Gwyneth Hughes has adapted the upcoming four-part miniseries of one of the first novels of English literature- ‘The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling’ by one of the first English novelists Henry Fielding.
The plot will center on an illegitimate young man as he falls in love with an heiress. british actor Solly McLeod and Australian actress Sophie Wilde has been cast as Tom and Sophia in the upcoming series. It will be released on April 30, 2023 PBS.
Below is a list of a number of other television series adapted from British classics.
Top 10 Television Series Like Tom Jones.
David Copperfield – Number of Seasons: 1
Adrian Hodges adapted this two-part play from the 1850 novel of the same name by Charles Dickens for the BBC. Simon Curtis has directed this series which is a semi-autobiographical story by the author himself.
The series lasted for two episodes arriving on December 25 and 26, 1999. The character of a young David Copperfield was the acting debut of Daniel Radcliffe which would later be seen prominently through the titular role of Harry Potter film series in which he collaborated with five of his co-stars ‘David Copperfield- Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, Zoe Wanamaker, French Dawn, Paul’s White House.
Daniel Deronda – Number of Seasons: 1
Tom Hooper directed this British television drama series which was adapted from the novel of the same name by George Eliot in 1876 adapted by Andrew Davies which presents the life journey of an clever man with unclear origins.
Hugh Dancy reprized the titular role with Romola Garai starring as the heroine Gwendolen Harleth. It ran from 23 November to 7 December 2002 on BBC1.
Pride and Prejudice – Number of Seasons: 1
Andrew Davies adapted this British television drama from the popular novel of the same name by Jane Austen in 1813.
Jennifer Ehle portrayed Elizabeth Bennett with Colin Firth starred as Fitzwilliam Darcy in the series.
It won a number of awards including Ehle won a BAFTA Television Award under the Best Actress category. It lasted from September 24 to October 29, 1995.
Brideshead Revisited – Number of Seasons: 1
Largely directed by Charles Sturridge, this British television series is an adaptation of British writer Evelyn Waugh’s novel ‘Brideshead Revisited’.
Jeremy Irons And Anton Andrews played Charles Ryder and Lord Sebastian Flyte in the series. It lasted from October 12 to December 22, 1981.
Jane Eyre – Number of Seasons: 1
This BBC1 adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name directed by Julian Amyes. The plot revolves around an orphaned woman’s journey from a young age to adulthood through education, love, and life experiences as a whole.
Zelah Clarke And Timothy Dalton played Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester respectively in the series. It lasted from October 9 to December 18, 1983.
Sanditon – Number of Seasons: 3
Andrew Davies adapts this British historical drama series from Jane Austen’s acclaimed unfinished manuscript. It’s in the Regency era and centers on a naive young woman’s life experiences through navigating the titular seaside resort.
Rose Williams portrayed the protagonist Charlotte Heywood in the series. Premiere on August 25, 2019.
High Expectations – Number of Seasons: 1
This British television series was the first adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘The Great Hope’ and was hugely popular at the time of its release and holds up well even today despite its limited budget and scale compared to later adaptations.
It was thrown Gary Bond, Francesca AnnisAnd Maxine Audley as Pip, Estella, and Miss Havisham. It lasted from January 22 to March 26, 1967.
Lady Chatterley – Number of Seasons: 1
This is a BBC1 adaptation of DH Lawrence’s famous 1928 novel- ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’. The plot revolves around a lady’s affair with a guard after her husband becomes inactive after returning injured from the First World War.
The story is themed around sexual taboos and the British class system of the time. Joely Richardson played the titular character in the series which ran from June 6 to June 27, 1993.
Emma – Number of Seasons: 1
This is a four-part adaptation of Jane Austen’s popular novel ‘Emma’. Romola Garai portrayed the famous character Emma Woodhouse in the series. Adaptation by BAFTA award-winning writer Sandy Welch.
It was nominated for four Primetime Emmy nominations including one win. It lasted from October 4 to October 25, 2009 BBC1.
Oliver Twist – Number of Seasons: 1
This controversial adaptation of Dickens’ 1838 novel of the same name adds a two-hour backstory that was mainly created by playwright Alan Bleasdale.
In addition, the story changes nearly every detail to keep the main idea intact. Sam Smith played the titular character in the series which ran from November 28 to December 19, 1999.
