The 2008 BBC miniseries Little Dorrit, adapted from Charles Dickens' novel, has been praised by viewers as the "best adaptation of all time" and is now available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
Acclaimed Adaptation and Cast
The series, co-directed by Adam Smith, Dearbhla Walsh, and Diarmuid Lawrence, features a screenplay by Andrew Davies. It stars Claire Foy as Amy Dorrit, alongside Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Judy Parfitt, Andy Serkis, Eddie Marsan, and Alun Armstrong.
The official synopsis reads: "The Dorrits are a family whose life revolves around the Marshalsea, a debtor's prison. Amy Dorrit's kind nature brings the family into contact with a wide swath of English society, from the poorest to the richest, and back again."
Critical and Audience Reception
Little Dorrit holds a rare 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. One reviewer noted: "With a stellar cast and a fine adaptation, Little Dorrit is absorbing and entertaining." Another called it "the closest TV has to a sure thing: a relatively short-term investment with a satisfyingly large payoff."
Viewers have also been effusive. One IMDB user wrote: "One of the very best Dickens adaptations, even British period novel adaptations, ever." Another added: "The casting is perfect, settings and costumes are flawless, the direction is impressive."
Awards and Production
The series won seven Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries. It was produced jointly by the BBC and WGBH Boston, aired in the US on PBS's Masterpiece series.
Filming took place at historic locations such as Luton Hoo, Chenies Manor House, Hellfire Caves, the Old Royal Naval College, Deal Castle, and Hampton Court Palace, which stood in for Marshalsea Prison.
Claire Foy's Reflections
In a 2011 interview with Channel 4, Foy said: "Little Dorrit will always be so important to me - it was my first big job, a character I got to play for six months."
Little Dorrit is available to stream free on BBC iPlayer.
