5 Excellent TV Miniseries That Adapt Classic Fiction

Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) and Elizabeth Bennett (Jennifer Ehle), in "Pride and Prejudice." (BBC)

I grew up in a family with two older sisters and a mother who loved to watch miniseries based on classic novels. At the time, I grumbled and groaned about it because I would have preferred to watch war movies or dinosaur documentaries, but I was outnumbered and outgunned, and period dramas won the day (or evening). As a result, much of my TV experience as a child and youth was with romantic miniseries set in Regency or Victorian England. At 12, I had, somewhat against my will, far more fluency in Jane Austen than the average boy. Having an English teacher for a father enhanced the atmosphere of appreciation for these classic works and their film adaptations.

Over the years, I grew to love these miniseries, and I think I learned much from them about human nature and the value of classic tales (though I still like a good war movie to this day). Here are five miniseries that I’ve come to cherish. They’re full of superb acting, beautiful cinematography, sumptuous costumes, soaring soundtracks and, especially, stories that encompass the valleys and the peaks of human experience and attune us to the mystery of what it means to be alive.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995)

I think I hardly need to summarize this famous Regency-era story by Jane Austen. Its enduring, widespread appeal stems from its complex study of character and its depiction of a mutual distaste turned to love that, in the end, makes the lovers better people. It is young Eliza Bennet’s interactions with the moody Mr. Darcy that teach her the dangers of rash judgments, and it is Eliza’s rejection of Darcy that chastens his excessive pride. Lizzy and Darcy expose one another’s faults—first through anger, then through love. They end up teaching one another valuable lessons, and their relationship aids each of them in the growth of virtue. There’s not much more one could hope for from true love.

I stand firm against the onslaughts of my students, who try to convince me that the 2005 film version of this classic tale of romance is better than the 1995 miniseries starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. While I’m forced to give ground on the question of cinematography (the 2005 flick is beautifully shot and scored, while the 1995 series is merely serviceable in those regards), I insist that the 1995 version captures the spirit of the novel far better and features superior acting.

The fact that it has, over the years, become the image of Jane Austen in popular culture and sent scores of teenage girls into swoons over the idea of their own Mr. Darcy, inseparable in their minds from Colin Firth, speaks to its immense popularity. And that popularity is not unwarranted. The screenplay sticks remarkably close to the novel and thrives on the outstanding performances of its two leads. Jennifer Ehle, who won a BAFTA Best Actress award for her work in the series, understands the character far better than her 2005 counterpart, Keira Knightley (sorry, Keira).

‘North & South’ (2004)

This series adapts Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1855 novel about the Industrial Revolution in England. It dramatizes the clash between two very different worlds when Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe) and her parents move from the rural south of England to the urban, industrialized north, which is so different from what Hale knows that it might as well be another country. There, she witnesses the poverty and squalor that many of the cotton factory workers live in, as well as their preparations for a strike that threatens to turn violent and destabilize the entire system. On the other side of the divide, she comes to know the stern, withdrawn, yet intriguing factory owner Mr. Thornton (Richard Armitage) and his imperious mother (Sinéad Cusack). Hale’s and Thornton’s temperaments and worldviews immediately collide.

With a darker mood than most of the series on this list, “North & South” doesn’t shy away from depicting poverty, loss, and even violence. But all this makes the moments of light, humanity, and gentle romance all the sweeter. An especially fine aspect of this miniseries is its even-handed treatment of the Industrial Revolution in England and the class conflict it sparked.

The screenwriter, Sandy Welch, takes a balanced approach, showing the harsh working conditions and harsher masters in the factories alongside those factory owners who sought to do right by their workers and their families. There are good and evil men to be found in both classes; it’s not a one-sided dramatization but a complex story of human suffering, cruelty, kindness, and love, true to life. As an added bonus, this series features an outstanding soundtrack.

