I'm years late to seeing this mini-series and probably wouldn't have discovered it at all, if not for looking for anything Richard Armitage did in his earlier career. All I can say is wow, what a great contemporary drama for prime time TV. No one does drama as well as the BBC. I wish American TV could produce drama of this quality. The acting was superb Richard as always does not disappoint, transforming himself from a shy clod of a farmer (John) to a handsome, selfless, giving man who loves Carol despite all her faults and past history. Sarah Smart, was really excellent. Her life story is the center of this piece and Sarah really gave the performance of her lifetime; her range of emotions was commanding. Joseph McFadden nailed the role of the cowardly, self-centered creep and star-crossed lover of Carol.. Camilla Power was wonderful as Becky Andrew's sweet innocent wife caught up in Carol's and Andrew's obsession with each other. And a very young Holliday Grainger as Lisa, the teenage daughter of Carol was totally captivating in her innocence. (Spoiler's may be ahead)The story which shows the life of a girl Carol (Sarah Smart) who comes from a highly dysfunctional family, whose father was a violent brute and a child molester, whose mother was a flake that took off leaving her children with this monster. The only escape this poor girl had was to find her soul mate in the little boy Andrew (Joseph McFadden) next door. They grew up to love each other and perhaps would have found happiness if not for the lack of understanding and approval of his snobby parents. When they reach the age of 18 they plan to run away and get married, only to be discovered and have their plans destroyed by Andrew's father's breach of doctor patient confidentiality. Here we learn that not only was the girl molested as a child and raped by her father but at the age of 12 she gave birth to his baby, who is now being raised as her sister. After the marriage plans collapses and he is sent off to college. The two don't see each other until Christmas break, when he comes home and sees her with another man John (Richard Armitage). So he pretends to not see her and picks up another girl to make her jealous. She in return makes up to John, to make him jealous as well. Poor John really likes her and is so shy and introspect that he feels lucky that she will even go out with him. She finally decides to get Lisa and leave the farm where they live for good. After years of being away, she returns pretending to have been successful in the time she's been away when actually she is poor and had a really hard time making it with Lisa. Andrew has also return from college, married with a pregnant wife. She convinces her sick father to turn the farm and business over to them in exchange for taking care of him. He doesn't last very long, and dies leaving her a worthless farm business. Realizing she's about to get evicted, she decides to marry John for his money and labor to fix up the farm. But Andrew can't accept this even though he doesn't want her. He does everything to break them up; when that fails he decides to leave his wife and child to get Carol back. She however keeps her commitment to John and sends him away. Unable to take Carol's rejection, Andrew kills himself, leaving her totally devastated. The series ends with understanding John, finding Carol in a near catatonic state and bringing her home. Leaving the viewer hopefully with him Carol will find the kindness and true love her childhood never afforded her.. I'm sure my description of the story does not give it justice. It was such an excellent screenplay adaptation. I urge all like me who haven't seen it to buy it and view this wonderful contemporary drama.

OK it's very melodramatic, but what acting by the two leads! Both of them are excellent in this. I've seen Sarah Smart do a similar 'act' in other things. Whatever it is, she does it very well.Joe McF plays his passionate and emotional part very well here. I know he irritates some reviewers by his 'soppiness' in this, but that's the character.I'm surprised that Sparkhouse did not catapult both of them into much greater prominence. Joe McF, in particular, seems almost to have disappeared from the screen.By the way, I also think Camilla Power is good in her rather thankless role. To think she was once in Narnia! Richard Armitage also does well here, but doubt I'll ever understand the adulation he seems to attract.

OK, I'm sick to death of people whining, and saying "Oh, it's so PREDICTABLE, oh it's so MELODRAMATIC, oh it's so UNORIGINAL". Guess what kids - EVERY THEME HAS BEEN DONE. It's no longer a question of fresh, new concepts or ideas, the art is in the FORM. The show had wonderful performances, it was well put-together, and I enjoyed it. Yes, the plot twists have all been done before, the story has been done before (not surprising, since it's a lovely modern retelling of Wuthering Heights), but so what? Just about every flick I see is predictable and hackneyed from a plot perspective, but the WAY the film plays out is what draws my attention.Watch it, it's another example of a production that would never fly in the US because it's much too basic. Personally, I think Sarah Smart is lovely and very talented, but in the States, they would have selected someone with a following, someone ridiculous like Sara Michelle WhatsHerName and completely ruined it. Not to mention the big budget sets, the cheesy one-liners, and the farm-girls that look like they all stepped out of the Elizabeth Arden spa.

Raw, emotional, superbly written and acted love story. I thought that the two leads really shone, particularly Joe McFadden. He was totally believable as a decent man who falls apart and whose world is in constant emotional turmoil. The ending was bleak and harsh, but as it's a story inspired by Wuthering Heights, it was never going to end happily. After seeing this, I couldn't get it off my mind for days - made a maximum impact.