This series was my introduction to Elizabethan England. The story of the Queen's ascension and her decades-long struggle against the might of France and Spain make compelling drama, highlighted by the quality of Glenda Jackson's acting and that of her co-stars, notably Robert Hardy as Earl of Leicester and Ronald Hines as William Cecil.The attention to detail in the costumes, the Elizabethan music employed throughout the series, and the view from the castles - it all serves the purpose of submerging the viewer in one of the most extraordinary periods in history. Political, religious and dynastic divides threaten the security of England and all that stands between peace and chaos is a queen's shrewdness and political instincts in the cauldron of Renaissance ebullience and wit.The absence of shiny and distracting CGI is more than made up in the attention to detail and respect of historical sources. I've read widely about this time of English history, and I stand in awe of the wondrously intricate and deeply human script, and the qualities of Ms. Jackson's art, which enlivens the plight of Elizabeth, the childless queen whose reign informed the English spirit ever more strongly than that of her dread father, Henry VIII.

Faultless. I have been watching this series recently on YouTube and I cannot find one single aspect of it to whinge about. The portrayal of Elizabeth 1 is utterly breathtaking. The costumes perfect, lighting ditto, direction magnificent. The entire series is, for me, a sign that when everything is in place and knows its place - its been done with such skill that the expertise doesn't show, like a dancer on pointe, its seemingly effortless and yet, therein is its craft. The script is magnificent and one feels that the characters would approve of their portrayal. This character has been portrayed countless times yet, this series from the 1970's though showing its slip of age just a little, remains absolutely THE best.When the actress went into politics, I felt like shouting 'No...she's the queen!' Glenda Jackson is stunning, her face precisely shot from varying angles to accentuate her authority, her voice marvelous as she bellows out and acts the churlish girl when confronted by the possibilities of marriage. A wonderful cast. This is probably, for me, the most perfect historical drama ever made for television.

As somebody who admires Glenda Jackson and takes an interest in this period of history, I adored Elizabeth R. To me, it is one of the best mini-series I have ever seen. I loved how absorbing throughout the story is with such believability, tension and poignancy in the drama, how compellingly real Elizabeth and the rest of the characters were and how intelligent the dialogue was written.The music is lovely, the series is beautifully directed and the support acting from Robin Ellis, Ronald Hines, Stephen Murray and Robert Hardy is very good.What made Elizabeth R for me were the sumptuous costumes and settings captured lovingly on camera and the real tour-De-force lead performance that is Glenda Jackson's. You don't see Jackson, you see Elizabeth, that is how good her performance is.Overall, one of the best mini-series ever. 10/10 Bethany Cox

"Elizabeth R" is an outstanding biography of Elizabeth I of England. The performances by all of the actors, most notably the fantastic performance by Glenda Jackson in the title role, are all exemplary. After reading Alison Weir's excellent and detailed biography of Elizabeth and then watching the series again, I could see how accurate the series was and how much of Elizabeth's life they were able to cover in detail. (I would recommend anyone who has enjoyed watching "Elizabeth R" to read Weir's biography). Also, the series is a good follow up of the (also excellent) series "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". Some actors cross over from one series to the next in the same roles, giving a sense of continuity. Anyone who has an interest in the history of England's monarchy should enjoy this incredible series.