'Absolutely stunning' period drama based on beloved novels is a must-watch

Enthusiasts of period dramas simply cannot miss this brilliant collection of ITV films currently available for streaming, this comes as after viewers have raved about a perfect 10/10 historical series and a "superbly filmed BBC production, reports the Mirror.

This cinematic saga boasts a devoted following, with supporters previously singing its praises across IMDb.

One viewer headlined their perfect 10/10 critique: "One of the all time great seafaring adventures!"

The reviewer continued: "It ranks up there with the original Mutiny on the Bounty,The Sea Hawk and Master And Commander as one of the greatest of its kind."

Another fan declared in their flawless 10/10 assessment: "This is one of the most realistic historical dramas out there."

"Everything in Hornblower is played to perfection, from the sets (fantastic, towering ships) to the costumes to the cast. The actors are all so believable in their roles that it's hard to pull yourself out of that world. I had only flicked onto it by accident on TV, but I couldn't pull myself away."

A third viewer hailed the production as a "True Swashbuckling Adventure" and remarked: "A great cast and the sight of the beautiful sailing vessels in full rigging -- I'd forgotten how much I love them."

Yet another commentator proclaimed: "Storytelling at its best!" before expanding: "The first in the Horatio Hornblower series, this installment is absolutely stunning. After watching this, you will find yourself longing for more. There is enough action, drama, and humor to satisfy just about anyone [sic]."

Yet another person praised the show as "top notch entertainment" and said: "I viewed this show with some trepidation, as the name Hornblower to me (as with many others) is synonymous with Gregory Peck.

"But this is a different Hornblower and the magic is very much the same - fancy uniforms, good guys and bad guys, lots of sailing ships and lot of blood and thunder. What more can one ask for?".

Hornblower was a series of historical films starring Hollywood actor Ioan Gruffudd and was adapted from three of the 10 novels penned by C. S. Forester.

The drama chronicled the fictional title character Horatio Hornblower, a Royal Naval officer during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

The films aired on ITV from 1998 to 2003, with eight episodes in total.

Additional cast members featured Robert Lindsay, Paul McGann, Paul Copley, Sean Gilder, and Jamie Bamber.

There were also some other notable names who made appearances, including Denis Lawson, Ian McNeice, Samuel West, Cherie Lunghi, and Greg Wise.

Before the ITV films, there were other adaptations of Forester's novels, with Hollywood star Gregory Peck portraying the character in the 1951 film Captain Horatio Hornblower.

Meanwhile David Buck featured in an American TV series as the character in 1963 and Michael Redgrave appeared in a radio adaptation in the 1950s.

Hornblower is streaming on ITVX now