Reception
The first series received positive reviews, with Mail+ calling it a "stunning adaptation", and Woman & Home describing it as "absolutely glorious" and a "powerful, feminist watch". In a five star review for The Daily Mail, Christopher Stevens described the "brilliant rags-to-riches epic" as "an outrageously guilty pleasure".
Hollie Richardson of The Guardian described it as "another wonderful (and horny) retelling" of the novel, and Helen Fear of TV Guide said that "if you're a fan of period dramas" then this "quality series" is "a great yarn". Anna Walker wrote for The Conversation that the series is "visually sumptuous", taking place in an "unapologetically glossy period world", adding that "the storytelling [still] retains the unabashed melodrama."
Radio Times called it "epic, sweeping, unironic TV", adding that the series "remains hypnotic for the same reasons it worked all those years ago", additionally describing Reynolds as a "captivating tour-de-force". Daily Express asserted that the "glossy, polished" series does Taylor Bradford's work "justice", adding that the costume designers "have gone all out", making the series "far more stylish than the 1985 version". The Telegraph noted that writers Jakeways and Bardsley "bring a modern sensibility" to the "entertaining" adaptation, ultimately awarding four stars.
Metro called it a "worthy heir" to the 1985 adaptation, describing it as "engrossing" and "tremendous fun to watch", awarding it three stars and noting comparisons to Disney+ series Rivals. Charlotte O'Sullivan of The Independent, in her three star review, also referenced Rivals and gave "kudos" to the series' creators for the "mostly thrilling series", describing Reynolds' performance as "extraordinary" and Blethyn's as "magnetic". In another three star review, Financial Times described the series as a "Downton-meets-Dallas reboot" which is "perfectly watchable" albeit "stuck in the 1980s".
