BBC viewers are raving over the historical television serial War and Peace, first broadcast on BBC One in 2016, which has been hailed as an 'absolute masterpiece' and 'the very best of British TV'. The eight-part adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel features an all-star cast including Lily James, Paul Dano, James Norton, Jim Broadbent and Gillian Anderson.
The series, written by Andrew Davies and directed by Tom Harper, follows the intertwined lives of three young Russian aristocrats—Pierre Bezukhov, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, and Natasha Rostova—against the backdrop of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. It explores themes of love, loss, war and social life in 19th-century Russia.
Critics have praised the drama highly. Stylist called it 'one of the BBC's best', noting its 'easily digestible' and 'incredibly chic' presentation with a stellar cast. The Telegraph described it as 'the greatest TV costume drama of the past decade', raising the bar for the genre. On Rotten Tomatoes, the show holds an 88 per cent rating, with the consensus highlighting its 'sumptuous visuals' and faithful narrative, though noting the pace may challenge some viewers.
Viewers have also expressed deep admiration. One wrote: 'To me, one of the greatest television products I've ever seen. Simply beautiful to watch.' Another added: 'Never has a TV show made me feel so deeply. An absolute masterpiece.' On IMDb, a reviewer called it the 'very best of British TV'.
However, the series also sparked controversy upon its original broadcast, with some viewers complaining about graphic scenes. Outraged fans took to social media to criticise a childbirth scene depicting the death of Prince Andrei's wife, Liza Bolonskaya. One viewer tweeted: 'The death in childbirth scene was rather graphic', while another asked: 'Dear god do we need to see all that blood?'
