Viewers are hailing the hidden gem BBC series as the 'best ever' period drama, with fans claiming it even rivals – and surpasses – the beloved 1995 Pride and Prejudice series.08:41, 26 May 2026A relatively underrated period drama is captivating audiences, with many fans drawing parallels to the BBC's legendary 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.‌The underappreciated costume series has been brought to life from Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 Victorian masterpiece, which unfolds during the era of the Great Exhibition of 1851 - and it's currently available to watch without charge on UKTV.‌The BBC's North and South is being praised as the corporation's 'best ever' offering, and audiences simply cannot stop raving about the 'outstanding' programme. Sandy Welch penned the screenplay while Brian Percival took the director's chair for the BBC production.‌The programme initially aired across four instalments on BBC One throughout November and December 2004 with little publicity, mostly escaping critical attention.Yet audiences appear to have instantly recognised the show's excellence, with the series securing 'Best Drama' in the BBC's yearly online survey that very year, while three sequences claimed 'Favourite Moments' honours, including one taking the crown, reports the Liverpool Echo.‌Led by the superb Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage, they're supported by Tim Pigott-Smith, Lesley Manville, Sinéad Cusack, Brendan Coyle, Anna Maxwell Martin, and Rupert Evans, who complete an impressive ensemble.In Gaskell's work, the fictional town of Milton, Darkshire, was loosely based on Manchester, yet the programme makers opted to capture the majority of urban sequences in Edinburgh, Scotland, to preserve the Victorian industrial character of the original text and ensure the show's period architecture appeared genuine. Additional key shooting locations featured Keighley in West Yorkshire and Burnley in Lancashire.The programme's official synopsis reads: "North and South is a four-part adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's love story of Margaret Hale, a middle-class southerner who is forced to move to the northern town of Milton. The spunky and passionate story brings a Southern belle into the growing industrial society of the North."‌Enthusiastic acclaim for this costume drama abounds, with one fan describing it as "a diamond in the rough" and posting on IMDB: "It's been a while since the BBC has given an outstanding period drama. I've just finished watching it (for the hundredth time) and is still stands the test of time. North and South is proof that you don't need state of the art special effects, million dollar budgets and overpaid actors with star power or sex scenes. A simple story can touch a thousand souls."Another IMDB reviewer said: "The Best Drama the BBC has ever Produced. Sandy Welch's dramatisation of Elizabeth Gaskells' North and South was one of sheer brilliance."‌One viewer drew comparisons with Pride and Prejudice, writing: "Fantastic. Absolutely gorgeous period drama! As a huge fan of BBC's Pride and Prejudice this has quickly become my favourite! Accurate casting, fantastic costumes, authentic settings and the soundtrack really adds to the quality of the series. It has all the passion that Pride and Prejudice (Bless it!) lacks."Another glowing review said: "Excellent cast and marvellous production...this one is one of the best BBC adaptations."While one delighted fan of the show said: "Stellar performances and story. This is one of the best, if not the best period mini-series to come out of Britain in recent years. Being an avid Pride and Prejudice (and Colin Firth fan), this is better. Seeing the previews, I initially thought it was stuffy and just another period piece.....boy, was I wrong. It is simply mesmerizing."Article continues belowNorth and South is available to stream for free on UKTV.