In touting the latest epic BBC adaptation of a literary classic, Variety observed: "Toxic debt, failing financial institutions, lax regulation--ring any bells? As fate would have it, all of the above underpin the BBC's latest period drama blockbuster, a marathon adaptation of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit, which bowed on flagship web BBC1 on Sunday and is certain to strike contemporary resonances."
The miniseries is expected to air in the U.S. on PBS's Masterpiece Theater next year, in eight one-hour episodes.
The early buzz? According to Variety, "it is impossible to imagine any other broadcaster tackling something of this ambition and succeeding on this scale. The cast--a roll call of home-grown thesps including Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Andy Serkis and Mackenzie Crook--are clearly in their element. Relative newcomer Claire Foy is utterly convincing as Little Dorrit. The photography is imaginative, and there is enough dramatic tension to keep Dickens skeptics on the edge of their seats. . . . What ensues is totally absorbing, a master class in period literary drama."