Fans of classic British period dramas have a double dose of the Forsyte family to look forward to right now. The award-winning 2002 adaptation of The Forsyte Saga, starring Damian Lewis and Gina McKee, is now streaming on Netflix in multiple countries. This arrival comes at the perfect time, as a brand-new reboot titled The Forsytes is set to premiere on PBS in the United States on March 22, 2026. The six-part series, which already aired in the UK on Channel 5, brings a fresh cast and a modern sensibility to the timeless story of love, money, and family loyalty in Victorian England.
For viewers who want to revisit the sprawling saga or discover it for the first time, the 2002 version offers a rich and complete experience. It covers the first two novels of John Galsworthy’s Nobel Prize-winning series and follows the fortunes of the wealthy Forsyte clan from the 1870s to the early 20th century . The central conflict revolves around the possessive and cold solicitor Soames Forsyte (Damian Lewis), who sees his beautiful wife Irene (Gina McKee) as just another one of his prized possessions. Her unhappiness and eventual love for another man sets off a chain of events that tears the family apart . The series was a critical success, winning a BAFTA Award and earning praise for its lavish production and powerful performances .
The 2002 Version Finds a New Global Audience on Netflix
The decision to bring the 2002 series to Netflix is a smart move that introduces the story to a generation of viewers who may have missed it the first time around. The streaming giant added all ten episodes of the ITV production to its library in June 2025 . This makes it incredibly easy for subscribers to binge the entire saga ahead of the new reboot’s debut.
Currently, The Forsyte Saga (2002) is available to stream on Netflix in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ireland, and Australia . For those in the UK, it also remains available on ITVX . The timing could not be better, as it allows audiences to compare the two adaptations and appreciate how different creative teams have interpreted Galsworthy’s complex characters.
The 2002 cast is a who’s who of British acting talent. Alongside Lewis and McKee, the series features:
- Rupert Graves (Sherlock) as the bohemian Young Jolyon Forsyte.
- Corin Redgrave as the family patriarch Old Jolyon.
- Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic Four) as the tragic architect Philip Bosinney.
- Gillian Kearney as June Forsyte.
- Amanda Root and Ben Miles as Soames’s sister Winifred and her scoundrel husband Montague Dartie .
The series is known for its faithful yet engaging adaptation of the source material, capturing the repression and rigid social codes of the Victorian era while exploring themes that remain deeply relevant today: the battle between passion and duty, the nature of ownership in relationships, and the clash between old money and new ideas .
Everything You Need to Know About The Forsytes Reboot
While the 2002 version settles into its Netflix run, excitement is building for the 2026 reboot. Titled The Forsytes, this new adaptation is produced by Mammoth Screen, the acclaimed studio behind hits like Poldark and Victoria . It promises a fresh take on the story, written by Debbie Horsfield, who is known for her work on the beloved Poldark series .
The six-episode first season premiered in the UK on Channel 5 in October 2025 . Even before it aired, the show was so highly anticipated that it was renewed for a second season . Filming for the new episodes has already begun in Bristol, ensuring that fans won’t have to wait too long to see what happens next .
When and Where to Watch the Reboot in the US
American audiences can mark their calendars. PBS Masterpiece has officially set the premiere date for Sunday, March 22, 2026 . The series will air weekly on PBS stations at 9/8c. For those who prefer to stream, all six episodes will be available on the PBS app and the PBS Masterpiece channel on Prime Video starting that same day .
Meet the Cast of The Forsytes
The reboot features an impressive ensemble cast, blending established stars with rising talent.
- Francesca Annis (Lillie) as the formidable family matriarch, Ann Forsyte .
- Stephen Moyer (True Blood) as her eldest son, Jolyon Forsyte Senior .
- Joshua Orpin (Titans) as the complex and ambitious Soames Forsyte .
- Millie Gibson (Doctor Who) as Irene Heron, the woman whose beauty and spirit challenge Soames’s world .
- Jack Davenport (The Morning Show) as James Forsyte, another of Ann’s sons .
- Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) as Louisa Byrne .
- Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era) as Frances Forsyte .
- Danny Griffin (Fate: The Winx Saga) as Jolyon Forsyte Junior .
- In a special piece of casting, Susan Hampshire, who starred as Fleur in the iconic 1967 BBC adaptation, joins the new series as Lady Carteret .
What the New Series is About
Set in the wealth and opulence of 1880s London, The Forsytes centers on the lives of a powerful stockbroking family . They are bound by tradition, but torn apart by desire. The official logline describes it as a story where “desire, ambition and betrayal simmer at the heart” of the family . The narrative will explore the consequences when family members must choose between the rigid expectations of their class and the pursuit of personal happiness and true love. The rivalry between cousins, particularly Jolyon and Soames, will be a central focus .
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A Legacy of Adaptation
The Forsyte family has been captivating audiences for over a century. John Galsworthy’s original series of novels, beginning with The Man of Property in 1906, won him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932 . The story was first adapted for television by the BBC in 1967 in a landmark 26-part serial that became a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic, drawing millions of viewers . A film version, That Forsyte Woman, was released way back in 1949 starring Errol Flynn and Greer Garson .
The 2002 ITV adaptation brought the story to a new generation, and now the 2026 version aims to do the same. With the older series readily available on Netflix and the shiny new reboot just weeks away from its US premiere, there has never been a better time to get lost in the world of the Forsytes. Whether you are a longtime fan or a complete newcomer, the coming months offer the perfect opportunity to explore this classic saga of family, fortune, and forbidden love.
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