British Period Drama · BBC / PBS · 2017
This lovingly mounted three-part adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic follows the March sisters — Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy — from girlhood to adulthood while their father is away at war. Under Marmee's guidance they navigate first love, loss, sibling rivalry, and the question of what it means to become a young woman. With Maya Hawke, Emily Watson, and Angela Lansbury, it's comfort wrapped in nostalgia and kindness — keep the tissues handy. Little Women airs on PBS; for more, see British TV Hub's guide to where to watch British TV in the US.
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Where to watch in the US
PBS Masterpiece
All 3 episodes · Free via local PBS station · full library with PBS Passport
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About the show
Heidi Thomas — the same writer who created Call the Midwife — adapted this three-part Little Women for BBC One and PBS Masterpiece, casting Emily Watson as Marmee opposite an ensemble of rising actresses as the March sisters. The production marked one of the first major roles for Maya Hawke, daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, as the willful Jo March, alongside Angela Lansbury and Michael Gambon in supporting roles as Aunt March and Mr. Laurence. It was filmed in Ireland and first broadcast over three consecutive nights around Christmas 2017.
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