One of the best and most underrated limited series of the year has to be Russell T. Davies' Years and Years. Set in the not so distant future, Years and Years examines the horrors of what might be down the pipeline in regards to politics, climate change, and more, but through the lens of an intimate family drama. The series stands as a strange midway point between Black Mirror and This Is Us.
The writing on the series is outstanding, as one would expect from Davies, but the cast is what makes this show. This is one of the easiest TV families in which to invest in recent memory, and much of that has to be credited to the outstanding performances from each of the cast members. Looking back over its short episode run, here is every performance in Years and Years ranked.
Jade Alleyne
Playing the oldest daughter of Stephen and Celeste, Jade Alleyne remained fairly unchanged throughout the series. Her placement on the bottom of the list is less a judgment on her performance and more a commentary on the writing of her character. In a cast this large and intertwined, there was bound to be a few characters who fell to the wayside. Jade's character of Ruby though seriously go the short end of the stick.
Ruby doesn't do anything the entire series. She has a few moments, but most of which are shared with other characters such as Celeste and Bethany. Jade can't be blamed for her role in the series, but, unfortunately, as it was fairly lacking any substance, she falls to the bottom of the list.
Maxim Baldry
Maxim played Russell Tovey's lover in the series, Viktor. A refugee from Ukraine, Viktor has, even more, hurdles to jump through due to being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. His story is one of the most relevant of the series, holding a harsh light up to the treatment and experiences of both the queer community and displaced refugees. But, although his arc was prescient, the actual character portrayal was fairly bland.
Viktor is less a captivating individual to follow and more a symbol of greater issues. His presence in the series was more than necessary, and there are some honestly touching moments in Maxim's portrayal. Sadly though, Victor is more defined by how his presence interrupts the lives of the Lyons in both good and bad ways.
Ruth Madeley
Ruth Madeley's Rosie is an immediately likable character. This self-assured single mom embraces every part of what makes her, and she can only be championed for it. Madeley embodies that to a tee and makes the character her own through and through. The only reason she falls so short is the somewhat lacking attention to her. While she is an essential part of this family and series, Rosie's presence and her journey are far less compelling to watch.
T'Nia Miller
Miller plays Celeste, the wife to Stephen and the mother to Bethany and Ruby. Celeste is a high ranking accountant who, like many, has her entire life turned upside down by systematic forces beyond her control. She also faces a radically different daughter, a questionable position in her husband's family, and definite trouble in her marriage. Through it all, she meets it with steely vigor and confidence, and Miller plays it perfectly.
Jessica Hynes
Jessica Hynes is one of the best comedic actors working in Britain today. Her role on Edgar Wright's Spaced is still iconic, and she remains a powerhouse in her field. It is then surprising to see her cross into this far more dramatic role as Edith in Years and Years. Edith is the revolutionary sibling in the Lyons family and is unfortunately condemned to an early death due to radiation exposure. Her journey from radical to nihilist and finally to her authentic self was beyond engrossing.
Anne Reid
Anne Reid is one of the most reliable performers around. While her role as Muriel might seem like a standard "grandma" figure, her performance elevates it beyond that. Muriel faces some of the biggest and most drastic change of the whole show. As the oldest character, she has the full picture of how much things have drastically changed. Because of this, her insight and choices are some of the most telling of the series, and Reid's performance sells it wholeheartedly.
Rory Kinnear
Rory Kinnear is an outstanding classically trained actor. Appearing in large franchises like James Bond as well as something as small as a Shakespearean production, Kinnear is a multifaceted actor with tons of experience. Because of this, its no surprise to anyone that he is pitch-perfect in Years and Years.
Kinnear plays the oldest Lyons sibling Stephen, serving as the closest thing to a patriarch. Sadly, although his role asks him to be the most put together, he is one of the most deconstructed figures in the show. Due to anxieties and self-destruction, Stephen falls apart throughout the show, destroying his career, marriage, and the lives of the people he cares most about. Luckily, Kinnear brings it all to life perfectly. His performance berating Viktor is one of the most haunting moments of the whole show, and his collapse at the end of the show is the perfect showcase of his ability as a performer.
Emma Thompson
Although it is the smallest role on the show, Emma Thompson's performance as Vivian Rook is one of the best TV performances of the year. It is a treat to get a powerhouse film actor like Thompson in a small series like this in the first place. It's another thing to get her to commit as much as she does in the series.
Lydia West
What a perfect acting debut for such a young performer. Lydia West brings Bethany Lyons to life in the series. One of two children to Celeste and Stephens, Bethany plays a teen who comes out as trans, though she is not transgender. Instead, Bethany comes out as Transhuman, believing that she is destined to transcend her corporeal form and become immortalized in the cloud.
Once again, this role easily could have been turned into nothing more than an archetype. Instead, through outstanding acting and writing, Bethany became a fully realized character with one of the best arcs of the whole series. She is essential is both the big plot points and the pointed emotional moments. This role and this performance are so exciting, and we can't wait to see what Lydia West has up her sleeve next.
Russell Tovey
Russell Tovey's performance as Daniel Lyons was the absolute best of the series. His plight, trying to save the man he loves from injustice and possible death was beyond sympathetic. Tovey brought so much personality to the role and made Daniel the most likable character on the show. When pushed though, you fully believed the distress and pain he went through. The commitment to bring ing this character to life made losing him that much harder.
His death was the most shocking moments of the whole show and proved how powerful of an impact he made on the series. If anything, his performance made audiences cheer for him as the lead hero. Tovey absolutely killed it as Daniel (too soon?) and gave arguably the performance of his career.