AllMovie

The BBC's six-hour 1985 miniseries adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1836-1837 serial novel The Pickwick Papers stars Nigel Stock, Jeremy Nicholas, Alan Parnaby, and Clive Swift, and originally aired as twelve 30-minute episodes. Familiar to generations of readers, its loosely knit, picaresque story involves Samuel Pickwick (Stock), founder of the Pickwick Club, and his decision to abandon hard work and set off on a series of adventures with friends Nathaniel Winkle (Nicholas), Augustus Snodgrass (Parnaby), and Tracy Tupman (Swift) throughout England. The episodes are numerous and varied; one of the more noteworthy involves Samuel's ongoing battle against Mrs. Bardell, embittered because he has broken his nuptial vow to her. This adaptation has been roundly hailed for capturing the comic spirit and blithe unpredictability of Dickens' original work. Milton Johns, Jo Kendall, and Freda Dowie co-star.