The Forsytes

The Forsytes
US promotional poster
Created byDebbie Horsfield
Based onThe Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy
Screenplay byDebbie Horsfield
Directed byMeenu Gaur
Annetta Laufer
Creative directorRebecca Keane
Starring
ComposerAnne Dudley
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producersDebbie Horsfield
Sheena Bucktowonsing
Meenu Gaur
Damien Timmer
Susanne Simpson
CinematographyAndrew McDonnell
Running time50-51 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network5
Release20 October 2025 (2025-10-20) –
present

The Forsytes is a television series adaptation of the novels by John Galsworthy. It is created and written by Debbie Horsfield. The series is led by an ensemble cast which includes Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Millie Gibson, Danny Griffin, Tuppence Middleton, Stephen Moyer, Joshua Orpin and Eleanor Tomlinson. It is broadcast in the United Kingdom on 5 since 20 October 2025.

The renewal for second series was announced months before the series premiered.[1] On March 10, it was renewed for a third series.[2]

Premise

The series is set in late-Victorian England and follows the lives of an upper-class family of stockbrokers across four separate generations.[3]

Cast

Main

  • Francesca Annis as Ann Forsyte, the grand matriarch of the Forsyte family and owner of the family company Forsyte & Co.
  • Jack Davenport as James Forsyte, the younger brother of Jolyon Sr., and Emily's husband, is constantly competing with his brother in the family business and devotes most of his efforts to supporting his son Soames' interests.
  • Stephen Moyer as Jolyon Forsyte Sr., Ann’s eldest son and chairman of Forsyte & Co., values duty and family reputation above all. As a widowed father, he is determined to secure his son Jo’s future in the family business.
  • Joshua Orpin as Soames Forsyte, is a successful and respected businessman who is highly competitive with his cousin Jo. His life changes when he meets and falls deeply in love with Irene, whose free spirit challenges his way of thinking.
  • Danny Griffin as Jolyon "Jo" Forsyte, Frances’ husband and June’s stepfather, struggles to balance his family responsibilities with his passion for art. His life changes when Louisa, his former love, reappears and disrupts his world.
  • Tuppence Middleton as Frances Forsyte, a high-society widow who marries Jo Forsyte, joins the Forsyte family and becomes committed to preserving its reputation. Her life is shaken by the return of Louisa, her husband’s former love.
  • Millie Gibson as Irene Forsyte (née Heron), a young woman who dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer in Paris like her mother. After her father dies suddenly and she loses financial support, she is charmed by Soames Forsyte and marries him.
  • Eleanor Tomlinson as Louisa Byrne, a dressmaker devoted to her children, must face the return of Jo, with whom she had a relationship years ago. His return brings back old feelings and leads her to deal with the complicated Forsyte family. An original character loosely based on Hélène, June’s governess and Jo’s mistress and, later, second wife.
  • Justine Moore as June Forsyte, the daughter of Frances and the stepdaughter of Jo. She believes she should be free to make her own choices in love and falls in love with the penniless architect Philip Bosinney, to whom she becomes engaged.
  • Jamie Flatters as Philip Bosinney, an architect proud of his rebellious and artistic vision and fiancé of June Forsyte. He later acts as Irene’s protector against her husband.

Recurring

  • Fiona Button as Mrs Clarissa Heron, Irene’s stepmother, who loses her fortune after her husband’s death. She wants her stepdaughter Irene to marry Soames in order to regain her social status.
  • Eleanor Jackson as Winifred Dartie (née Forsyte), daughter of Emily and James and wife of Monty. She tries to persuade her family to accept her husband on the board of Forsyte & Co.
  • Tom Durant-Pritchard as Montague "Monty" Dartie, Winifred’s husband who does not know much about business, but he believes in himself a lot and tries hard to join Forsyte & Co. in an important position.
  • Naomi Frederick as Emily Forsyte, wife of James and mother to Soames and Winifred.
  • Susan Hampshire as Lady Carteret, friend of the Forsyte family. She played Fleur Forsyte in the original 1960s series, The Forsyte Saga.
  • Owen Igiehon as Isaac Cole, in-house lawyer at Forsyte & Co. and Jo’s best friend and confidant.
  • Sharon Rose as Alicia Cole, wife of Jolyon’s best friend Isaac.
  • Josette Simon as Mrs Ellen Parker Barrington, friend of the Forsyte family who is committed to standing up against injustice whenever she encounters it.

