The Long Song: What the Must Watch reviewers think
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Must Watch reviewers Scott Bryan, TV Editor at Buzzfeed, and Hayley Campbell, journalist and critic, share their thoughts on The Long Song.
The three-part series begins on Tuesday 18 December on BBC One at 21:00.
What do you think? Leave your comments below...
Hayley says: "This is one of the best things I've seen in a while"
"This is a three-part series on BBC One. It's set on a Jamaican slave plantation in 1838 which is right before the abolition of slavery. It's based on Andrea Levy's novel.
"The screenwriter is Sarah Williams and she said that about seven years ago she tried to get this made as a film, but it didn't work at that point because 12 Years a Slave was coming out.
"She took it to the BBC who have given her three hours to tell the story in. That was a wise decision. They've done an excellent job.
"Tamara Lawrance plays July, who's the young, head-strong slave. And her cruel owner is Hayley Atwell who is amazingly cruel - she's such a great actor. Sir Lenny Henry also stars.
"This series is SO funny as well.
"Usually BBC period dramas are not my thing - I can't be bothered watching white ladies fanning themselves anymore. But this is so different and so fresh, it really is one of the best things I've seen in a while. Plus, they give the slaves their own personalities, rather than leaving them as a faceless mass."
Watch the official trailer for The Long Song.
Scott says: "This turns the period dramas that we've seen, on their head"
"It is SO funny. I think they realised that, by making it funny, it doesn't shy away from the horror that slavery was.
"What they've done with July, is they've given her a fantastic personality. The very opening scene is July and Caroline [played by Hayley], and Caroline is essentially forcing July to do tasks.
"There's this brilliant part where she's dictating this vast Christmas lunch that she wants to do and she says 'go and tighten my corset' - and July gives it an extra pull.
"Andrea Levy has based this on research. She said she wrote the book because her heritage has not necessarily been depicted. Jamaican slavery, by the British, lasted more than 300 years.
"This teaches a lot about shameful British history - and turns the normal period dramas that we've seen so many times before, on their head.
"It really makes you think twice about the British history of slavery. It doesn't shy away from the awful racism - they use the terms, you see whippings - some people will be surprised by how intense and awful it was."
