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Bleak House

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BBC (ended 2005)

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8.2

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Show Summary

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Bleak House is a new adaptation of Dickens's great story. Three young orphans - Esther, Richard and Ada - are sent to live at Bleak House, where they receive a friendly welcome from their rich guardian John Jarndyce. But all is not as it seems at Bleak House, and nothing but bad luck follows those who stay there.

Episode Guide

S 1 : Ep 15	Episode 15	Aired 12/16/05	go Netflix Subscription
S 1 : Ep 14	Episode 14	Aired 12/15/05	go Netflix Subscription
S 1 : Ep 13	Episode 13	Aired 12/9/05	go Netflix Subscription
S 1 : Ep 12	Episode 12	Aired 12/8/05	go Netflix Subscription
S 1 : Ep 11	Episode 11	Aired 12/2/05	go Netflix Subscription

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Cast & Crew

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Richard Harrington	Allan Woodcourt
Anna Maxwell-Martin	Esther Summerson
Alun Armstrong	Bucket
Burn Gorman	Guppy
Charles Dance	Mr Tulkinghorn
Denis Lawson	John Jarndyce

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Fan Reviews (7)

catches your attention since the beginning, with all the misteries and how the story develops. the camera and the way it moves are awesome, and very well played. plus is a classic, so watch it!!!moreless

9.5

By sowi, Dec 20, 2008

I have to say I learned from this serie for gillian anderson, but i saw it because i had to do a cover for that book and i ended up loving this and watching religiously every week.

the story begins with a trial, for a fortune that can not be recieved because there were too many wills and they didn't have the ultimate one, so the trial was hopeless and had years going.

there are a couple of cousins who happen to be the possible heirs, they both live with their tutor and with Ada (the main character)

Ada was a young woman who never new her parents and didn't have much money of her own.

the real good thing (putting aside that is gillian anderson) is lady Dedlock, for me she and her story were the best thing and pretty much everything in this novel, she kept all these secrets that epi by epi you were revealing, it becomes a need to see the next epi. the intrigue is overwhelming!!!

although i must say i almost cry for certain event that happened, and that's why i never saw the next episode, that was the last, i think for me that was pretty much over. maybe some day i'll see the last epi. XDmoreless
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Great acting, interesting plot, awesome environment ( I love old England). The Best Mini Drama I ever saw!

9.5

By xloverin, Dec 07, 2007

My expectations to this show were quite high. I'm a fan of Gillian Anderson, I love drama and I love old-England stories (big fan of Hercule Poirot). So when I discovered a show that has all this three things included, I was happy. And I wasn't dissapointed. The actors, including Gillian of course, made a fabulous work. Their language, costumes and acting were appropriate to the old England. The show made me cry and laugh at the same time. If you like the main theme, you should watch it, but I can understand, that there are people who weren't pleased by the show, because it's not for everyone.moreless
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Simply put this is a classic and a must see for all period drama fans!

10

By velvet_fox, Oct 27, 2007

I always look forward to the BBC producing period dramas with great anticipation, they just seem to have a knack at getting the production just right to make a superb show and so I had high expectations for Bleak House. Its an absolute thrill therefore to write that this adaptation by Andrew Davis blew my expectations completely out of the water, this is an exquisite masterpiece. The writing, the acting to the directing is all of amazingly high quality and having the show formatted in an almost soap opera style is wonderful as it really appreciates the way in which the novel was written by CD as monthly instalments and even set up the ability to have cliff hangers, which is unusual in this sort of genre, but nevertheless exciting!

This adaptation is just a feast for the eyes and the ears, whether its from the artful cinematography to the haunting sounds of the score or even the silken tones of Gillian Andersons Lady Dedlock. GA is undoubtedly the star of this show I think it's a travesty she didn't win the BAFTA! Not that I'm knocking her co-star, GA was just phenomenal. Her performance as the silently broken Lady D is outstanding, its hard to take your eyes off her during a scene as she just brings so much extra life and quality that you are drawn to her character regardless, you really feel the emotions and the desperation that her character goes through as she is trapped in a life where she has nothing, despite being surrounded by luxury and riches as she so rightly tells us in her first scene "Bored to death with this place, bored to death with my life, bored to death with myself". You feel as sorry for her as you do to say poor Joe the wretched sweeping boy, living in the London underworld, even though their situations and worlds are so far apart.

Her life though becomes increasingly more interesting as she is preyed on by the dastardly Tulkinghorn who is pressingly trying to uncover her almost forgotten past life and the dark secret she hides. Eventually of course the truth will out whether it be her secret or the true heirs of the Jarndyce fortune, which leads to tragic consequences for almost all. Its seriously a tear jerker have your hankies ready for episode 9 (the mother/daughter reunion scene) and the final two episodes, especially the end of the penultimate instalment.

The rest of the cast also give stellar performances more noticeably the sparky heroine of the story Esther played by Anna Maxwell Martin (who beat GA to the BAFTA) and the kind hearted, lovesick yet creepy Mr Guppy played wonderfully by Burn Gorman. One of my many favourite scenes in the whole show is his nervy approach to ask for Esther's hand in marriage.

I'm not sure what else to say except if your fan of period dramas this is an absolute must see! I was fortunate enough to see this the first time it was aired on the BBC and I own the DVDs as this is most certainly a show that is worth multiple viewings, don't just sit there go watch it!moreless
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A new adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a court case that ruins all who take part in it and the secrets that destroy a family.

10

By XwonderX, Apr 15, 2007

Beautiful. The acting, the cinematography, everything is simply beautiful. In fact, this is probably my favorite adaptation of a novel ever. The writers did a fantastic job of simplifying some truly complex conversations while still holding true to Dickens' classic style. Gillian Anderson's portrayal of Lady Dedlock is so amazing and so tragic I couldn't take my eyes off her. Every time she came on screen I sat up straighter, because I knew I was about to see some amazing acting. I really can't say enough about how good this was.moreless
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What Real Storytelling Looks Like

9.4

By lexkatz, Jul 13, 2006

Could you expect anything less from Dickens? No! But how this piece has been put together. The casting, the sets, the... oh, everything!

The new thing i look forward too every week, and it's only just started down here in Aus. A must watch! Whether you like Dickens or not!
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Watch Full Episodes: Bleak House

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Episode 15

S 1 : Ep 15

Aired 12/16/05 (52:23)
go

Netflix

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Episode 14

S 1 : Ep 14

Aired 12/15/05 (52:11)
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Netflix

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Episode 13

S 1 : Ep 13

Aired 12/9/05 (51:59)
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Episode 12

S 1 : Ep 12

Aired 12/8/05 (52:07)

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Forums: Bleak House

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Favourite characters?
Ok, I would make a list of them all, but lets all just post and see who get the most votes! In no particular order: 1) Esther ...

By starmaniac, Feb 14, 2006

11/18/09

19
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beautifull series
I love the serie Bleak House, Lady Dedlock is my example of gentility in a woman...and the devotion of her husband is hartwarming,...

By ibbelll, Nov 17, 2009

11/17/09

1
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What a lovely ending...
I just finished watching the series and I'm so happy with the way it ended. Somehow I knew from the first moment I saw Lady Dedloc...

By keturah1013, Aug 30, 2006

02/03/09

5
Reply
Simply the best..
Best show I have ever seen on TV. I cant believe they only let us give up to a 10 on this site.

By hurricaneez1, Feb 26, 2006

04/15/08

3
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Subtitles
I was wondering if anybody of you has subtitles for this serie. In any language, but the best would be in english. I searched a lo...

By xloverin, Nov 23, 2007

04/14/08

2
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