'Brilliant' BBC period drama based on 'literary masterpiece' is free to stream

Period drama lovers, look no further, the BBC has another hidden gem among its iPlayer catalogue, ready for your viewing. The series is based on George Eliot's 1871 novel Middlemarch, which itself has been described as a "literary masterpiece".

Middlemarch is a 1994 British television adaptation of Eliot's work. It was produced by the BBC in collaboration with the American station WGBH-TV, and broadcast on BBC2, with episodes repeated a few days later on BBC1. Comprising six episodes (seven episodes in the worldwide TV series), it is the second television adaptation of the novel, this time directed by Anthony Page from a screenplay by Andrew Davies, and starring Juliet Aubrey, Rufus Sewell, Douglas Hodge and Patrick Malahide.

The series synopsis reads: "The 1994 BBC drama Middlemarch, based on George Eliot's novel, is a historical adaptation set in a provincial English town on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution. It follows the interconnected lives of several characters, focusing on the idealistic and intelligent Dorothea Brooke and her disastrous marriage to the older, pedantic scholar Edward Casaubon. The drama also explores the ambitious doctor Tertius Lydgate's attempts to modernize medical practices and the intertwined fates of the Vincy family, particularly the feckless Fred Vincy, and the social and financial struggles of the townspeople."

Fans of the series have taken to IMDb to share their thoughts on the period drama.

One user left a glowing review claiming it was a "brilliant adaptation of George Eliot's masterpiece".

The reviewer added: "What a brilliant adaptation this is, even better than 2002's Daniel Deronda and that was fabulous as well. Robert Hardy in particular is a joy to watch, and Michael Hordern also seems to be having a ball. Juliet Aubrey plays Dorothea with strength and passion though the wild streak may take some getting used to, Douglas Hodge is appropriately dashing and idealistic and Rufus Sewell full of brooding charisma. Patrick Malahide makes for a creepy Casaubon, and Judi Dench's voice over is wonderfully sincere and makes the story comprehensible for those unfamiliar and manages to do that without feeling too obvious. To conclude, in every way this adaptation of Middlemarch is brilliant and does justice to a literary masterpiece. 10/10."

Middlemarch is available to stream on BBC iPlayer free of charge now.