Based on the book of the same name by Ken Follett, World Without End finds England in trouble. It's on the eve of war with France, and the plague is spreading. And in the midst of it all, there's a plot again the king too. That sets the scene for a strong historical drama, with this adaptation spanning eight entertaining episodes.

World Without End is the follow-up to the excellent The Pillars Of The Earth, which itself made a successful transition to the screen. And while the television adaptation isn't totally faithful to the text, there's a lot to like here. It's a rich, engrossing drama, made firmly for adults, and an extremely entertaining one. Sure, there are points where it can feel a little over the top, and it's competing in the midst of a strong time for such historical shows on the small screen. But it's a consistently entertaining piece of work, with the cast led ably by Ben Chaplin.

The disc release is fleshed out by the welcome inclusion of a good, solid behind the scenes look at the making of World Without End. As the name suggests, this digs into the behind the scenes story of the adaptation, and it's a nice accompaniment to the main attraction. That main attraction? It's, at its finest, a glorious slice of historical anarchy, brought to the screen by people who clearly, clearly know what they're doing. --Jon Foster