Contrary to many opinions here, I found it rather watchable and even enjoyable at times. It felt like a polished, brushed, and westernized version of the original novel, and to my view there was little "Russian" spirit in the series. But I understand that overall it fits well within the BBC format of period movies such as those based on Jane Austin works. Perhaps this was the creators' way to make it more watchable for the modern audience.
Of course, the best thing about this version of W&P is Paul Dano - to me, he's been born for this part. Kind, intelligent, noble, sensitive, soft, fragile, often a restless soul - Dano is all these things. Couldn't even dream of such count Bezukhov. Another strong suit of the movie, as many noted, are the locations and set decorations. Amazing. The costumes, on the other hand, looked at best questionable to me, especially when it came to Natasha's, Sonia's, and princess Bolkonskaya's dresses and styles. I was simply shocked by how the former two were dressed for their first appearance in the movie: seriously, they are young countesses, does the costume designer really believe that Russian nobility had no taste whatsoever in fashion? Unfortunately, apart from Paul Dano, I found most of other casting choices rather disastrous (especially Lily James as Natasha). They all are fine actors, but not suited for their parts, with rare exceptions. I felt that a more thorough casting job should have been done.
Overall, I think that it is still possible to enjoy this new production, especially if you haven't read the book.
