The Village is an emotional workout. The British create period dramas and produce actors that paint pictures of period life. In modern day America, we have no clue of the hardships of WW I and II Europe. Dramas such as this gives us a glimpse.

First, I just love Maxine Peake. Her relationship with Peter Moffat is so reminiscent of that between Billie Whitelaw and Samuel Beckett. For me, she can do no wrong...but this series, about a working Derbyshire family with its sometimes unremitting grimness of life, has more... The entire cast portrays three-dimensional living, loving, flawed characters. No bland platitudes of Downton Abbey with its Karma Sutra of master-servant relationships, but an honest look at the exploitation of class and the difficulty of getting through it all. Even the Allinghams, the "toffs" in this masterpiece, are complex and edgy. The series is just wonderfuland the now final episode brought me to tears with a combination of beautiful, "can't see the wheels go round" acting, occasional music, and political passion.The message for today is underlined by Pikerty in his "Capital." The one-percent rich are still with us and the exploitation of the working man is almost complete (and that includes middle class professionals) as automation makes their labor irrelevant. The rich can at last reflect on their fortune, in both senses, and convince themselves they have done it all themselves. The Allinghams march on, as so do we, the Middletons, and Tolpuddle Martyrs of this world...remember, "they are few, but we are many."This gritty series is so relevant today, so much more than a nostalgic review of languid privilege. It points the way. Socialism is not dead, but is needed for the coming years - that and passion. This series has it all. It's the best of television since Dennis Potter.

This is undeniably excellent, even I cried at the end because it was so poignant although I won't give the plot away. What makes this so good is that unlike a lot of normal period dramas that depict the mainly upper classes classes of this period, this looks at almost every aspect of life in the village during this period despite primarily focusing on one particular family. I had the pleasure of visiting Derbyshire during the summer and was moved at how well it was depicted in this. The entire drama itself actually moved me to the point that it was something that I immediately wanted to see again. It shows that unlike the gloss of Downton Abbey, despite the fact that I do like that, life was actually very brutal for a large majority of people at the time. What makes this equally so moving is the fact that it left me with a certain numbness at the end and moved me to tears as though it reminded me of how precious life is and the beauty of England in equal measure.

Yes I agree it's mournful, depressing, grim and harsh but that was the reality of life then. If your harvest failed your family could die, there was no public money, or other jobs to be had if you lived in a small remote community. In fact watching a drama which is so well executed, scripted (and stunningly filmed) reminds me of how fortunate we are today. It's also poignant to see the excitement of those enlisting to World War one, a very real honour at the time and what subsequently twisted into an unimaginable horror. How much has changed in 100 years, how well the BBC has done in creating another masterpiece series. A little perspective is a wonderful thing and I certainly recommend this series to those who have a penchant for social drama, as I do.