A 1990s television series that fans say is ‘perfect TV’ is available to binge now
A drama hailed as “one of the greatest British TV series ever” is available to stream. Our Friends in The North, which helped to put stars such as Daniel Craig and Christopher Eccleston on the map, can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.
The series tells the story of four friends from Newcastle upon Tyne – university student Nicky (Christopher), his friends Geordie (Daniel) and Tosker (Mark Strong) and Nicky’s girlfriend Mary, who is played by Gina McKee.
It follows the friends over a period of more than 30 years, from 1964 to 1995, as they go from being teenagers to middle aged. Real events such as miners’ strikes, elections and the storm of 1987 are the backdrop, with the show also tracing the changing political landscape in the UK.
Our Friends in The North was released in 1996, and many reviewers have called it one of the best series of all time. “A landmark British series,” one person said on IMDb.com. “This is truly one of the finest series to come out of Britain.”
Another said: “The acting is outstanding, particularly from Christopher Eccleston, Daniel Craig and Gina McKee who have all become very successful, in part, no doubt, due to this series… Moving, gritty, realistic Our Friends in the North is a must-see.”
“What a real tour de force of British television,” commented someone else. “I love these 80s and 90s dramas and this one is probably one of the best I’ve seen. It’s long, dark, gritty, dialogue heavy and all the characters’ stories interact so beautifully.
“The writing is second to none and when people say ‘they don’t make them like this anymore’ … with regards to this, never before or since! Just watch it. It’s perfect TV.”
“This series is excellent, both heartwarming and tragic,” remarked someone else, as another viewer said it was “an excellent drama” and advised: “Put aside a weekend… and lock out the world.”
“One of the finest moments of British television and any other television for that matter,” said another impressed viewer, calling it “a masterpiece”. “First class acting, wonderful use of music to depict the time period and marvellous production values make this one of the viewing events that will stay forever in your memory since after watching this, it will be hard to find anything better.”
Somebody else labelled the series “sprawling, epic, jaw-dropping, moving”, adding “Our Friends in the North is unparalleled.”
“Still one of the best pieces of television ever made,” one person posted on Reddit, as someone else agreed: “I’m struggling to think of anything that tops it for me.” “One of the greatest British TV series ever,” said another.
“Absolutely stand out TV,” posted another fan. “Made a real impression on me as a teenager at the time, and I thought they captured the moments in history perfectly. Real career high performances from the whole cast too, many who went on to do great things as well.”
Our Friends in the North is available on BBC iPlayer