I think Gaskell would approve of that…at least, I’m hoping so,” Welch explained (on why she added a new scene, not from the book). Rochester type meeting because he’s not seen in his best light at that moment. But it’s also got some Charlotte Brontë (a friend of Gaskell’s) as well – shown in the first meeting between Margaret and John. “It’s a sort of Victorian Pride and Prejudice,” screenwriter Sandy Welch told the Independent. RELATED: JOHN THORNTON: 15 MOMENTS GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU SWOONĭespite Margaret’s and John’s differences and even initial dislike for each other, they’re drawn together during a time of social upheaval and family crises. Brendan Coyle ( Downton Abbey) makes his mark as union and strike leader, Nicholas Higgins, befriending Margaret and later Mr. Soon, Margaret befriends a few local mill workers, opening her eyes to the people’s severe poverty and class struggles. It did eventually move to its current home on BritBox. And despite losing most of its BBC content to BritBox and Prime Video, North and South remained a Netflix fixture for much longer, leading more and more viewers to watch this underrated and brilliant series every year.

Years later, Netflix added the miniseries to its streaming service, giving the series another massive boost. North and South was a surprise hit simply because it was that good. What’s even more admirable about the cult status of this series is it never aired on PBS’ MASTERPIECE like many popular period dramas, including Jane Eyre (2006) and Poldark. North and South was a sleeper success the BBC didn’t see coming. Word of mouth soon spread to the United States, and by the time it was released on DVD in 2005, period drama fans were ready to buy. North and South did receive one BAFTA nomination for Production Design. The four-part British drama won numerous fan awards from the BBC’s annual poll in 2004, but critics mostly ignored it. So, it was a shock when, on the same day, the program’s message board shut down the website because of the number of visitors. When the drama first premiered, the BBC had low expectations.

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