The 2008 BBC miniseries 'Little Dorrit', starring Claire Foy, has been hailed by viewers as the "best Dickens adaptation of all time" and is available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer. The period drama, adapted from Charles Dickens' novel published between 1855 and 1857, has garnered a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences.
Award-Winning Adaptation
The series, co-directed by Adam Smith, Dearbhla Walsh, and Diarmuid Lawrence, with a screenplay by Andrew Davies, won seven Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Miniseries. It was a co-production between the BBC and WGBH Boston, broadcast in the US as part of PBS's Masterpiece series.
Plot and Setting
The story follows the Dorrit family, whose life revolves around the Marshalsea debtor's prison. Amy Dorrit (Claire Foy) brings the family into contact with a wide range of English society. The series was filmed at locations including Luton Hoo, Chenies Manor House, Hellfire Caves, the Old Royal Naval College, Deal Castle, and Hampton Court Palace, which stood in for Marshalsea Prison.
Star-Studded Cast
Alongside Claire Foy, the cast includes Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Judy Parfitt, Andy Serkis, Eddie Marsan, and Alun Armstrong. Foy, in a 2011 interview with Channel 4, said: "Little Dorrit will always be so important to me - it was my first big job, it was a character I got to play for six months."
Critical and Audience Acclaim
Critics have praised the series, with one noting: "With a stellar cast and a fine adaptation, Little Dorrit is absorbing and entertaining." Another said it is "the closest TV has to a sure thing: a relatively short-term investment with a satisfyingly large payoff." Viewers have echoed this sentiment, with one fan posting: "Absolutely wonderful! Beautiful scripts, enchanting acting and mesmerizing drama! The best of the Dickens!" An IMDb user review called it "one of the very best Dickens adaptations, even British period novel adaptations, ever." Another added: "This is yet another outstanding Dickens-adaptation by the BBC. The casting is perfect, settings and costumes are flawless."
Free Streaming
'Little Dorrit' is available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer, offering viewers a chance to experience what many consider a masterpiece of period drama.
