This 6-part adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's chronicle of a tragic friendship and a doomed family is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on television. Charles Ryder, played by a young Jeremy Irons, is the loyal and smitten friend of sad-eyed Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews), whom he can love but never save. A brilliant cast, evocative score, luscious cinematography, and gorgeous costumes are all underpinned by Waugh's unflinching psychological insights.

Havi Hoffman