This is a period drama based on the set of novels by Ford Madox Ford, centred around the unlikely marriage of Christopher Tietjans and Sylvia Satterthwaite over a period of time including the First World War and his love of suffragette Valentine Wannop.
Benedict Cumberbatch does a great performance as the nice and dutiful Christopher, while Rebecca Hall makes me sympathise with the flirtous Sylvia who has had affairs. This is because Hall gives a layered performance of Sylvia showing a vulnerability and need for Christopher to love and fight for her. Tom Stoppard's script works well to use the Edwardian language effectively to allow me to follow the story without being confused by the pomp and ceremony of it. Cumberbatch also shines in his role and especially in the wartime scenes. He clearly shows the struggles that Christopher goes through to try and not have an affair with Valentine. Adelaide Clemens also does a good portrayal as the strong and political Valentine, who very much represents the changing of attitudes.
I like how the drama examines and shows the harshness of the climate of the time including the suffragettes and the First World War, but also the strictness of the social etiquette. This especially seen when Christopher and Sylvia have to publicly reunite after she ran off to France with another man and this social pressure is very much represented by the character of Sylvia's mother.
It's also interesting how the drama also examines societal attitudes towards the war and the dividing attitudes of Christopher and Sylvia. This comes mainly in the fourth episode where Sylvia travels to France to see Christopher and shows how their relationship has done a great deal of damage to Christopher's life. The ending of the series feels quite fitting and I think overall it's been well written and performed.
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