Cranford In terms of unmissable period drama the BBC's "new Pride and Prejudice" wasn't the recent Sense and Sensibility, but rather this wonderful serial.

It was written by Bronte biographer Elizabeth "North and South" Gaskell and has more focus on social issues than you'd find in Jane Austen.

But there's still plenty of romance, family relationships and society mingling as we follow a year in the life of a sleepy country town.

Dozens of recognisable TV faces play the mostly female inhabitants facing up to changing times thanks to illness, marriage and the impending arrival of the railway line.

A sparkling script and compelling performances make every incident, from petty everyday events to tragic deaths, equally gripping.

Each hour passes in a mist of delight, and at five hours the series ends far too soon. Definitely one to watch more than once.

David Knights