The Line of Beauty, in the US on Amazon Prime Video, takes its characters as seriously as it takes its plot. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Dan Stevens anchors it with a performance that rewards close attention. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

The Line of Beauty is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — The Line of Beauty earns every emotional beat it goes for. Crawl deep under the skin of Thatcher's Britain, seen through the eyes and experiences of a young, gay man, from the euphoria of falling in love to the tragedy of AIDS. A story of love, class, sex and money. Dan Stevens and Tim McInnerny lead a cast doing genuinely serious work here. The Line of Beauty premiered in 2006. What elevates The Line of Beauty is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, The Line of Beauty delivers. Viewers who responded to Sullivan's Crossing will find a lot to like here too. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Dan Stevens is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

The Line of Beauty wrapped up in 2006, created by Saul Dibb — 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.