Watch Parade's End

Parade's End is a five-part television miniseries co-produced by the BBC and HBO, and based on Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Ford Maddox Fords tetralogy of novels with the same name. The series premiered on BBC Two on August 24, 2012 and on HBO on February 26, 2013.

The series opens in England just before the outbreak of World War I and tells the story of a bad marriage and a love triangle involving an old-fashioned son of a nobleman, Christopher Tietjens, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, his beautiful but cruel wife Sylvia, played by Rebecca Hall, and lovely Valentine Wannop, a young suffragette played by Adelaide Clemens. Christophers marriage to Sylvia is unhappy, and eventually she leaves him for another man. While on vacation, Christopher meets Valentine, but he remains faithful to his wife. The couple reconcile, but their marriage is unstable and their future uncertain.

When war is declared, Christopher goes to fight in France, leaving behind Sylvia and a son who may not be his. He survives the nightmare of war, but eventually he must choose who to spend his life with, his wife Sylvia or the adoring Valentine.

The film was largely shot in Kent at Dorton House and St. Thomas a Becket Church. Some of the atmospheric scenes were shot at Freemasons' Hall in London and Duncombe Park. Additional scenes were shot in Belgium, with the Western Front recreated in Flanders.

The films stars are young English actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall. Cumberbatch is best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBCs series Sherlock in 2010. Rebecca has appeared in a number of films, including The Town and Frost/Nixon. Adelaide Clemens, who plays Valentine, is an Australian actress who will also appear in the 2013 film The Great Gatsby.

Tom Stoppard is no stranger to adapting novels to the screen. His prior adaptations include Anna Karenina, Enigma, Poodle Springs and The Russian House.

The series has received a number of awards, including the 2012 year's Broadcasting Press Guild Awards for best drama series, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall winning best actor and best actress, and Tom Stoppard winning the writer's award.