Any Human Heart, directed by Michael Samuels

Spanning most of the 20th century, this four part British series was adapted by William Boyd from his own novel. Everyman Logan Mountstuart is played by three different actors – Sam Claflin, Matthew McFadyan and Jim Broadbent. He is a not-so successful writer and a deeply flawed man, who experiences great love and great loss. There is a touch of Forrest Gump in some of his celebrity encounters – Winston Churchill, King Edward and Mrs Simpson, Ernest Hemingway and Ian Fleming. But it serves to illustrate many significant events of the last century, including the Spanish Civil War, WWII and Thatcherism. Hayley Atwell is wonderful as Freya, the love of Logan’s life, and the story is ultimately dominated by the relationships in his life – friends, lovers, wives and children. Often funny, frequently sad, sometimes moving, occasionally silly, always engaging, Any Human Heart boasts a very strong supporting cast, including Gillian Anderson, Kim Cattrall, Tobias Menzies and Natasha Little, and is thoroughly enjoyable.