The Bleak House

Watch The Bleak House

  • TV-PG
  • 2005
  • 1 Season
  • 8.3  (10,482)

The Bleak House is a British period drama television series from BBC America, adapted from the Charles Dickens novel of the same name. Set in mid-19th century London, the show follows the legal case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which has been dragging on for years and has ruined the lives of everyone associated with it. The story revolves around the main character Esther Summerson, a young girl who is taken in by her guardian, John Jarndyce, after her mother dies.

Denis Lawson portrays John Jarndyce, a kind and generous man who takes in orphaned children and finds solace in their company. Anna Maxwell Martin plays Esther Summerson, a gentle and innocent girl who is desperate to uncover the secrets of her past. Patrick Kennedy portrays Richard Carstone, a young man who is also caught up in the case and the promise of a possible inheritance.

Carey Mulligan plays Ada Clare, a gentle and kind-hearted girl who becomes Esther's closest friend, and Gillian Anderson plays Lady Dedlock, a woman with a dark past who is linked to the Jarndyce and Jarndyce case. Charles Dance plays the villainous lawyer Mr. Tulkinghorn, who will stop at nothing to win the case, while Alun Armstrong plays Detective Inspector Bucket, a mysterious man who is brought in to solve a murder.

Timothy West portrays Sir Leicester Dedlock, Lady Dedlock's wealthy and aristocratic husband, while Burn Gorman plays Guppy, a lawyer's clerk who is smitten with Esther. Harry Eden plays Jo, a poor street urchin who becomes embroiled in the case, and Richard Harrington plays Allan Woodcourt, a doctor who falls for Esther.

Di Botcher plays Mrs. Jellyby, a woman obsessed with charity work, while Lisa Hammond portrays Rosa, a maidservant who is caught up in a romantic entanglement. John Lynch plays Nemo, a mysterious man who is linked to Lady Dedlock's past, and Pauline Collins plays Miss Flite, an eccentric woman who is convinced that the case will never be resolved.

Tom Georgeson plays Krook, a rag and bone man who is linked to the murder, and Sean McGinley plays Smallweed, a miserly old man who is also connected to the case. The show features a large ensemble cast and numerous intertwining storylines that explore the themes of love, loyalty, betrayal, and justice.

The Bleak House is a beautifully crafted period drama that captures the essence of Dickens' classic novel. The performances are superb and the production values are top-notch, with attention paid to every detail of the Victorian era. The show is atmospheric and haunting, with a sense of foreboding that permeates every scene.

The intricate plot unfolds gradually, with numerous twists and turns that keep the audience guessing. The characters are complex and well-drawn, with each one having their own motivations and secrets. The show explores the dark underbelly of Victorian society, with its poverty, corruption, and inequality, but also highlights the resilience and courage of its characters.

Overall, The Bleak House is a must-watch for fans of period drama and classic literature. It is a timeless story that still resonates today, and the show does justice to the source material. With its talented cast, compelling storyline, and stunning production values, it is a true gem of British television.

The Bleak House is a series that is currently running and has 1 seasons (9 episodes). The series first aired on October 23, 2005.