Guest

Forsyte family tree

Ann ForsyteJolyon
(deceased)
Edith
(deceased)		Jolyon Sr.James ForsyteEmily Forsyte
Louisa ByrneJolyon "Jo" ForsyteFrances ForsyteIrene HeronSoames ForsyteWinifred DartieMontague "Monty" Dartie
June ForsytePhilip Bosinney

Episodes

SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
1620 October 2025 (2025-10-20)24 November 2025 (2025-11-24)
2TBATBATBA
3TBATBATBA

Series 1 (2025)

No.Title Directed byWritten byOriginal release dateU.K. viewers
(millions) [4]
1"1.1"Meenu GaurDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy20 October 2025 (2025-10-20)1.63
The Forsytes prepare to celebrate daughter June's 18th birthday and her entrance into society - but her father Jolyon makes a shock announcement at the party. And Frances makes a distressing discovery.
2"1.2"Meenu GaurDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy27 October 2025 (2025-10-27)1.37
Frances reels from her discovery. The Forsytes prepare for a night at the opera. Jolyon visits Louisa, but he is spotted leaving by James, who comes to a realisation. Soames faces heartache.
3"1.3"Meenu GaurDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy3 November 2025 (2025-11-03)1.15
Jolyon recalls his affair with Louisa but fails to reassure June. At Forsyte & Co., James's scheme to oust Jolyon backfires. And Soames solidifies his engagement to Irene with a ring.
4"1.4"Annetta LauferDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy10 November 2025 (2025-11-10)1.06
Jolyon assures Frances and June he has cut ties with Louisa. Frances resumes her efforts to secure Horatio for June. In Paris, Soames begins to realise he doesn't fit in with Irene's friends.
5"1.5"Annetta LauferDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy17 November 2025 (2025-11-17)1.04
At Forsyte & Co, the climbing Ceylon Gold share price casts doubt on Jolyon's cautious approach. Disaster strikes at the Ceylon Gold mine, prompting the share price to plummet.
6"1.6"Annetta LauferDebbie Horsfield & John Galsworthy24 November 2025 (2025-11-24)0.90
Frances struggles to hold it together, fearing she is a source of gossip following Jolyon's departure. Irene admits to mourning the life she was promised. Jolyon and Soames argue.

Production

Development

The six-part adaptation is written by Debbie Horsfield with Meenu Gaur and Annetta Laufer both directing episodes. Sheena Bucktowonsing and Debbie Horsfield, Meenu Gaur, Damien Timmer and Susanne Simpson are executive producers.[5] It is the third television adaptation of The Forsyte Saga novels by John Galsworthy, after a version which aired in 1967 on the BBC and a second 35 years later that aired on ITV.[3]

Cast

An ensemble cast includes Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Davenport, Millie Gibson, Stephen Moyer, Joshua Orpin, Tuppence Middleton, Francesca Annis, Jamie Flatters and Susan Hampshire.[6] Hampshire, who starred as Fleur Forsyte in the original 1960s series, will play dowager Lady Carteret.[7] More casting, including Fiona Button and Naomi Frederick, was announced in June 2024.[8] Sarah Alexander, Richard Rankin and Nia Ashi have been confirmed to appear in the second season in roles that are still unknown.[9] Gregg Sulkin and Gabriel Antunes are included in the third season.[10]

Filming

Filming started in Bristol in May 2024,[11] with filming locations including Christmas Steps, Bristol.[12][13] Filming was also scheduled to take place in Wales and Italy.[14]

Filming of the second season also started in Bristol in June 2025.[15]It wrapped filming in summer of 2025[16]

Filming Season 3 started production in May 2026.[16] some scenes were film in Opatija.[17]

Broadcast

It was broadcast in the United Kingdom on 5 on 20 October 2025.[3] In the United States, the series premiered on 22 March 2026 on the drama anthology series Masterpiece on PBS.[18]In Spain it can be watched on Movistar Plus+[19][20]. It can also be seen on ABC (Australia), TVNZ (New Zealand), ZDF (Germany), SVT (Sweden), YLE (Finland), DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), Tet (Latvia), HRT (Croatia), and HOT and Yes TV (Israel)[21][22].

