of her performance is all the more remarkable considering the company she keeps." Andrew Billen of The Times stated, "The cast was so strong it was almost distracting. But, as in any great ensemble, when the individuals came together nothing jarred ... This adaptation added up to even more than the sum of its considerable parts." James Walton of The Daily Telegraph observed, "Heidi Thomas’s script subtly brought out a more hidden element of Cranford life: that these people are simultaneously proud and ashamed of their provincial status. She also manages the Mrs Gaskell trick of making the town itself the main character ... [T]he result (and of course I mean this as a compliment) sharply recalls another TV portrait of life in a town near Manchester. Admittedly, Cranford features more Annie Walkers and fewer Elsie Tanners than early Coronation Street. Otherwise, the power of the matriarchs, the centrality of gossip and – when the chips are down – the touching sense of community, are all winningly similar. So too is the ability to subject the characters to clear-eyed scrutiny, while still retaining an obvious affection for them." In the UK, the first episode was watched by 8.43 million viewers and ranked #6 for the week, outperforming ITV1's usually dominant I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. By the final episode viewership had dropped to 7.26 million, although the programme remained in the top ten. Accolades British Academy Television Awards Won Best Actress - Eileen Atkins Won Best Production Design Won Best Sound Fiction/Entertainment Nominated Audience Award for Television Nominated Best Actress - Judi Dench Nominated Best Costume Design Nominated Best Drama Serial Nominated Best Editing (Fiction/Entertainment) Nominated Best Make Up & Hair Design Nominated Best Original Television Music Nominated Best Writer - Heidi Thomas Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Won Best Drama Series Won Best Actor - Philip Glenister Won Best Actress - Eileen Atkins Won Writer's Award - Heidi Thomas Nominated Best Actor - Michael Gambon Nominated Best Actress - Judi Dench Golden Globe Awards Nominated Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Judi Dench Nominated Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television - Eileen Atkins Primetime Emmy Awards Won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie -