.
SOURCE: manchestereveningnews