Give me your favourite period drama adaptations

[PicklingGherkins]

I have a rare day to myself. I usually fall upon Pride & Prejudice (BBC Jennifer Ehle version). I remember liking the BBC version of Vanity Fair and Wives and Daughters but haven't seen them since they first aired. Any other ideas or should I resign myself to an afternoon of wine and Colin Firth (there is no right or wrong here)

Persuasion - the Ciaran Hinds version. BBC I think.

I really like the recent(ish) version of Far from the Madding Crowd with Carey Mulligan

The Samantha Morten version of Jane Eyre is good too

Second persuasion with Ciaran Hinds. Have watched it a ‘number’ of times !

Persuasion - the Ciaran Hinds version.

Oh my goodness yes. Ciaran Hinds is the definitive Captain Wentworth. I think it may be my favorite Jane Austen adaptation ever.

Thank you. I agree with Far from the Madding Crowd, I watched that last year and loved it (although it was sad). Love Samantha Morton too so Jane Eyre might be a go-er - I studied the book for GCSE. However Persuasion appears to be the winner here.

North and south with Richard Armitage. I don't love the actress who plays Margaret but the whole adaptation is pretty great.

Emma with romola garai

Arrhhh I can't buy persuasion on Amazon video (thick sobs)

I've just watched North & South (again). It's on bbc iplayer at the moment. Richard Armitage

Cranford. It's my go to cup of hot chocolate and a hug tv.

I remember watching Our Mutual Friend years ago... that was very good.

You have all been so generous with your recommendations. I might get divorced and quit work so I really get the free time to use them all (in that order 😂)

Cranford.

Another vote for North and South

It's not an adaptation, but if you like period dramas, I recommend the First Churchills. It's about the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. It begins in the reign of Charles II. It was produced in the late 1960s but the production values are high, and I think it's available on YouTube.

Lady Susan was on BBC last night and was really witty!

Yes, should have mentioned that Susan Hampshire plays the Duchess from teenage years to old age. Quite a bravura performance

I'm blissfully working my way through Lark Rise to Candleford at the moment.

Bleak House with Gillian Anderson is magnificent. Although the 1980s adaptation with Denholm Elliot is also a very fine thing, IIRC.

There's a jolly good Doctor Thorne (Anthony Trollope) with Tom Hollander.

The recent Woman in White (Wilkie Collins) was also very good.

I liked Little Dorrit with Andy Serkis and Claire Foy.

Very fond of the Mansfield Park with Frances O'Connor and Jonny Lee Miller.

As someone else has said, North & South. Best screen kiss in the history of screen kisses.

Also Jane Eyre with Toby Stephens. He played Rochester just like I'd imagined him even though he was slightly too good looking.

Also Outlander. A trashy, bodice ripper series of books that's been adapted really well and turned into something a lot more meaningful.

The Colin Firth Pride and prejudice, Kate Beckinsale's Emma and Samantha Morton's Jane Eyere

I love the 1999 David Copperfield. It had an all-star cast - Trevor Eve, Imelda Stanton, Maggie Smith, Ian McKellan, Pauline Quirke to name but a few, and a very wide-eyed Daniel Radcliffe played the young David. Really good, pacey adaptation.

The Gemma Arterton Tess of the d'Urbervilles was very good. Also the Alan Bates Mayor of Casterbridge.

I also love the 1980 Tess and the 1960s Far From the Madding Crowd. -IMO Alan Bates was a far sexier Gabriel Oak than the one in the more recent version. The Alan Bates version of The Go-Between is also excellent.