Fans of Call The Midwife have discovered another period drama that celebrates women's lives in times gone by, with Home Fires being hailed as a 'masterpiece' by viewers. The series, based on Julie Summers' book Jambusters, first aired in 2015 but continues to attract praise 11 years later.
Set in the rural Cheshire village of Great Paxford between September 1932 and early 1940, the ITV-produced drama follows members of the Women's Institute on the Home Front during the Second World War. It features an ensemble cast including Francesca Annis, Samantha Bond, Ruth Gemmell, and Mark Bonnar.
The official synopsis reads: 'The story follows a group of women living in a rural Cheshire village during World War II. With the war occupying their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers, the women are forced to cope with the pressures of living with limited resources in a nation of disarray. Through their difficulties the ladies find strength by forming the Great Paxford Women's Institute.'
Despite an impressive 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, ITV axed the programme after just two series in May 2016, a decision that has left many viewers devastated. Creator Simon Block later continued the story through a novelisation to resolve the cliffhangers.
One IMDB reviewer wrote: 'I absolutely cannot believe that this absolutely incredible series has been cancelled by ITV. It is a major favorite in our household and we miss it terribly.' Another viewer described it as 'like a warm cuppa and cake, it brought that comfort only a good northern England drama can provide.'
Home Fires is currently available to stream for free on Channel 4 and UKTV.
