In days gone by, Sunday night TV viewing was a big treat for so many of us readers. There was usually some excellent BBC adaptation of a loved novel to watch week after week which kept us glued to our televisions and eagerly anticipating next Sunday’s instalment.
So, when I sat down to try and work out my five absolute favourite TV series based on novels of all time, my mind took me back to those faithful adaptations and all that Sunday evening enjoyment of long ago. It became an incredibly challenging task to choose just five only, there have been so many wonderful TV series created.
What would you choose? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.
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Tell me what you think! Leave a comment.
Catherine Patterson
Thank you Susannah for sharing your top five. A wonderful list. Based on your reviews I’d like to watch ‘North and South’ by Elizabeth Gaskell. The reason is for a more personal reason. I worked in Manchester as a teacher in 2001. I went from living most of my life in country NSW to living in Manchester, England, which was the first city I had ever lived in. I have very fond memories of this (one year) chapter in my life. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so familiar with Manchester’s strong (industrial and intellectual) history, as I am today, including the suffragette movement. As a result, I look forward to watching this series based on your recommendation : )
Margaret Debenham
I remember watching every episode of The Pallisers – it was absolutely fabulous. I haven’t seen North and South – must try to get hold of it – but I did thoroughly enjoy the compilation of the Gaskell novellas which became Cranford. The Andrews/Irons Brideshead was indeed excellent, and I enjoyed it at the time, but I’ve never felt inclined to rewatch it. Like your previous commentator I loved the Claire Foy/Matthew McFadyen Little Dorrit, and I also remember a very good series of Our Mutual Friend with Keeley Hawes as Lizzie. Others I have loved – Middlemarch with Juliet Aubrey, Rufus Sewell and the delightful Robert Hardy (with whom I have had the luck to share a charming pub dining room in Easton, Hampshire – he was only one table away!), The Barchester Chronicles with Donald Pleasance and a very young Alan Rickman, and a very recent The Woman in White (which did make quite a few changes to the structure of the narrative, but the story remained more or less intact). There was also a lovely Love in a Cold Climate, with Judi Dench and Michael Williams….But I couldn’t possibly choose a favourite, or indeed rank them at all. I think for me so much depends on the actors, and how well they embody their character (which probably means – are they the people I imagined them to be when I read the book?)
Malvina Yock
I love your top 5, Susannah, although I haven’t watched The Pallisers. Clearly I need to! One of my great joys is watching Dickens in television adaptations, and two that really took my fancy are:
David Copperfield, the 2000 edition with young David played by Daniel Radcliffe to great appeal, and Betsey Trotwood played by Maggie Smith, among many other notable actors. I can remember my sister putting it on but turning it off after half an hour, and all I wanted to do was keep watching! Maybe it’s time for a rewatch…
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167872/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm
The other outstanding Dickens TV adaptation for me is Little Dorrit (2008), with Claire Foy as Little Dorrit and Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam, with Andy Serkis playing an amazing Rigaud. My only problem was that Pancks in the novel used to pull his hair during funny moments, and Eddie Marsan as Pancks was bald in this version. I was so looking forward to the hair moments… Alun Armstrong played a very menacing Flintwinch.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178522/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
Those would be in my top 5. Another would be the very funny 1985 series of Mapp and Lucia, with Geraldine McEwan and Prunella Scales.
As to the other 2? I think they jury’s still out…
Susannah Fullerton
Oh dear, I think I have to do a new Top Five list. Mapp and Lucia is so fabulous, and I adore both those Dickens adaptations you listed.
But do watch The Palliser – it will keep you going for ages and it just fabulous.
We do have similar tastes in TV viewing, Malvina.