The Living and the Dead

Somerset 1894. When a pioneering Victorian psychologist brings his vivacious young wife to live on his family's estate, he is confronted by one disturbing case after another. Are these strange events linked merely by coincidence, or is there something more sinister - more supernatural - going on at Shepzoy?

The Living and the Dead (2016) is a British gothic period miniseries created by Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham for BBC One. Colin Morgan plays Nathan Appleby, a pioneering Victorian psychologist who brings his vivacious young wife Charlotte (Charlotte Spencer) to live on his family's estate at Shepzoy in Somerset. Set in 1894, the six-episode limited series follows a steady run of disturbing cases that Nathan tries to explain through reason, while his wife and the household grow increasingly unsettled. David Oakes, Chloe Pirrie and Pooky Quesnel fill out the cast of the estate. Each episode is built around a new unsettling incident that tests the couple's marriage and the rational frame Nathan relies on, so the central question of coincidence versus the supernatural keeps tightening. The mood is eerie, melancholic and claustrophobic, with grief and lingering loss hanging over the house. Its atmosphere and slow-burn unease will appeal to viewers who enjoy The Haunting of Hill House, Penny Dreadful and The Little Stranger, with the period-drama texture of a Victorian ghost story.

Audiences rated this period supernatural miniseries positively, praising its atmosphere and gothic mystery while it remains a modest, under-discussed production.

• The Haunting of Hill Houseslow burn victorian gothic dread, supernatural mystery in a remote English house
• Penny Dreadfulperiod drama with a psychologist protagonist and rational inquiry colliding with the uncanny
• The Little Strangerbritish gothic period atmosphere, grief-haunted domestic mystery
• The Woman in Black (2012)ghost story miniseries built on a single location and unsettling family secrets

Created by

Ashley Pharoah, Matthew Graham

Release Date

2016-06-28

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

7.3 / 10 (60)

What is The Living and the Dead about?

A Victorian psychologist and his young wife confront a string of unsettling events on his Somerset family estate, asking whether they are coincidence or something supernatural.

What is The Living and the Dead like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Living and the Dead as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.

Is The Living and the Dead violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Living and the Dead as mild.

What did critics think of The Living and the Dead?

Audiences rated this period supernatural miniseries positively, praising its atmosphere and gothic mystery while it remains a modest, under-discussed production.

Which shows are like The Living and the Dead?

Shows with a similar feel include The Haunting of Hill House, Penny Dreadful, The Little Stranger, and The Woman in Black (2012).

How long is The Living and the Dead?

The Living and the Dead: 1 season, 6 episodes.

Is The Living and the Dead still running?

No, The Living and the Dead has ended.

Where can I watch The Living and the Dead?

In United States, The Living and the Dead streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.