‘Bleak House’ (2005)

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The BBC's "Bleak House" adapted Charles Dickens's novel over 15 episodes. (MovieStillsDB)

Based on the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, “Bleak House” tells the story of young Esther Summerson (Anna Maxwell Martin) and her friends, Ada Clare (Carey Mulligan), and Richard Carstone (Patrick Kennedy), who are potential heirs of a massive fortune. The only trouble is that there are multiple, conflicting wills, fueling a convoluted and torturous court case, Jarndyce v. Jarndyce, which has been stuck in the throat of the English court system like a fishbone for generations, progressing at the speed of molasses.

As Ada and Richard are drawn into the grinding gears of the court case, they begin to develop feelings for one another. Meanwhile, Esther learns more and more about the mystery of her parentage—with far-reaching consequences. Filled with intrigue, plot twists, Dickensian satire, and well-drawn characters, this series will keep you guessing for all 8 1/2 hours.

The edgy, almost experimental cinematography in this series may take some getting used to and won’t suit everyone, but it certainly helps build the atmosphere of labyrinthine, dusky London streets, foggy yellow street lights, obscure dusty attics, and momentous secrets that lie even more well-hidden than the nooks and crannies of the city. This film features a dark, dingy, and somber production design (in keeping with its title), but the story has tremendous heart, and Esther is driving, all the time, through the bleakness toward the light, as though moving through a thunderstorm to clearer skies. It’s the light of truth thrown on secrets, virtue outshining vice, and the undying hope of happiness in spite of great tribulations.

‘Little Dorrit’ (2008)

Claire Foy as Amy Dorrit in "Little Dorrit." (MovieStillsDB)

The BBC version of Charles Dickens’s masterful novel is that rare work of cinema: an adaptation that not only equals its source material but even improves upon it. The story centers around a young woman, Amy Dorrit, who lives a life of poverty and hard work as she tries to care for her father, a selfish shell of a man confined to debtors’ prison (like Dickens’s own father was).

The entrance of a rich, kind, but rudderless man into her life, Arthur Clennam, precipitates an avalanche of events that will send Amy to the peaks of Victorian society, the slums of London, and the whispering canals of Venice—all while carrying in her heart the burdens of an ungrateful family and an unrequited love.

Dickens’s episodic novel, which was published serially between 1855 and 1857, lends itself well to a TV series. There’s space to develop a wide cast of rich and lively characters and numerous intertwining subplots that all blend into a single strand in a way only Dickens—and veteran screenwriter Andrew Davies—can pull off. Adorning this engaging and variegated story like a top hat on a Victorian gentleman, we find a beautifully haunting soundtrack, artistic cinematography, and lush costumes and sets.

‘Emma’ (2009)

Romola Garai (Emma Woodhouse) and Rupert Evans (Frank Churchill) in the 2009 adaptation of Jane Austen's "Emma." (MovieStillsDB)

Another Austen adaptation, “Emma” tells the tale of the charming, kind-hearted, lively, but strong-willed young Emma Woodhouse as she attempts to matchmake in the Regency-era English countryside. Emma’s attempts to control other people’s lives eventually lead to serious complications and no small amount of heartache for herself and others. It will take experiencing the unpleasant consequences of her actions, along with the firm guidance of her friend and confidant, Mr. Knightley, to help Emma see the arrogance in her ways and the need for maturation and amendment. Lighthearted but not without substance, this production emits the charm of English country life with panoramic landscapes, bright colors, and quaint villages.

Romola Garai stars in the titular role, and she brings to the character a youthful vitality mixed with unexpected emotional depth. She shines. But Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley might steal the show. His wit, authenticity, noble-heartedness, masculinity, wisdom, and occasional vulnerability make him a joy to watch. The dynamic between these two outstanding performers keeps you riveted for all four hours.

All told, this list includes almost 30 hours of top-notch period drama. I can smell the popcorn my mom used to make every Sunday evening as we settled in to watch these. Make these shows (and popcorn, of course) a part of your favorite memories, too.