Les Misérables (British TV series)

Les Misérables (British TV series)
Les Misérables is a British television series based on the 1862 French historical novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. Adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Tom Shankland, it stars Dominic West, David Oyelowo, and Lily Collins.
The series was produced by the BBC with support from PBS member station WGBH Boston's Masterpiece series. BBC Studios handles the distribution for the series. It was broadcast in the United Kingdom between 30 December 2018 and 3 February 2019. In Canada, the series started broadcasting on 10 January 2021 on CBC and CBC Gem.
Cast
Dominic West as Jean Valjean
David Oyelowo as Javert
Lily Collins as Fantine Thibault
Adeel Akhtar as Monsieur Thénardier
Johnny Flynn as Felix Tholomyès
Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Col. Pontmercy
David Bradley as Monsieur Gillenormand
Derek Jacobi as Bishop Myriel
Ron Cook as Hair and Teeth Dealer
Alan David as the Scribe
Kathryn Hunter as Madame Victurnien
Olivia Colman as Madame Rosalie Thénardier
Enzo Cilenti as Rivette
Josh O'Connor as Marius Pontmercy
Raphael Bishop and Woody Norman as young Marius
Ellie Bamber as Cosette
Mailow Defoy and Lia Giovanelli as young Cosette
Erin Kellyman as Éponine Thénardier
Sienna Barnes and Tiarna Williams as young Eponine
Joseph Quinn as Enjolras
Donald Sumpter as Monsieur Mabeuf
Turlough Convery as Grantaire
Archie Madekwe as Courfeyrac
Alex Jarrett as Azelma Thénardier
Amani Johnson and Isabelle Lewis as young Azelma
Reece Yates as Gavroche
Emmanuel Goffin as young Gavroche
Emma Fielding as Nicolette
Charlotte Dylan as Favourite
Ayoola Smart as Zéphine
Hayley Carmichael as Madame Magloire
Liz Carr as Fantine's Concierge
Ashley Artus as Gendarme
Matthew Steer as Blachevelle
Lorcan Cranitch as Chief Inspector
Georgie Glen as Abbess
Anna Calder-Marshall as Madame Rully
Natalie Simpson as Sister Simplice
Angela Wynter as Toussaint
Lily Newmark as Sophie
Episodes
Production
Development
The Weinstein Company was initially set to co-produce the series and serve as its distributor in the U.S. and China. The studio was dropped, however, following the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations. PBS member station WGBH Boston, through their television series Masterpiece, replaced The Weinstein Company as a co-producer of the series.
Filming
Filming for the series began in February 2018 in Belgium and Northern France.
Release
BBC Studios handles distribution for the series. The drama, which consists of six episodes, premiered on 30 December 2018. In New Zealand, the series was released on TVNZ 1 and its free streaming service TVNZ OnDemand.
In the US, the series was aired on PBS, starting 21 April 2019, to end on 19 May 2019.
Reception
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 79 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Collins' performance as Fantine received praise from critics. Alexandra Pollard of The Independent praised her performance, writing "she plays the tragic Fantine with steeliness and grace", and described it as "magnificent." West's performance as Valjean in the final episode also received critical praise. Gabriel Tate of The Telegraph praised his performance, writing "Dominic West steals the show in a stirring finale."
The television mini-series on PBS was described as "an engrossing treat, featuring a vibrant cast and taking its time to unspool the melodrama and offer loving looks at 19th century France." It "hews closely to the source material without skipping too much plot or character motivations", the source material being the 19th century novel by Victor Hugo. The casting is commended, with many strong performances. The plot cannot carry all the detail of Hugo's novel of his characters in a tumultuous time in France, but "when all the cannons are fired and last stands are taken, the sacrifices given do not feel insignificant.". The story is told keeping "the narrative clear and allowing character-driven scenes to breathe."
Allison Keene of Collider wrote, "Emotional, engrossing" with 5 stars.
See also
Adaptations of Les Misérables
Notes
References
External links
Novel by Victor Hugo, English translation:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/135/135-h/135-h.htm
2010s British drama television series
2018 British television series debuts
2019 British television series endings
BBC television dramas
Television shows written by Andrew Davies
2010s British television miniseries
English-language television shows
Television shows based on French novels
Television shows set in France
Works based on Les Misérables
Television series by BBC Studios