Overview
- All eight episodes premiered on September 25 and the series quickly climbed Netflix’s most‑watched rankings.
- Journalists and Netflix materials note that several characters, including James Norton’s Sean Rafferty and Jack Gleeson’s Byron Hedges, were created for the show.
- Historians have flagged major set pieces as dramatized inventions, saying there is no record for some public unrest and political intrigue depicted on screen.
- The portrayal of Arthur Guinness as gay and explicit scenes featuring Anthony Boyle have gone viral, with commentary highlighting the show’s more affirmative take on queer identity in a period setting.
- Molly Guinness criticized the drama as unjust and clichéd, while Steven Knight says he ‘filled in the gaps’ and intends multiple seasons, though Netflix has not officially renewed the series.