We’ve been a bit quiet on the subject of Cranford here on TVScoop, but the moment is almost upon us! Anyone who thought the world of costume drama began with Jane Austen and ended with Charles Dickens is about to discover there’s at least one more letter in the alphabet of archaic amusement: G for Gaskell.

With a star-studded cast that rivals the Harry Potter films in the “how many British actors can you squeeze into a drama?” stakes, Dame Judi Dench leads in the role of Matty Jenkins, supported by Philip Glenister, Francesca Annis, Michael Gambon, Lesley Manville, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Greg Wise and Julia Sawalha. Elizabeth Gaskell’s many-textured stories have been sidelined for far too long in favour of more widely recognised authors of a similar era. Tonight at last the Beeb begins to redress the balance with this stunning five-parter.

Cranford is about to undergo the most significant change in its history, and the locals are not all convinced change will be for the better. The small Cheshire market town is about to be “invaded” by the railway from Manchester, bringing 19th century job seekers (without an allowance) and a lack of respect for law and order.

Miss Matty Jenkyns (Judi Dench) continues to struggle with her own disappointments. As a girl, she was forced to give up the man she loved – Mr Holbrook (Michael Gambon) – and much of her youthful spirit and soaring dreams were crushed as a result. At heart she remains the kind and generous person she always was, and is loved for it throughout the town. Unlike her elder sister Miss Deborah (Eileen Atkins), the town’s self-appointed moral guardian who enforces a rigid social code and dominates the other women in their isolated society.

The arrival of handsome new doctor, Frank Harrison (Simon Woods) from London causes a stir both on account of his revolutionary medical methods and the effect he has on Cranford’s ladies.

Gaskell’s stories are full of wit and celebration of life while at the same time they cover its harsh realities and often deliver an unexpected emotional punch. Each of the five hour-long episodes promises to run a gamut of emotions from high to low, and with this fabulous cast it looks like BBC Drama will have a certain winner in Cranford. Talking in Ian Wylie’s column, director Simon Curtis fears for the future of costume drama on the BBC, since it is so expensive to produce and the lengthy schedules make it even harder to persuade cash-strapped executives to invest. While the future for other such shows may hang in the balance, at least we can sit back and enjoy the latest output from their long line of period drama classics.

Cranford: BBC One, Sunday 18 November, 9pm for five weeks.