‘BEST ADAPTATION EVER’: Period drama based on a Victorian classic leaves viewers in tears

A lavish period drama based on one of the most enduring novels of the Victorian era has fans declaring it the “best adaptation” of the story — with some viewers admitting they were left in tears.

ITV’s Vanity Fair, which first aired in 2018, brings William Makepeace Thackeray’s celebrated 1848 novel to life in a seven-part series packed with ambition, romance, deception and social climbing.

The drama stars Olivia Cooke as Becky Sharp, a fiercely ambitious young woman determined to escape her modest upbringing and force her way into the upper reaches of 19th-century English society.

Alongside Cooke are Tom Bateman as Captain Rawdon Crawley, Claudia Jessie as Amelia Sedley and Michael Palin as Thackeray himself.

At the centre of the story is Becky, whose wit, charm and ruthless determination help her navigate a world where wealth, family connections and social status can determine almost every aspect of a person’s life.

Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, the series follows Becky as she attempts to climb the social ladder — regardless of who gets hurt along the way.

And viewers clearly haven’t forgotten the adaptation.

The series holds an impressive 89% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans continuing to praise its performances and production.

One viewer called it “the best adaptation of this story”, saying they binged the entire box set over just two nights.

Another singled out Cooke’s performance as Becky, praising the actress for dominating almost every scene despite playing a deeply flawed and manipulative character.

Others were even more enthusiastic.

“Absolutely brilliant,” one fan wrote, adding that they were delighted to see another ambitious period drama after believing the genre had run its course.

Another simply said the series “moved me to tears,” while another described it as “a stunning masterpiece.”

The praise is particularly notable because Vanity Fair has been adapted numerous times over the decades, including a 1932 film, the 2004 movie starring Reese Witherspoon and a BBC television series that aired in 1987.

Yet for many viewers, the 2018 version has managed to stand out from the rest.

At its heart, the drama remains a story about ambition, class and survival, with Becky refusing to accept the limitations placed on her by the society into which she was born.

And that combination of lavish costumes, complicated characters and Olivia Cooke’s magnetic performance appears to have convinced a new generation of viewers that Thackeray’s classic still has plenty of life left in it.

The 2018 Vanity Fair series is available to stream for a fee on Prime Video and Apple TV.