The Bleak House
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Seasons
Folge 12
12. Folge 12
January 1, 1970
Esther's feelings for Woodcourt grow stronger despite her best intentions. Inspector Bucket begins his murder investigation with no shortage of suspects. An early arrest appears to wrap the case up quickly. But a spate of poison pen letters suggests that all is not as it seems...
Episode 8
8. Episode 8
December 18, 2005
The moneylender Smallweed has evidence of Lady Dedlock's secret past and intends to use it against her. Cornered, Lady Dedlock makes a terrible decision. Esther and Bucket try desperately to reach her before it is too late. Richard's obsession with Chancery leaves him dangerously ill. Ada is pregnant, but worries he will not live to see the birth of their child. Woodcourt proposes marriage to Esther, but she is torn between her love for him and her commitment to Jarndyce. Then the impossible happens a result in Chancery, but it is one that will astound everyone.
Episode 7
7. Episode 7
December 11, 2005
Esther's feelings for Woodcourt grow stronger, despite her best intentions. Richard and Ada's news causes great concern for Esther and Jarndyce. As Inspector Bucket investigates Tulkinghorn's murder; there is no shortage of suspects. An early arrest appears to wrap the case up quickly, but a spate of poison-pen letters suggests that all is not as it seems. As evidence mounts against Lady Dedlock, Bucket sets a trap for the killer, with astonishing results.
Episode 6
6. Episode 6
December 4, 2005
Richard's obsession with the Jarndyce case has grown to worrying proportions. John Jarndyce agonizes over whether to keep his feelings for Esther concealed. Meanwhile, Lady Dedlock tells Esther something that will change her life forever. Guppy puts himself at risk when he gets in the way of Tulkinghorn's enquiries. And Tulkinghorn at last has cast-iron proof of Lady Dedlock's guilt, and issues her with a terrible ultimatum.
Episode 5
5. Episode 5
November 27, 2005
Richard's obsession with the Jarndyce case has grown to worrying proportions. John Jarndyce agonizes over whether to keep his feelings for Esther concealed. Meanwhile, Lady Dedlock tells Esther something that will change her life forever. Guppy puts himself at risk when he gets in the way of Tulkinghorn's enquiries. And Tulkinghorn at last has cast-iron proof of Lady Dedlock's guilt, and issues her with a terrible ultimatum.
Episode 4
4. Episode 4
November 20, 2005
Esther falls sick with smallpox; she recovers but is left badly scarred. George has to make an impossible decision when Tulkinghorn instructs the evil moneylender Smallweed to turn up the heat on his debts. Legal clerk Guppy, still besotted with Esther, makes a discovery about his beloved which shocks Lady Dedlock to the core. Guppy's quest for more information takes him to Krook's shop, with explosive results. And Jarndyce is beside himself when tragedy strikes Bleak House.
Episode 3
3. Episode 3
November 13, 2005
A chance encounter in the country raises intriguing questions for Esther and Lady Dedlock. Richard's inability to settle causes a rift with John Jarndyce, much to Ada's dismay. Tulkinghorn finally unearths the identity of the mysterious Nemo. Nemo's old friend, Sergeant George, has the evidence he needs to prove it and Tulkinghorn will stop at nothing to force George to hand it over. But George has even more problems when Gridley turns up on his doorstep, on the run from the law and infected with the fever.
Episode 2
2. Episode 2
November 6, 2005
Despite the grim discovery of Nemos body, Tulkinghorn remains undeterred from his ruthless inquiry into Lady Dedlock's past. As he edges closer to the truth, Lady Dedlock puts her reputation at risk when she pays an undercover visit to Nemo's former haunts. Richard and Ada plan their engagement, but receive an unexpected setback. Esther meets an attractive young doctor named Allan Woodcourt, not realizing that John Jarndyce is becoming increasingly attracted to her himself. Woodcourt has news that comes as a terrible blow to Esther.
Episode 1
1. Episode 1
October 23, 2005
Young orphan Esther Summerson is brought to the High Court of Chancery, where she is thrown together with two Wards of the Court, Richard Carstone and Ada Clare. Both are caught up in the infamous suit of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which brings nothing but ruin and despair to all it touches. The elegant life of another Jarndyce suitor, the beautiful Lady Dedlock, is turned upside-down when her husband's lawyer, Tulkinghorn, gets wind of a scandalous secret in her past. Esther, Richard and Ada are sent to live at Bleak House, where they receive a friendly welcome from their rich guardian, John Jarndyce. Meanwhile, Tulkinghorn's investigation leads him into the dark underbelly of London, where he searches for Nemo, the mysterious law-writer whose name literally means no one. But when Tulkinghorn decides to pay Nemo a visit, he receives a very nasty surprise...
Description
Where to Watch The Bleak House
The Bleak House is available for streaming on the BBC America website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Bleak House on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon, Hulu and Apple TV.
  • Premiere Date
    October 23, 2005
  • IMDB Rating
    8.3  (10,482)
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