Home > World on Fire > Series 1 « TV Series Page World on Fire: Series 1 (2019) Want to see Episode List Series 1 World on Fire Critics Consensus Though at times more style than substance, World on Fire's layered storytelling never steps on itself, leaving room for its excellent ensemble and gorgeous set-pieces to fill in any narrative gaps. 83% TOMATOMETER Critic Ratings: 29 52% Audience Score User Ratings: 33 See score details Rate And Review Submit review Want to see Edit Submit review Super Reviewer Verified Super Reviewer Verified Edit Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit Continue Super Reviewer Step 2 of 2 How did you buy your ticket? Let's get your review verified. Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket. Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit How did you buy your ticket? Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Episodes 1 Episode 1 Air date: Sep 29, 2019 As the threat of the Nazi regime looms large over Europe, translator Harry Chase vows to help his Polish lover Kasia flee Warsaw, but how will he explain this to his sweetheart Lois, waiting for him at home in Manchester? Meanwhile, American journalist and broadcaster Nancy Campbell is at the Polish-German border, making a grisly discovery. In Paris, surgeon Webster O'Connor finds the distant threat of war on his doorstep as he falls for French-African jazz musician Albert Fallou, who has been beaten up by the Action Francaise mob. More 2 Episode 2 Air date: Oct 6, 2019 In devastated Warsaw, Kasia makes plans to flee with grief-stricken mother Maria but gets caught in a resistance cell's attack on German soldiers. Harry returns to Manchester. When he finally plucks up the courage to tell Lois the truth about Warsaw, she disarms him by declaring her love. Harry then travels to London where he's dismissed from the diplomatic services because of his conduct in Warsaw. Tom shocks Douglas by announcing he is now a conscientious objector, while in Berlin Nancy is frustrated by the growing power of the censor. In Paris, Webster and Albert are deeply in love, but their joy is overshadowed by the growing threat of prejudice they face. More 3 Episode 3 After enlisting in the navy, Tom finds himself on board the HMS Exeter in pursuit of the notorious Graf Spee, a German pocket battleship which has been picking off British merchant ships for months. A huge naval battle ensues, and Tom's moral compass is reset as he watches the carnage and death around him. As Tom fights for his life, Harry and Lois face a battle of their own. Harry is now a 2nd lieutenant, and is in France with the BEF, supervising the digging of foxholes and tank traps with his sergeant Stan, and trying to win the respect of his unit. When Lois arrives at the base camp to perform with ENSA, Harry's two worlds collide. Lois is determined to ignore him and finds comfort in the arms of another soldier, Joe, who happens to belong to Harry's unit, and there's another shock in store for Harry when he later disciplines Joe... More 4 Episode 4 The phoney war is over. Harry and his unit are fighting for their lives in the town of Louvain, where German troops far outnumber those of the Allied forces. Harry is desperate to prove himself as a leader, but when the Nazis close in, Harry freezes. Can he regain the respect of his men? On the road to refuge Grzegorz and Konrad are woken by a German soldier. Should they fight or escape? Meanwhile, back in Warsaw, Kasia and Tomas's resistance activity has horrific consequences as the Germans swiftly retaliate. In Paris, Webster is shocked to learn more of the rise of anti-Semitism in the city, when a Jewish couple come seeking his help. Despite hospital policy, Henriette persuades him too look after them, revealing that she too is Jewish. Secrets are also uncovered in Manchester, when Douglas guesses that Lois is hiding her pregnancy. Tom's return brings momentary relief - until he confesses that he plans to desert the Navy. More 5 Episode 5 As thousands flee Nazi-occupied Belgium, Harry, Stan and the rest of their unit take the last route out of France - the road to Dunkirk. When the boys finally make it to a field hospital, they find an overwhelmed Webster O'Connor dealing with an endless number of injured soldiers and civilians. Having stumbled across an ambulance of shell-shocked, traumatised troops (including Senegalese soldiers Demba and Ibrahim), Harry is faced with a dilemma - should he stay with the men or save himself? In Warsaw, Kasia's campaign of violence and murder against German soldiers has become routine; she's worlds away from the young, carefree woman she used to be. Her part in the emerging Polish Resistance is firmly established. In Manchester, Lois and Connie are performing with Ensa at a northern airbase. They meet Flight Lieutenant Vernon Hunter who is immediately drawn to Lois, charmed by her candour and humour. More 6 Episode 6 June 1940. The Nazis have taken Paris with not a bullet fired. Webster and Albert's life in the city they love will never be the same again. In Berlin, Nancy finds herself once again at the centre of the Rosslers' increasingly desperate situation as both Mr and Mrs Rossler are arrested for neglecting their patriotic duties. Back in Manchester, Harry returns home with another companion, Demba, one of the heroic Sengalese troops who stayed by Harry's side at Dunkirk. And in Warsaw, Kasia's murderous routine continues in earnest. As she and Tomasz take ever-greater risks in targeting the Germans, the