More than two decades after its first episode aired, the 10-part ITV miniseries The Forsyte Saga continues to draw praise from period drama fans, who describe it as a "perfect" watch. All episodes are available to stream free on ITVX.
The series follows the scandals across three generations of a socially ambitious family from the 1870s through to the 1920s. At its centre is Damian Lewis, who plays the unlikeable yet layered solicitor Soames Forsyte, a man obsessed with money and property who becomes fixated on marrying Irene Heron, played by Gina McKee, a woman living in genteel poverty. Although she initially turns him down, the pair eventually marry, but their unhappy marriage and its consequences form the foundation of the generational saga about a family consumed by wealth and social standing.
What viewers think
Covering roughly 50 years from the Victorian period to the end of World War 1, The Forsyte Saga is recognised for its social critique of British society at the dawn of the 20th century. One fan said over 20 years later: "It's still one of my favorites. It's such a perfect period drama for me. It made me love so many of these actors as it's where I first saw them."
A critic added: "It is testimony to Lewis' extraordinary skill that his is the character we loathe at the outset of The Forsyte Saga and in whom we become most interested by the end." People Magazine called the show "a family treasure", writing: "Lewis's performance, though, is a constant marvel. The actor makes Soames's emotional repression so palpable that it's hard to hate him even at his most heartless. When his humanity finally breaks through, you'll feel a surge of hope."
Another viewer commented: "I've just binged the Forsyte Saga for the first time. How had I never come across this before? Absolutely heartwrenching throughout. It would be odd to say I loved it, when the story is so tragic in parts. But I think it was a profound series, I was hooked from the very first episode."
The new Forsyte show
The novels were originally adapted for television by the BBC in the 1960s, with a 26-episode black-and-white series that achieved worldwide success. ITV's own adaptation followed some 35 years later, and the saga was reimagined again for television in 2025 with Channel 5's The Forsytes, a prequel and "reimagining" of the Nobel Prize-winning novels by John Galsworthy.
One fan said of the new series: "The 2002/3 series was phenomenal. It has a lot to live up to. A good binge watch for you!" The cast includes Eleanor Tomlinson as Louisa Byrne, a character created exclusively for the series whose return sends shockwaves through the family. The show description reads: "The Forsytes chronicles the lives, loves, trials and triumphs of a wealthy Victorian era stockbroking family, whose generations find themselves torn between tradition and self-sacrifice versus personal happiness and the pursuit of love."
Inspired by Galsworthy's novels, The Forsytes portrays events that take place before those covered in the books. The Forsyte Saga is streaming on ITVX, while The Forsytes is available on catch-up on Channel 5.
