Two unlikely lovers, a random meet-cute, misunderstandings, and a matchmaking curveball are classic rom com elements you get in the new adaptation of Tom Jones, which skips merrily onto MASTERPIECE on PBS Sunday, April 30, 9/8c. Add elaborate costumes and sumptuous locations to the tale of soulmates finding each other, and you’ll discover Tom Jones delivers all the splendor and emotion of a timeless period drama.
Tom Jones is a British period drama not to be missed. Don’t take our word for it: The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Boston Globe all included the new show in their 2023 must-watch lists.
Please watch the trailer and look for some familiar faces, including a recent Emmy® Award winner!
Abandoned as a baby and adopted by a tender country squire, young Tom grows up kind, handsome, free-spirited, and very popular with the ladies. But he cannot escape his lowly birth. When he falls in love with the well-to-do girl next door, and she with him, their families unite against the match. Based on Henry Fielding’s classic novel, this is a big-hearted tale of youthful exuberance, stirring romance and betrayals, inherently comedic situations, and two sweethearts bumbling towards each other through mishap after mishap. Will love conquer all?
Learn about the spectacular cast assembled, from Solly McLeod (House of the Dragon) and Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me), to Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso). Then get details on when and how to watch this highly anticipated new TV adaptation, what to expect, and more.
Solly McLeod (House of the Dragon) stars as the handsome, resourceful Tom Jones himself, with Sophie Wilde (You Don’t Know Me) as the charming and feisty love of his life, Sophia Western. Emmy® Award winning actress Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) plays the seductive and vengeful Lady Bellaston, who comes between Tom and Sophia.
Many MASTERPIECE fans will recognize others in the cast, including James Fleet (All Creatures Great and Small, Unforgotten, Bridgerton) as Squire Allworthy, Tom’s adoptive father, and Alun Armstrong (Downton Abbey, Dark Angel, Little Dorrit) as Squire Western, Sophia’s doting grandfather. Felicity Montagu (The Durrells in Corfu) plays Tom’s Aunt Bridget, with James Wilbraham (In My Skin) as Bridget’s odious son, Blifil. Sophia’s trio of watchful aunts are played by Shirley Henderson (The Mandalorian, Harry Potter), Tamzin Merchant (Carnival Row), and Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso). Sophia’s worldly-wise servant Honour is played by Pearl Mackie (Doctor Who).
We realize there’s a lot of TV to choose from, but trust us, you don’t want to miss a single one of Tom Jones’s four delightful episodes. Escape into the charms and vagaries of 18th century romance by checking out all the ways to watch:
On air: Tom Jones premieres Sunday night, April 30 at 9/8c, with new episodes following Sundays through May 21, 2023.
Streaming: Each Tom Jones episode will be available to stream for 14 days after the national broadcast on Sunday nights. Watch online and with the PBS app.
If you’re immediately charmed by Tom Jones—and that’s more than likely—you can binge all four parts on PBS Passport (a member benefit) beginning the night of the show’s premiere.
One of the many pleasures in watching Tom Jones is seeing sweeping shots of stately manors, rolling green countryside, and streetscapes evoking an 18th century London. Turns out all the filming for Tom Jones happened in Northern Ireland, a country still rich with classic estate properties and unspoiled fairytale landscapes. Shooting in County Down took advantage of the pristine interior details of the National Trust’s 16th century Castle Ward, as well as the fine Georgian properties of both Grey Abbey House and Myra Castle. And Belfast’s Upper Crescent was a key exterior location standing in for long-ago London as it features an elegant, curving row of three-story homes in Regency style.
