Tonight PBS Masterpiece Classic presents the last installment of its homage to Charles Dickens in honor of his 200th year anniversary. The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a 120 minute special about an opium-addled choirmaster, John Jasper, who believes his nephew, Edwin, stands between him and the woman he fancies, 17-year-old Rosa Bud.
Mathew Rhys as John Jasper, Tamzin Merchant as Rosa Bud, and Freddie Fox as Edwin Drood
Gwyneth Hughes wrote the ending to this adaptation. Charles Dickens died half way through writing the novel, leaving The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the question of his disappearance hanging in the air. This Dickens tales is one of the few that I don’t like, no matter how hard I try, for I simply could not care for the characters or relate to John Jasper in any way. Of course, my opinion of the book colors my lukewarm reaction to the film.
Tamzin as Georgiana
Jane Austen film fans will recognize Tamzin Merchant as young Georgiana Darcy in Pride and Prejudice 2005. In a curious coincidence, Freddie Fox (Edwin) is the real life younger brother of Amelia Fox, who played Georgiana in Pride and Prejudice 1995.
Sacha Shawan plays Neville Landless
Your thoughts?
The Mystery of Edwin Drood will air at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, 8 p.m. Central and Mountain. Check your local listings to be sure. Watch the special online starting April 16th.
Jane Austen's World 
I was thinking about retiring for the evening when my attention was engaged by the research assistant who was trying to find out what happened to the senior Edwin Drood. The actor did a great job with that role, which pointed the way to the new possibilities that came together at the end. It was a masterful plot, worthy of Dickens himself–congratulations to Gwyneth Hughes!
The original movie of the Mystery of Edwin Drood with Claude Rains has been one of our favorites for years. In the last year we got our hands on the book and read it. It had been finished, naturally, but thankfully the Dickens portion untouched and identified as such. The author who donned a finish picked up where Dickens left off (Chapter 22 I believe). So it was with great curiosity to see BBC’s version.
It can’t be expressed how disappointed we were to see how the story was bastardized. The screenwriter started out ok, and then totally messed with Dickens story as it was written by Dickens and destroyed the mystery…. and everyone is related to everyone else?? What a stupid twist to make the Landlesses the bastard children of Drood’s father. Where on earth did all that come from??
The movie with Claude Rains is far superior. Masterpiece could have made such a better story if they’d just looked to the original story and go in the direction it was leading. Dickens gives you enough to guess what will happen.
Edwin Drood is one of my favorites among Dickens’ books. The best thing I can say about this production is that the sets are nice. The actors did the best they could under the circumstances, but — oh dear! The story is truly bastardized — along with most of the cast. I can’t decide whether that clumsy plot twist or poor Mrs. Crisparkle being blamed for Jasper’s addiction offends me more.
First of all I must admit, I have not read Edwin Drood so I came to this open minded. I can see how Gwyneth Hughes’s plot ending and changes might upset some people because it is not what they would have done. I thought the story had a seamless quality. I seemed so plausible and the twist with them all being related at the end was very clever. It would have shocked, if indeed Dicken’s had written this ending and brought up all sorts of questions of intermarriage and interrelationships, which did happen in India during the days of the empire. The shock value to a Victorian readership in this country would have been very real. Maybe Gwyneth Hughes was playing with a 21st century analysis of Victorian society in this respect.
I thought the darkness of the plot was kept throughout. There are no sympathetic characters in this story which is no bad thing. Why should a novel have a likeable hero anyway? Life is not like that.
What attracted me to this and added to my enjoyment is that I happen to know Rochester in Kent very well. I have been into the cathedral and around the town many times.This was filmed in the streets of Rochester and particularly in the cathedral. I kept seeing places I knew well.
I had not read the book, and so came to this with no expectations. I actually rather enjoyed it, and thought how clever to make everyone related to each other somehow just like Dickens seemed to connect everyone quite implausibly at the end of most of his books. It did have a modern feel to it, which I didn’t mind. It seems as if NOT having read the book is key to enjoying this one.
If they want Dickens adapted for film really well, they have to call Andrew Davies I think. Although, Sandy Welch did a pretty good job of Our Mutual Friend.
I would say I was pleasantly surprised with Edwin Drood.
I agree with Tony and Jenny – it was a good film if you haven’t read the book. I did not read the book, and enjoyed the film! It was dark throughout, mysterious, and kept me involved for the entire two hours. I thought I would just take a look at the first few minutes, but stayed engaged. It did take a while to sort out the characters and who’s who – but then it was good.
I started listening to a recording of the book a few weeks ago in anticipation of seeing this adaptation. I couldn’t get into the book but I liked this Masterpiece show well enough. It was dark and difficult but yet there were funny moments as well. I didn’t care for any of the principle Characters but I liked Sapsea and Durdles. Like Great Expectations it was visually stunning! I guess I agree with the rest who enjoyed it without knowing the story.
What is all this Masterpiece Classic stuff?
The BBC made this!!!!!!!!!!!
We understand that, Tony, but PBS Masterpiece is so ingrained in our minds as the vehicle that presents BBC specials in the US and has been so closely associated with the BBC for so many years, that it is our shorthand of saying both. I’ll try to write “BBC special on Masterpiece” in the future to alleviate any confusion.
We LOVE classical BBC-made films, and wish that more could be transported, since the BBC blocks us from seeing their streaming online shows.
BTW, this must irritate ITV to no end, but we in the US have a habit of attributing all imported British costume dramas to the BBC.