It’s good to see a period drama that isn’t about Lord and Lady Muck and their faithful retainers. The Gallows Pole (BBC2) doesn’t have any aristocratic characters, except David Hartley, who is sort of king of everything. This is because he is played by Michael Socha, a very handsome man who has a glamour about him, while his fellow cast members are playing the very ordinary inhabitants of a village in Cragg Vale, Yorkshire, in the 1760s.
This week, UK writer Sarah Vine reviews The Gallows Pole from acclaimed director Shane Meadows, describing the performances as mesmerising . She also reviews BBC1 s Annika.
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS: The Gallow s Pole (BBC2) is loosely based on a novel by Benjamin Myers, which itself is based on the historical legend of a gang of starving weavers.