net closes in on them. More 7 Episode 7 Harry is about to head out on his first mission as a Special Operations Executive and is in shock when Major Taylor tells him that he must go to Poland to intercept a resistance group who have been identified and targeted by the Nazis. More World on Fire: Series 1 Photos View All Photos (1) Tv Season Info Genre: Drama Network: BBC One Premiere Date: Sep 29, 2019 Cast Jonah Hauer-King as Harry Chase Julia Brown as Lois Bennett Zofia Wichlacz as Kasia Tomaszeski Yrsa Daley-Ward as Connie Parker Sawyers as Albert Brian J. Smith as Webster João Rei Villar as Chef Show More Cast Episodes 1 Episode 1 Air date: Sep 29, 2019 As the threat of the Nazi regime looms large over Europe, translator Harry Chase vows to help his Polish lover Kasia flee Warsaw, but how will he explain this to his sweetheart Lois, waiting for him at home in Manchester? Meanwhile, American journalist and broadcaster Nancy Campbell is at the Polish-German border, making a grisly discovery. In Paris, surgeon Webster O'Connor finds the distant threat of war on his doorstep as he falls for French-African jazz musician Albert Fallou, who has been beaten up by the Action Francaise mob. More 2 Episode 2 Air date: Oct 6, 2019 In devastated Warsaw, Kasia makes plans to flee with grief-stricken mother Maria but gets caught in a resistance cell's attack on German soldiers. Harry returns to Manchester. When he finally plucks up the courage to tell Lois the truth about Warsaw, she disarms him by declaring her love. Harry then travels to London where he's dismissed from the diplomatic services because of his conduct in Warsaw. Tom shocks Douglas by announcing he is now a conscientious objector, while in Berlin Nancy is frustrated by the growing power of the censor. In Paris, Webster and Albert are deeply in love, but their joy is overshadowed by the growing threat of prejudice they face. More 3 Episode 3 After enlisting in the navy, Tom finds himself on board the HMS Exeter in pursuit of the notorious Graf Spee, a German pocket battleship which has been picking off British merchant ships for months. A huge naval battle ensues, and Tom's moral compass is reset as he watches the carnage and death around him. As Tom fights for his life, Harry and Lois face a battle of their own. Harry is now a 2nd lieutenant, and is in France with the BEF, supervising the digging of foxholes and tank traps with his sergeant Stan, and trying to win the respect of his unit. When Lois arrives at the base camp to perform with ENSA, Harry's two worlds collide. Lois is determined to ignore him and finds comfort in the arms of another soldier, Joe, who happens to belong to Harry's unit, and there's another shock in store for Harry when he later disciplines Joe... More 4 Episode 4 The phoney war is over. Harry and his unit are fighting for their lives in the town of Louvain, where German troops far outnumber those of the Allied forces. Harry is desperate to prove himself as a leader, but when the Nazis close in, Harry freezes. Can he regain the respect of his men? On the road to refuge Grzegorz and Konrad are woken by a German soldier. Should they fight or escape? Meanwhile, back in Warsaw, Kasia and Tomas's resistance activity has horrific consequences as the Germans swiftly retaliate. In Paris, Webster is shocked to learn more of the rise of anti-Semitism in the city, when a Jewish couple come seeking his help. Despite hospital policy, Henriette persuades him too look after them, revealing that she too is Jewish. Secrets are also uncovered in Manchester, when Douglas guesses that Lois is hiding her pregnancy. Tom's return brings momentary relief - until he confesses that he plans to desert the Navy. More 5 Episode 5 As thousands flee Nazi-occupied Belgium, Harry, Stan and the rest of their unit take the last route out of France - the road to Dunkirk. When the boys finally make it to a field hospital, they find an overwhelmed Webster O'Connor dealing with an endless number of injured soldiers and civilians. Having stumbled across an ambulance of shell-shocked, traumatised troops (including Senegalese soldiers Demba and Ibrahim), Harry is faced with a dilemma - should he stay with the men or save himself? In Warsaw, Kasia's campaign of violence and murder against German soldiers has become routine; she's worlds away from the young, carefree woman she used to be. Her part in the emerging Polish Resistance is firmly established. In Manchester, Lois and Connie are performing with Ensa at a northern airbase. They meet Flight Lieutenant Vernon Hunter who is immediately drawn to Lois, charmed by her candour and humour. More 6 Episode 6 June 1940. The Nazis have taken Paris with not a bullet fired. Webster and Albert's life in the city they love will never be the same again. In Berlin, Nancy finds herself once again at the centre of the Rosslers' increasingly desperate situation as both Mr and Mrs Rossler are arrested for neglecting their patriotic duties. Back in Manchester, Harry returns home with another companion, Demba, one of the heroic Sengalese troops who stayed by Harry's side at Dunkirk. And in Warsaw, Kasia's murderous routine continues in earnest. As she and Tomasz take ever-greater risks in targeting the Germans, the net closes in on them. More 7 Episode 7 Harry is about to head out on his first mission as a Special Operations Executive and is in shock when Major Taylor tells him that he must go to Poland to intercept a resistance group who have been identified and targeted