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series received a 75% approval rating based on 12 critic reviews.[23] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 59 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[24]

In The Times, the critic Rod Liddle described the series as a form of "boomer escapism", while praising its nostalgic appeal, meticulous period recreation, and traditional approach to family drama[25]. Also Carol Midgley described the series as a lavish period drama that updates John Galsworthy's novel with a greater emphasis on its female characters. However, she noted that the opening episode relied too heavily on exposition and narration before the story gained momentum[26].

References

  1. ↑ Kanter, Jake (13 March 2025). "'The Forsytes' Set For Season 2 Renewal At PBS Masterpiece Before First Season Premiere". Deadline. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Kanter, Jake (10 March 2026). "'The Forsytes' Renewed For Season 3 By PBS Masterpiece". Deadline. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Goldbart, Max (12 March 2025). "Channel 5 Boards PBS Masterpiece Period Drama 'The Forsytes'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "Ratings UK (@Ratings_UK) on X". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Mensah, Katelyn. "Doctor Who's Millie Gibson joins Poldark, Downton Abbey stars in new Forsyte Saga". Radio Times. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  6. ↑ Kanter, Jake (30 April 2024). "PBS Masterpiece Sets Third TV Adaptation Of 'The Forsyte Saga'; Cast Includes BAFTA-Winner Francesca Annis & 'Doctor Who' Star Millie Gibson". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  7. ↑ Singh, Anita (30 April 2024). "Susan Hampshire to return to The Forsyte Saga for 'lavish reimagining'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Casting Completed for The Forsyte Saga". pbs.org. 27 June 2024. Archived from the original on 28 February 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  9. ↑ Boyle, Kelli (29 October 2025). "'The Forsytes' Premiere Date Revealed: How to Watch & Stream New PBS Period Drama". TV Insider. Archived from the original on 8 May 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Petski, Denise (7 May 2026). "'The Forsytes' Adds Gregg Sulkin & Gabriel Antunes As Season 3 Production Begins". Deadline. Archived from the original on 20 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Bristol has won the coveted City of Film Award at the 2024 Global Production Awards, presented on 20 May during the Cannes Film Festival". ukscreenalliance. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  12. ↑ King-Soyza, Shania (2 July 2024). "ITV period drama remake filmed in Bristol - in pictures". Bristol Post. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  13. ↑ Glascow, Zoe (25 June 2024). "Filming spotted in Bristol for ITV period drama remake". Bristol Post. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  14. ↑ Lewis, George (30 April 2024). "Doctor Who's Millie Gibson cast in new period drama from Poldark team". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "The Forsytes Season 2 Commissioned by MASTERPIECE on PBS". Masterpiece | Official Site | PBS. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  16. 1 2 "'The Forsytes' Star Stephen Moyer Breaks The News That PBS Already Renewed His Show For Two More Seasons — Before Season 1 Has Even Premiered! | Decider". 10 March 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  17. ↑ croatiaweek (10 May 2026). "British TV series 'The Forsytes' filming new season in Opatija and across Croatia". Croatia Week. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Petski, Denise (29 October 2025). "'The Forsytes' Sets Premiere Date At PBS Masterpiece". Deadline. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "ITV Studios vende la serie de época The Forsytes a Movistar Plus+ para España". TTV News (in European Spanish). 24 November 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Si te gustan 'Los Bridgerton', esta nueva saga de intrigas familiares puede ser tu próxima obsesión". ¡HOLA! (in Spanish). 30 December 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Sakowski, Kloudia (24 November 2025). "ITV Studios Announces Global Sales for The Forsytes". TVDRAMA. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "ABC, TVNZ, SVT among first buyers of PBS/Masterpiece drama The Forsytes". C21media. Retrieved 3 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "The Forsytes: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  24. ↑ "The Forsytes: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  25. ↑ Liddle, Rod. "The Forsytes is saddo boomer escapism — I love it". Archived from the original on 30 December 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Midgley, Carol. "The Forsytes review — this lavish costume drama is right on time". Archived from the original on 29 December 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
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