'Brilliant' BBC drama is 'best thing' on TV and free to stream on iPlayer

There's a new BBC series on iPlayer that you may not have had the chance to watch yet, but critics bill it an "understated gem".

Film Club is a British television series written by and starring Aimee Lou Wood and Ralph Davis. It first aired early in October on BBC Three. Alongside Wood and Davis, the cast includes Suranne Jones and Nabhaan Rizwan and Adam Long and Liv Hill.

The series synopsis reads: "Two movie enthusiasts, Noa and Evie, share a weekly film club where their unspoken feelings for each other grow. When Noa decides to move away for work, Evie has a limited time to confess her love before potentially losing him forever."

Critics have hailed the series, although it seems to have gone under the radar. It has received a solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with one critic stating: "[Film Club] poses plenty of questions about life, love and loneliness, and wanders around in search of an answer, never quite settling on anything. It is subtly off-kilter and an understated gem."

Top critic Mark Kermode said: "It builds on itself and by the time it gets to episodes four, five and six, I was really invested... it had its hooks in me."

A third critic said: "It's seldom laugh-out-loud funny, but its emotional swings really land and there's a lot to be said for a show in which you just like everybody and want the best for them."

Lucy Mangan of the Guardian gave the series four out of five stars and said: "Film Club is a quiet, careful, but confident thing. It was clearly written by two people who know where their strengths lie (above and beyond Wood's startlingly accurate Buffalo Bill impression and Rizwan's flawless channelling of Jeff Goldblum), and it is impeccably cast. A bit more torque and a bit less whimsy might be welcome, but that is to quibble. Wood's star and CV continue to shine."

One fan of the series wrote: "I cannot stop thinking about this show. Aimee Lou Wood and Suranne Jones are brilliant. A love letter to people that are barely holding it together and still managing to find joy."

On IMDb, one fan described it as "brilliant", with another adding that it was "the best thing they have seen".

A final reviewer said: "Just watched all episodes on iPlayer. The writing had many levels, with some pretty tricky subject matter, but it was handled with care and humour. Acting brilliantly from all, with the main stars Aimee and Nabhaan shining. Suranne Jones also carried off the role of the worrying mum with ease. And portrays Film Club like most film clubs are: nerd fests. Loved this and so happy to have watched it."

The Film Club is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.