The BBC's new adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace has drawn an average of 6.3 million viewers for its first episode, peaking at 6.7 million. The costume drama, starring Paul Dano, Lily James, and James Norton, won a 25% audience share, outperforming ITV's Endeavour (19%) and Channel 4's Deutschland 83 (6%).
Critics have praised the series, written by Andrew Davies, known for his 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation. The Daily Telegraph's Serena Davies gave it four stars, calling it 'an excellent adaptation' and 'smart storytelling on a truly epic scale'. The Daily Mail's Christopher Stevens described the opening episode as 'nothing less than a sweeping victory', while The Guardian's Viv Groskop remarked: 'It's hard to imagine how the BBC could have done a better job.'
The drama follows Natasha Rostov (James), Pierre Bezukhov (Dano), and Prince Andrei (Norton) against the backdrop of Russia's wars with Napoleon. The cast also includes Gillian Anderson, Rebecca Front, and Stephen Rea. Produced by the BBC in collaboration with The Weinstein Company, War and Peace will premiere in the US on Lifetime, A&E, and History channel on 18 January.
