6. Fortunes of War

An A to Z of UK Television Drama

Our sixth episode focuses on the criminally overlooked wartime saga Fortunes of War, starring Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh as newlyweds Harriet and Guy Pringle who find themselves continually evaded the German advance across Europe, from Romania, to Greece to Egypt. Directed by James Cellan Jones and adapted by Alan Plater, from as many as six books by Olivia Manning, Fortunes of War offers an epic treatise on love, commitment and the human spirit and a stunning guest cast of memorable supporting characters played by Ronald Pickup, Charles Kay, Philip Madoc, Clifford Rose, Ciaran Madden, Robert Stephens and Alan Bennett. Despite several BAFTA awards for Thompson, it's design and costumes, Fortunes rarely, if ever, makes it into books on TV drama or onto lists of the best British TV series and Andy in particular, who is a big fan of the series, wants answers! Next episode: GBH