The 2008 British miniseries Little Dorrit, based on Charles Dickens' novel, has been hailed as the 'best adaptation of all time' by viewers and is available to stream free on BBC iPlayer. The period drama, starring Claire Foy in the titular role, holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences.
Award-Winning Adaptation
Co-directed by Adam Smith, Dearbhla Walsh, and Diarmuid Lawrence, the series features a screenplay by Andrew Davies. It is a joint production between the BBC and WGBH Boston, aired in the United States as part of PBS's Masterpiece series. The show won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries.
Plot and Setting
The story follows the Dorrit family, whose lives revolve around the Marshalsea, a debtor's prison. Amy Dorrit's kind nature brings the family into contact with a wide swath of English society. Filming locations included Luton Hoo, Chenies Manor House, Hellfire Caves, the Old Royal Naval College, Deal Castle, and Hampton Court Palace, which portrayed the Marshalsea Prison.
Cast and Reception
Alongside Claire Foy, the cast includes Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Judy Parfitt, Andy Serkis, Eddie Marsan, and Alun Armstrong. Foy called the series 'so important to me' in a 2011 interview with Channel 4, noting it was her first big job. Critics praised the 'stellar cast' and 'fine adaptation,' calling it 'absorbing and entertaining.' One viewer wrote, 'It is like the book has come to life itself.'
Little Dorrit is now streaming free on BBC iPlayer.
