Great Expectations
Great Expectations
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Great Expectations

"A classic tale reimagined."

5.7
Yr 2023
Status Ended
Drama
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Series Brief

Overview

Orphan Pip discovers through lawyer Mr. Jaggers that a mysterious benefactor wishes to ensure that he becomes a gentleman. Reunited with his childhood patron, Miss Havisham, and his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella, he discovers that the elderly spinster has gone mad from having been left at the altar as a young woman, and has made her charge into a warped, unfeeling heartbreaker.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 52 /100

Steven Knight's adaptation of Great Expectations received mixed reviews, with critics deeply divided over its gritty, modernized tone. Some reviewers welcomed the visceral Victorian dirt and edgy storytelling, praising the series for attempting to inject fresh energy into Charles Dickens' classic tale. However, many felt the revisionist approach leaned too heavily into dreary, dark tropes at the expense of the original story's heart.

Olivia Colman's performance as Miss Havisham was widely cited as the highlight of the production, earning praise for her mesmerising and sinister presence. Despite her strong turn and standout costume design, several reviewers noted that her character alone could not salvage narrative pacing issues and erratic storytelling across the six episodes.

Ultimately, critics suggested that while fans of Knight's previous period dramas like Peaky Blinders might enjoy this debauched take, Dickens purists and general audiences may find the miniseries a dreary, difficult watch.

“Olivia Colman is mesmerisingly sinister”

“Charles Dickens' Classic Is Deftly Reborn in This Impressive Adaptation”

“Despite stand-out performances and stellar costume design, FX and BBC's Great Expectations falls short in capturing the magic of Dickens”

“it may prove tough going for general viewers”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Hulu
US
Disney Plus
CA
Why fans love it

The 2023 miniseries adapts the Dickens classic as a gritty period drama focused on the harsh realities of Victorian social climbing. Rather than a straightforward literary retelling, the production leans into the darker, psychological weight of the original text. It anchors the protagonist's transition from an orphan to a gentleman in an atmosphere of decay and obsession, treating the coming-of-age journey with a noticeable lack of sentimentality.

Olivia Colman portrays Miss Havisham with a volatility that defines the show's aesthetic. The narrative centers on her warped influence over the younger generation and the emotional wreckage left by her past betrayal. This version trades the ornate spectacle of traditional period pieces for an unsettling look at how trauma ripples through an entire household. The result is a grim examination of expectations and the cold mechanics of high society.

Production Board

Crew

Stunt Coordinator
Steve Dent
Costume Design
Verity Hawkes
Executive Producer
Tommy Bulfin Marjorie Chodorov Tom Hardy David W. Zucker Kate Crowe Dean Baker
Wigmaker
Alex Rouse
Makeup Artist
Nadia Becker Lillie Zohdy
Art Direction
Bill Ambrose Juan Cámara Chapman C.H. Kan Lilyana Houghton-Freeman
Casting
Nathan Toth Julie Harkin
Set Decoration
Ellie Pash
Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Neill Gorton Rob Mayor Rebecca Butterworth
Editor
Paul Knight Dániel Hajnal Jason Savage Fiona DeSouza
Director of Photography
Kate Reid Dan Atherton
Standby Art Director
Rosalind Boulton
Producer
Tallulah Fairfax
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Chris Lyons
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Great Expectations overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book coming of age miniseries period piece
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
March 26, 2023
Status
Ended
Origin
GB, US
TMDB Votes
41