Series creator Russell T Davies had been aiming to write this drama for almost two decades before it finally came together.

The BBC described the project as 'an epic drama following a family over 15 years of unstable political, economical and technological advances' when announcing Davies would write it in June 2018.

Emma Thompson's character Vivienne Rook shares her name with another Russell T Davies character, a journalist featured in the Doctor Who episode 'The Sound of Drums'.

Filming took place in Manchester from 22 October 2018 to 17 March 2019, with locations including Trafford Park used for the refugee camp and Altcar Training Camp in Liverpool used for the 'Erstwhile' site.

To reinforce the idea that the series was set just ahead of the present day, the first episode was re-edited on the very day it aired to include a radio news broadcast referencing the death of Doris Day, who had died the previous day.

The series received three nominations at the 10th Critics' Choice Television Awards, including Best Limited Series and acting nods for Russell Tovey and Emma Thompson.

The show holds an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 66 critics' reviews, with critics praising its satire of the present blended with humour and relatable characters.