“An outstanding period drama”: North and South is Lesley Manville’s “underappreciated” series to watch tonight

If you’re on the hunt for your next binge-watch, may we suggest a healthy dose of the brilliant Lesley Manville. The 70-year-old actress might be best-known for her roles in the likes of Sherwood and Magpie Murders, but there’s another, somewhat "underappreciated", series of hers that we think you should know about and it goes by the name of North and South.

The outstanding period drama, which first aired on the BBC more than two decades ago, is set in Victorian London and follows middle-class southerner Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe) as she moves north - a change she's not exactly thriller about. That is, until she meets charming mill owner John Thornton (Richard Armitage). With Lesley playing Margaret’s mother, alongside Anna Maxwell Martin and Sinead Cusack, it's a must-watch for any period drama fan.

With all four episodes available to stream now, here's everything you need to know about North and South before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is North and South about?

Set against the backdrop of Victorian England's industrial north, the four-part series is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1855 novel, which has in fact been adapted for TV no less than three times. This version, which first aired on the BBC in 2004, was particularly well-received, which might explain why there hasn’t been another adaptation since.

The story introduces us to Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), a middle-class southerner who’s forced to move to the northern town of Milton. There's almost nothing she likes about the town; it's dirty, noisy and full of people she detests. But it's not long before charismatic mill owner John Thornton (Richard Armitage) enters the mix and changes everything.

As Margaret gradually adjusts to life Milton, she finds herself befriending some of the local mill workers, learning about their poverty and workplace struggles along the way. And as events conspire to throw Margaret and Thornton together, the pair find themselves caught between passion and prejudice.

The cast is impeccable, with Lesley Manville playing Margaret’s mother, Maria Hale, Sinead Cusack as John’s mother Hannah, and Anna Maxwell Martin as working-class mill worker Bess Higgins. As you can imagine, each of their performances are absolutely superb.

Who’s in the cast of North and South?

The cast of North and South includes:

• Daniela Denby-Ashe (Waterloo Road) as Margaret Hale
• Richard Armitage (Fool Me Once) as John Thornton
• Sinead Cusack (Stealing Beauty) as Hannah Thornton
• Lesley Manville (Sherwood) as Maria Hale
• Tim Pigott-Smith (The Jewel in the Crown) as Richard Hale
• Pauline Quirke (Birds of a Feather) as Dixon
• Brendan Coyle (Lark Rise to Candleford) as Nicholas Higgins
• Jo Joyner (Little Disasters) as Fanny Thornton
• Anna Maxwell Martin (Accused) as Bess Higgins
• Kay Lyon (The Ruby in the Smoke) as Mary Higgins
• Rupert Evans (The Boy) as Frederick Hale
• Brian Protheroe (First Dates) as Mr. Bell
• John Light (Father Brown) as Henry Lennox
• Emma Ferguson (Mile High) as Edith Shaw Lennox
• Jane Booker (A Perfect Spy) as Aunt Shaw
• Will Houston (Level Up) as John Boucher

Is North and South any good?

Yes – it’s excellent, in fact. While, at its core, the series is a social drama about class differences, it has a genuinely compelling love story woven throughout and the chemistry between Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage is brilliant to watch. If you’re looking for a series with fantastic lead performances, plenty of heart and sizzling chemistry, this is it.

How can I watch North and South?

North and South is available to watch now on U.

What other Lesley Manville dramas can I watch now?

For a drama many people will relate to, we’d suggest I Am Maria. Part of Dominic Savage’s I Am anthology series, Lesley plays a woman in a crumbling long-term marriage whose 60^th birthday marks something of a turning point. I Am Maria is available to watch on Channel 4. For something a little darker, we’d recommend Monster: The Ed Gein Story. The series dramatises the life of famed murderer and body snatcher Ed Gein (played by Charlie Hunnam) with Lesley playing one of his victims, hardware store owner Bernice Worden. Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to watch on Netflix.