‘Perfect’ BBC period drama starring Hollywood icon branded ‘masterpiece’
The Living and The Dead.
(Image: BBC)Some shows disappear too soon, and one BBC drama from 2016 is one of them. First broadcast on BBC One almost 10 years ago, the six-part supernatural series quickly earned praise for its eerie atmosphere, strong performances and cinematic visuals.
But despite critical acclaim, The Living and the Dead was cancelled after just one season. Set in rural Somerset during the late 1800s, the story follows psychologist Nathan Appleby (Colin Morgan) and his wife Charlotte (Charlotte Spencer) as they move into Nathan’s family estate.
What begins as a hopeful return to the countryside soon unravels into a nightmare. The Applebys find themselves surrounded by ghostly apparitions, strange happenings and forces that science can’t explain. As Nathan’s obsession with uncovering the truth deepens, the line between the living and the dead begins to blur.
The Living and the Dead was created by Ashley Pharoah, best known as co-creator of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. Determined to craft a classic Victorian ghost tale, Pharoah blended gothic horror with psychological drama.
Filming took place in the West Country, with Horton Court in Gloucestershire providing a perfect backdrop. Its medieval walls and sweeping countryside gave the story an authenticity that CGI couldn’t replicate. One viewer praised it as “a feast for the eyes with views of the English countryside through the changing seasons.”
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At the centre of it all is Colin Morgan as Nathan Appleby. Already known from Merlin and Humans, Morgan gave what many fans consider his best work in the role. His Nathan starts as a rational man of science determined to explain away the hauntings, but episode by episode he unravels into obsession. One fan on IMDB said Morgan gave “a heart wrenchingly good performance,” while another noted how his wardrobe cleverly reflected his “changing mental state.”
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Charlotte Spencer shines as Charlotte Appleby, offering both tenderness and strength as she tries to hold her husband and the farm together. The chemistry between Morgan and Spencer was frequently singled out, with one review calling it “wonderful.”
Nicholas Woodeson, Elizabeth Berrington, and Robert Emms also stand out in the supporting cast, each adding intrigue and unease to the Somerset village.
No gothic tale is complete without a haunting score, and The Living and the Dead makes full use of sound. Bristol-based duo The Insects created the original soundtrack, while Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins fame contributed a spine-tingling version of She Moved Through the Fair. Traditional hymns and the recurring folk ballad The Reaper’s Ghost also helped tie the story together.
Fans noted that the music stayed with them long after watching, with one review calling the soundtrack “brilliant” and praising how it built tension throughout the series.
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While the BBC never ordered a second series, The Living and the Dead earned strong critical feedback. On Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at 83%, with reviewers describing it as “a throwback to classic gothic tales of yore".
Its visuals were particularly praised, with Matt Gray’s cinematography earning a nomination from the British Society of Cinematographers in 2016. The following year, the Royal Television Society nominated the series for both editing and cinematography at the RTS West Television Awards.
(Image: BBC)
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