Fri Aug 01 12:20:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Dickens’ *Bleak House* Crowned Best Period Drama of All Time**

**London, UK** – The BBC’s 2005 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ *Bleak House* has been declared the best period drama of all time by BritishTV.com, solidifying its place as a landmark achievement in television. The 15-part serial, lauded for its stellar cast, immersive atmosphere, and faithful yet compelling interpretation of Dickens’ critique of the 19th-century Chancery system, is available to stream free on BBC iPlayer.

Starring Anna Maxwell Martin as Esther Summerson, Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, and Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce, *Bleak House* captivated audiences and critics alike upon its original broadcast. The series boasted an ensemble cast that included Patrick Kennedy, Carey Mulligan, Charles Dance, Alun Armstrong, and Timothy West.

Despite some mixed reactions, *Bleak House* currently holds an aggregate critic score of 93/100 on Metacritic, ranking it in the top 15 of the site’s Best TV Shows of All Time and as the highest rated British drama ever. Radio Times particularly praised Anna Maxwell Martin’s portrayal of Esther, but singled out Gillian Anderson’s performance as a “secretly tormented aristocrat” as one that viewers would treasure for years to come. They also heralded Charles Dance’s portrayal of the villainous attorney as “wolfishly lethal.”

Viewers agree, as the show boasts an 86% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As one reviewer stated, *”Made during a golden age of BBC dramas… everything about this Bleak House adaptation is excellent – from the set and costume designs to the superb cast and the acting.”*

Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, *Bleak House* weaves a complex narrative of secrets, fortunes, and the human cost of legal battles within the Court of Chancery.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this award-winning drama, available now on BBC iPlayer.

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