kemble88 ...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................"

Robert Porter 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.

Olga Klimenko Powerful, brilliant, captivating adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's masterpiece. The casting is perfect. Each and every actor is where he/she is meant to be. The atmosphere, the spirit are delivered perfectly.Richard Armitage....well, there's no need to say anything. He is The One and Only Mr.Thornton ever :) He seems to step down from the pages of the novel.Daniela Danby-Ashe as Margaret is so breathtakingly beautiful, you can't take your eyes off her luminous face as if chiselled of marble. But her play even more so betters her beauty.And - by the way - the music is outstanding! Enchanting and beautiful, very genuinely creating the atmosphere. The only flaw of the film is that they - for some reason - cut out few of the most crucial dialogs/lines between the leading characters. Well, they are not cut out entirely, but thoroughly changed, and, though are pretty fine in their own merit, would be much better for them to be the exact quotations from the novel. For example the scene of the first proposal and the final scene of reaching the understanding between John Thornton and Margaret. These scenes were made wonderfully....but - if the film-makers followed exactly the dialogs as they were put in the book (especially Thornton's lines and expressive manner) - it would be by far more perfect and breathtaking than it already is. So, my vote "9", not "10" - for these little but crucial (from my point of view) alterations from the original dialogs of the book.

Shaily Rahman North & South took my breath away. I can find no fault in it and at the risk of causing a literary uproar, I think this is better than Pride and Prejudice. And Richard Armitage, oh my goodness! Who knew the same guy who played Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit could be such a heartthrob? The beauty of this series though, in my opinion, is that there is so much more to it than just romance. By the end of the series, I was crying for the fictional characters not out of sorrow, for the first time in my life, but out of joy! Brilliant stuff.