Leo Tolstoy's classic 1869 novel "War and Peace" is being made into yet another TV adaptation - this time on the BBC. A mini-series with six hour-long episodes will tell the epic tale, and it will star Paul Dano (of "12 Years A Slave" and "There Will Be Blood" fame), Lily James ("Cinderella" and "Downton Abbey") and James Norton ("Grantchester" and "Happy Valley"). The classic tale is regarded as one of the most-important works of literature in history, and it details the events surrounding the French invasion of Russia during the Napoleonic Wars - and the impact this had on Tsarist society. The Selling Point: It's a real classic - everyone says that you have to read War and Peace before you die, but the book's more than 1,200 pages long, so why not just watch this six-hour series instead? The Concerns: Two primary concerns: First of all it's been done so many times before, why should this version be any better or different? Second, the book is extremely long and complex - can six episodes do it justice and still keep viewers focused and interested at the same time?
15. The Living And The Dead (2015-16)
Another six-part BBC series, this time rather than an epic historical tale it is a paranormal thriller from the co-creators of "Life on Mars" - Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham. Set in the English countryside (in Somerset) during the 1880s, it follows a gentleman farmer named Nathan Appleby who is obsessed with proving there is an afterlife - leading to an interest in the occult that poses a threat to himself and his family. It's got ghosts, myths and poltergeists galore. The Selling Point: Life on Mars was groundbreaking and simply brilliant - so hopefully Pharoah and Graham have delivered once again with this paranormal thriller. The Concerns: Is it really going to be that different to previous ghost thrillers that have been shown before?
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
