'Superb' BBC drama fans say is 'as good as it gets' is finally coming to iPlayer

A 'riveting' British drama featuring a 'terrific' cast, including Succession star Matthew MacFadyen and the late Harry Potter star Michael Gambon, is set to grace BBC iPlayer.

The 2001 mini-series Perfect Strangers, which snagged a BAFTA nomination for Best Drama Serial upon its release, is a three-part drama penned by the esteemed playwright Stephen Poliakoff.

The series delves into the tumultuous events of a distant family reunion, where buried secrets threaten to unravel the family fabric.

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The official synopsis states: "Daniel's family reunion event proves to be a catalyst for the unravelling of secrets and passions buried deep within the family history."

Critics and viewers alike have lauded the show as "a masterpiece" attributing its success to the stellar cast and Poliakoff's distinctive narrative approach, reports the Express.

On IMDb, a viewer praised: "Perfect. This is one of the best TV productions of the last ten years. It is being screened on BBC4 as part of the Poliakoff season, and it's a complete delight to see again. The whole cast is terrific. I could watch Gambon just standing in a bus queue.

"Poliakoff himself says - a little diffidently - that he wants to make television that people remember. I expect most directors do, but few succeed. I have remembered stills, scenes, even expressions from this drama after five years."

Another reviewer commented: "Superb, riveting drama for a wet weekend," while yet another added: "Subtle and heartwarming family drama."

They enthused: "There's a lot to like about this excellent British drama. The story about the relationships between the members of a family, may seem a bit too simple, and the lack of big surprises may disappoint some people, but anyone who takes a closer look, will discover a rich, subtle, heartwarming family drama that offers very authentic, original characters and more emotions and reality than any soap opera will ever do.

"Stephen Poliakoff's direction is impeccable, the casting is truly perfect (even for the smallest roles), the actors never less than wonderful. The beautiful music supports the dramatic events in a way that 'Perfect Strangers' will be in your head for several days. An absolute masterpiece."

Another review hailed the show with the words: "As Good As It Gets," as the fan elaborated: "This drama is 4+ hours long but it held us in its power throughout.

"It was not originally intended to be seen all in one day, of course, but is so gripping that if you have it all you'll want to see it all."

Highlighting the cast, they added: "Some of Britain's finest stage and TV talent was gathered for this - the BBC must have known they were on to a good thing when they saw the script - and that talent is deployed masterfully."

One more admirer declared: "What can I say, Perfect Strangers is brilliant. I think that Stephen Poliakoff has created a masterpiece here.

"Not only is the story line excellent, but the choice of cast is wonderful. I was hooked from the very first episode and cannot wait for the final episode in two days. It makes a nice change to have such a brilliant and enchanting program on TV."

Perfect Strangers Part 1 is coming to BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on August 20.