Right now you can watch North & South in the US on Amazon Prime Video and BritBox Amazon Channel — and it holds up to as much attention as you give it. The show says what it needs to say in a single season, no filler. With 203 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Richard Armitage's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

North & South is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. North & South takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. Margaret Hale is a southerner from a country vicarage newly settled in the industrial northern town of Milton. In the shock of her move, she misjudges charismatic cotton mill-owner John Thornton, whose strength of purpose and passion are a match for her own pride and willfulness. When the workers of Milton call a strike, Margaret takes their side, and the two are brought into deeper conflict. Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It was aired in 2004. The performances in North & South do a lot of work in the silences between the dialogue. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, North & South delivers. If you have already watched Little Dorrit, North & South is a natural next step. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Richard Armitage carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.

North & South wrapped up in 2004, created by Elizabeth Gaskell and Sandy Welch — and 1 season is available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.