by the Nazis. More Critic Reviews for World on Fire Series 1 All Critics (29) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (24) | Rotten (5) If what you want is to be engaged -- to be sucked into a story completely, enveloped by another time and place -- then [World on Fire] might be just the ticket. Apr 8, 2020 | Full Review… Allison Shoemaker RogerEbert.com Top Critic "World on Fire" offers a more intimate exploration of wartime life than is typically portrayed in World War II dramas. Apr 6, 2020 | Rating: B- | Full Review… Kate Erbland indieWire Top Critic The world is spinning out of control in "World on Fire," and, at moments, so are the many story lines. Apr 2, 2020 | Full Review… Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe Top Critic If not a light escape, it makes for a beautifully made, extremely soapy "Masterpiece" series. Apr 6, 2020 | Full Review… Brian Lowry CNN.com Top Critic If "World on Fire" is rarely surprising, it's not full of bad surprises, either, and there is something comforting in the deft way it satisfies dramatic expectations: Expect the expected. Apr 6, 2020 | Full Review… Robert Lloyd Los Angeles Times Top Critic World on Fire is desperate to connect the then and the now, portraying every woman as a strident protofeminist and endowing every character with the wisdom of a 21st century therapist who has specialized training in trauma and oppression. Apr 6, 2020 | Full Review… Robyn Bahr Hollywood Reporter Top Critic World on Fire is, at times, unbelievably cheesy - but the characters' broad strokes make for high-drama entry points into the true horrors of the historical narrative. May 6, 2020 | Full Review… Sonia Saraiya Vanity Fair A shame, really, because the build-up to World War II and the war itself are usually fertile grounds for excellent drama. This one doesn't hold up, sorry to say. Apr 30, 2020 | Full Review… Diane Pershing Malibu Times Sean Bean has made a career out of playing noble leaders like Boromir in Lord of the Rings. But he's wonderful here as a working-class pacifist whose mind World War I shattered. Apr 8, 2020 | Full Review… Megan Basham WORLD Certainly a character-driven drama, but those characters, and the fine performances that shape them, are more than enough to work through the disjointed first episode and see where their lives go as World War II grows in scope and danger. Apr 7, 2020 | Full Review… Joel Keller Decider It's kind of cool to have this sort of story back on TV, an old-school format that follows disparate characters in desperate times. Apr 6, 2020 | Full Review… Rob Owen Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ambitious seven-part Masterpiece series World on Fire covers a lot of ground in its first season, but it still can't help feeling like every World War II drama you've ever seen. Apr 3, 2020 | Full Review… Matt Roush TV Insider View All Critic Reviews (29) Audience Reviews for World on Fire: Series 1 May 21, 2020 Given the topic (life as it entered WWII) there was so much potential but they ended up with half-baked story lines. Really? A Polish young man could walk from Warsaw through German lines, across Germany, through German lines, through British lines to then walk onto the beach of Dunkirk. This and other stray story lines made up this high budget romp. Steve D May 19, 2020 I hate Nazis! How did the world let them get so far? Robin H May 14, 2020 Great action filled soap opera set to ww2 Ryan F May 11, 2020 It seems like it's purpose is to impose present day sensibilities on the real world of the 1940's, rather than tell an interesting story about World War II from a different perspective. Jon M May 04, 2020 Moves much too slowly. Many, though not all, of the main characters (Harry Chase, Tom Bennett, Lois Bennett, Douglas Bennett, Stan Raddings), sound inaudible as if they are mumbling, and I have never experienced this in decades of watching British television, having heard every class accent...Not enough movement in the story line either. Alexandra M May 04, 2020 Love watching it every Sunday! K D Apr 29, 2020 I could not continue watching after the 2nd episode. Just terrible. rose s Apr 20, 2020 I realize this sounds trite, but I cannot get passed Helen Hunts "mask" face. Otherwise, it is an horrific story of war, but just doesn't seem to draw me in. Lois H Apr 14, 2020 I don't like any of these characters except Kasia.They are all short on insight, and this makes it hard to identify with any of them. In addition, the homosexual relationship has yet make a coherent reason for its being part of the plot. Allan H Apr 13, 2020 Great acting. Story line is very engaging. Katie K See all Audience reviews News & Features 200 Erotic Movies Coming attractions for you 2020's Most Anticipated Movies What and when to watch Video Game Movies Ranked 43 ranked worst to best Best Netflix Series and Shows What to watch right now More News & Features TOP HEADLINES All Upcoming Disney Movies: New Disney Live-Action, Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and More – Rotten Tomatoes The Best Quibi Shows to Stream Now – Rotten Tomatoes The 64 Most Anticipated Movies of 2020 – Rotten Tomatoes Sundance 2020 Movie Scorecard – Rotten Tomatoes Everything We Know About The Lord of the Rings Amazon Series – Rotten Tomatoes 2019 Rotten Movies We Love – Rotten Tomatoes The 50 Most Anticipated Movies of 2021 – Rotten Tomatoes 100 Fresh Movies You Can Watch for Free Online Right Now – Rotten Tomatoes More Headlines View All Results Go back More trailers