I watched Michael Sheen drama The Way and it's left me feeling a ...

Considering its links to Wales, I've followed BBC drama The Way’s production since day dot. It seems to have it all – a fantastic cast, compelling story and Michael Sheen, who is one of my favourite actors.

With all this in mind, I was excited to watch the new three-part series that begins on BBC One and BBCiPlayer on Monday, February 19. But upon watching the first episode I was left feeling quite uneasy.

This overwhelming feeling of unease mainly derives from the fact that while the show is dystopian, reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, the current situation in Port Talbot – with mass job losses in Tata Steel – makes The Way feel far too close to home. What did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments.

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Port Talbot is a perfect setting for The Way and you can tell how much Sheen’s hometown means to him. The steelworks almost feel like a character – and the opening shot of the drama, which can be seen in the trailer, is hauntingly beautiful.

Actors turned directors isn’t a new thing and Sheen has a wicked first go behind the camera. The Way has a distinct visual style and at times it feels very creepy. Sheen, an outspoken advocate for Welsh identity, makes it clear that he has something to say about the way our country is viewed by others. This is particularly clear in episode three where, at a middle-class English dinner party, there’s a lot of anti-Welsh remarks. Viewers will also notice that there are strong references to ancient myths, like The Red Monk.

A good drama needs good characters and The Way has plenty. From the off we’re introduced to the complex Driscoll family – with the father (Steffan Rhodri) who has a fractured relationship with his family and a son struggling with drug-related issues (Callum Scott-Howells). Support award-winning journalism with WalesOnline’s Premium app on Apple or Android.

Good characters need a strong cast and each of the core line-up are great. It’s been a joy watching Steffan Rhodri - who famously plays Dave Coaches in Gavin & Stacey - in grittier roles and here, he’s terrific, probably the standout performance for me personally. Callum Scott-Howells, who chatted to WalesOnline ahead of The Way’s release, is also very captivating and you can’t help but get excited for where his career is going next.

The Driscolls are the centrepiece of The Way and the story revolves around their family dynamic. A plot summary reads: “When a civil uprising starts in Port Talbot, and the Driscolls find themselves at the centre of it in different ways, the family, along with another young woman Anna (Maja Laskowska), decide to flee their home town, their home country and their way of life, becoming a form of refugees in the process.”

The size of the Driscoll family’s story leaves you wanting more at the end. Considering how there are only three hour-long episodes, you get the sense that although you’ve just met this family, you now have to say goodbye.

I have to admit, The Way sometimes feels a little messy. With a creative team made up of Sheen, Sherwood writer James Graham and Adam Curtis, a documentarian turning his eye to drama, the show is clearly ambitious but there’s an awful lot going on and should you turn your eyes away for even a minute then you feel like you may miss something very important.

The Way is at its best when it is encouraging you to think about its bigger themes, mainly surrounding workers' rights. There are naturally some bits that are a bit silly and therefore jarring after they play out immediately after very real politically charged scenes.

If I'm going to single anyone’s character out in particular it's Luke Evans’ Welsh Catcher. The dark and mysterious figure, clearly inspired by The Child Catcher from Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang, is incredibly far-fetched.

The Way will probably divide viewers but whatever you think of it, it will no doubt leave you with the impression that Port Talbot and the steelworks do indeed have a hauntingly beautiful - some might argue creepy - quality.

The Way is available in full on iPlayer and it begins on BBC One on Monday, February 19, at 9pm. For the latest TV & Showbiz news, sign up to our newsletter.