After the first time I watched this magnificent period drama, I was totally hooked. I have since watched it 2 more times (in a row), I found it so compelling. The sets, costumes, everything about this is the epitome of classic Vitorian life. I closely formed a bond with Sugar, and felt for the way William treated her. It's a classic of good overcoming bad. I adored it and cannot wait for the DVD! The change made by Sugars love and affection for poor little Sophie was commendable, and the mental illness suffered by Agnes, was so believable as she slowly went out of her mind, and the gentleness shown by Sugar with her was heartfelt. The cast, directer, set producer, period costumer are all at their very best!

I have just finished watching the final episode today and - like another reviewer (jane) I did not want it to end. This has so much to recommend it. Although I am an avid appreciator of 'period drama' some of it, let's face it, is not brilliant is it? Yeah, okay it's watchable, but this, THIS is just fantastic, because:1. It has all the allusions to 18th Century 'tales' of 'fallen women in the big dirty London City' like Daniel Defoe's 'Moll Flanders' for example, but then adds something else, something new. 2. The something 'new' is an in your face representation of 1870s London. What a relief to see it how I imagined it to be. As a working class London girl who was lucky enough to study London Victorian life from a working class perspective it was exhilarating - and terrifying - to see what appears to me an accurate vision of the time and place. If you want servile happy poor folk who are 'everso grateful' to their betters, then go get a Disney version. This one goes for it. You can almost smell it - and it ain't nice, it ain't pretty. From the attempts by the prostitutes to prevent getting pregnant, the attempts to 'get rid of' unwanted pregnancies to the completely unsexy images of rich men f**cking in an alley way. 3. All of the acting is superb. Let us all thank God that the Americans never got hold of this for a film version. When Agnes thinks she sees her 'Angel' loitering in the street below the window, it is a play on the Victorian ideal of womanhood 'the angel in the house' - William Rackham's idealisation - and separation - of the two women in his life says so much that needed to be said about this often idealised time in history. The Angel in the House, particularly after Sugar moves into the home as Governess, means the Prostitute became the Angel in the House, if but briefly. 4. The one weak link for me was the character of Emmeline Fox played by Shirley Henderson. I am now reading the book and wonder why this character was made so two dimensional when her character really could have been sooooo much more. But hey......different texts, so if you haven't read the book, you won't care.5. When the body of Agnes is plucked out of the Thames, there are nods and winks to the Pre Raphaelite painting of 'Ophelia' - the woman driven mad by her lover who drowns herself. Art that was by Victorian males, judged by Victorian males and modelled by at least one prostitute. Also, a comment on the strange ideas of womanhood during this period - but by extension, the strange ideas right now. Yeah, it has changed, but has it changed as much as we like to believe? In this way it becomes a meditation on the past and the present.Highly recommended to everyone who loves a good yarn. Even more so to anyone who wants a warts and all depiction of the past. Romola Garai and Chis O'Dowd are just wonderful and should win at least a couple of awards for their efforts here. .....but everyone is good, special stars for Gillian Anderson as the collector of religious pictures who proves beyond any doubt she can play anything the director throws at her. Lovely performance. Also recommend the book upon which this is based. First rate.

William Rackham is considered by his Father to be pathetic and everything he does is useless, until he meets a prostitute named Sugar, Sugar gives William confidence, while William offers a new life for Sugar.I have not been fond of old period dramas and British telly is full of period dramas, but when I saw the advert for this show, I was dazzled by the character Sugar, this show seemed to have a dark quality to it that drew me in. So, I watched it and I have to say, I was blown away by the cast, script and overall production values that the BBC have put in making this show, especially after they cancelled one of my favourites, 'Survivors'.The audience receives a brief but powerful insight into the world of Victorian England, the elitist behaviour that divides a country, I have not read the novel, but I am a firm believer that a novel is usually much better than a live production, so I will read the novel.Keep on producing quality dramas!

As a fan of Victorian-era drama, this 4-part adaptation of a Michel Faber book of the same name is right up my street. It is the story of a London prostitute called Sugar (played by Romola Garai) who takes the fancy of a well-to-do merchant Mr Rackham (Chris O'Dowd) and how their relationship develops. What starts of as a purely sexual thing, soon become much more than that and Sugar becomes increasingly involved in Mr Rackham's home and business life. The whole production is fantastic - from the stylistic direction right down to the set design, costumes, music and acting. Romola Garia and Chris O'Dowd particularly stand out, as does Amanda Hale as the mentally disturbed wife. I have just finished watching the 3rd episode and did not want it to end, it was that gripping. I can't wait to read the book and only hope it is half as good as this series. I will definitely buy this when it comes out on DVD and watch it again. All in all, highly recommended!