A new adaptation of Great Expectations is about to land on BBC One, but is it any different to the countless other depictions of the famous novel? Here’s our review.
The new series starts on Sunday night (March 26, 2023) and has a glittering cast list of famous faces.
You’ll get no argument from us that Olivia Colman is an inspired choice as the infamous literary villain Miss Havisham.
But is there more to the six-part series than a bunch of famous faces and a huge budget?
Do we really need another adaptation of Great Expectations?
Great Expectations is one of the most famous novels ever written.
And it’s stood the test of time.
Unbelievably perhaps, Charles Dickens’ 13th novel was first published in 1861.
It’s definitely our favourite Dickens novel of all time.
But…
As much as we were looking forward to watching the new adaptation, it just felt a bit meh.
Despite the impressive cast, and amazing sets, we know the story SO well that it doesn’t feel different enough to past adaptations.
And there have been plenty of them!
In 2011, the BBC One churned out another adaptation of Great Expectations.
This time, Gillian Anderson portrayed the vicious Miss Havisham, alongside Douglas Booth as Pip, and Vanessa Kirby as Estella.
There was also a 1998 film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke, and another one in 2012 with Helena Bonham Carter and Holliday Grainger.
I won’t list them all as there are too many, but suffice to say there have been dozens of adaptations since the very first version in 1934.
Viewers slam BBC decision to make another series of famous novel
BBC One licence fee payers have given their own review and questioned why the channel has made yet another version of Great Expectations.
One wrote: “Come on, BBC: we need new stories not yet another Dickens adaptation.”
Another said: “I love Great Expectations, but another TV adaptation of it!?
“Didn’t they do one not that long ago with Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham?
“There’s so many other Dickens works crying out to be adapted…”
A third added: “My gripe is why yet another adaptation of Great Expectations?
“There are many other Dickens‘ novels that lend themselves to a reboot, refresh, adaptation.”
One more complained: “Another TV adaptation of Great Expectations. Does anyone want to tell the @BBCOne that Charles Dickens actually wrote more than one book?”
“I love Dickens AND Olivia Colman,” wrote another, “but do we really need another adaptation of Great Expectations?”
BBC One are you listening?
Great Expectations review: Is BBC One series worth watching?
So do we really need another adaptation of Great Expectations? Probably not, no.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t easily pass six hours watching this series.
Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight just hasn’
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