'Five-star' period drama based on 'masterpiece' novels is free to stream on ITV
The period drama is based on a series of novels hailed a 'masterpiece' by viewers.
Period drama lovers can sink their teeth into another five-star rated show based on a series of novels by the same name. The Forsyte Saga follows the lives of three generations of an upper-middle-class family from the 1870s to the 1920s. Beneath the wealthy family's respectable exterior lies tensions and frustrations, with the long-lasting feud within the family delivering dramatic consequences.
Head of the family is solicitor and connoisseur Soames Forsyte, played by Damian Lewis, who sees himself as a "man of property". He is married to Irene Forsyte, portrayed by Line of Duty star Gina McKee. The series is based on Nobel Prize winner John Galsworthy's novels of the same name, initially published separately between 1906 and 1921. The best-selling books were collected into one volume in 1922 and was ranked on the BBC's "best-loved novel" list in 2003.
The Forsyte Saga was previously adapted as a Hollywood film in 1949 and for television in 1967, before director Christopher Menaul brought this series to life in 2002.
The series, which ran for two seasons between 2002 and 2003 and is free to stream on ITVX, also stars Rupert Graves, Sarah Winman, Gillian Kearney and Ioan Gruffudd. Well-received by viewers and critics, the show currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.1/10 score on IMDB.
Viewers have flocked to praise the series online, with several handing it a five-star rating. One wrote: "Forsyte Saga is one of the best TV shows I've ever watched. Super well made + great story + strange characters + doesn't drag on for seasons."
A second shared: "Just finished watching The Forsyte Saga w/Damian Lewis as Soames. Am sitting here in a soggy heap of tears. It was lovely. Two thumbs up."
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Expressing their admiration for the show, another penned: "I have watched these Series, again and again, for the last 15 years. I still love them and wish they would have made Book three and finished the saga. Enjoy. Beautiful and so well acted that I cry every single time."
The novels have received equal praise, with someone else posting: "I've always been fascinated by Galsworthy's works, and The Forsyte Saga is a masterpiece. I'm looking forward to seeing how the adaptation brings out the unheard female voices, especially with Fleur as the narrator."
Another shared: "The best multi-generational books I have ever read however, are Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga series. Beautifully written. Due for a revival of interest I should have thought."
A third echoed: "And The Forsyte Saga is one of the greatest british book series. John Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize for it in 1932. It's really a great read. There's been TV adaptations and one Hollywood movie based off the 1st book back in 1949. But we're due a proper adaptation!"
