BritBox's new eight-part drama A Woman of Substance has drawn comparisons to Downton Abbey and Succession, blending early 20th-century class conflict with a modern-day family power struggle over a business empire. Adapted from Barbara Taylor Bradford's novel of the same name, the series follows Emma Harte's journey from an impoverished maid to a formidable tycoon, and has already been renewed for a second season to continue the story.

The show spans six decades, splitting its focus between a young Emma (Jessica Reynolds) working in the Fairley household in the early 1900s and an 80-year-old Emma (Brenda Blethyn) in the 1970s, fighting to keep control of her company as her children try to undermine her. Only her granddaughter Paula (Mara Huf), who is secretly involved with Jim Fairley (Toby Regbo), stands by her side amid mounting family secrets and rivalries. The article praises both lead performances and the show's exploration of Emma's revenge-driven backstory, noting that a second season will be needed to bridge the gap between the two timelines.