‘The Forsytes’ TV Series Is Coming to PBS—From the Makers of ‘Poldark’! See How the New Trailer Differs From the Books
The classic John Galworthy novels are coming to the small-screen—but there will be major changes!
Calling all Poldark fans! If you’ve been missing all the drama and angsty romance set amid the rugged cliffs of Cornwall, you’re in for a treat—your next book-to-screen period drama obsession is here. PBS Masterpiece’s newest series, The Forsytes, is a sweeping story set during the opulent, scandal-filled world of 1880s London. And the best news? This series—based on John Galsworthy’s celebrated Nobel Prize-winning novels, The Forsyte Saga—comes straight from the creators of Poldark.
The series will follow the wealthy Forsyte family as they navigate secrets and betrayals in high-society London. So whether you’re a fan of Poldark, a fan of Galsworthy’s books, a lover of period pieces or all of the above, we have a feeling you’re going to adore The Forsytes.
Here, we gathered up everything to know about this lavish new costume drama—from plot details to book differences (it seems the series will breathe fresh, sexy life into the classic novels), release dates and more!
But first, what is ‘The Forsyte Saga’ book series about?
The Forsyte Saga, which is made up of three novels, was written by Nobel Prize–winning author John Galsworthy and published between 1906 and 1921. The sweeping series follows the intertwined lives, fortunes and scandals of a wealthy English family over three generations.
Set against the shifting backdrop of the late Victorian era through the 1920s, the drama revolves around stern solicitor Soames Forsyte, whose rigid sense of ownership—over property, status and even love—clashes with a rapidly changing London. Galsworthy’s series chronicles the family’s shifting fortunes as well as broader social transformations reshaping Britain at the turn of the century—most notably the evolving role of women in public and private life. The beloved series is perfect for fans of The Gilded Age, Downton Abbey and Poldark!
Meet ‘The Forsytes’: From the creators of ‘Poldark!’
The brilliant minds behind PBS Masterpiece’s fan-favorite series Poldark, adapted from Winston Graham’s novels, are also spearheading The Forsytes adaptation: writer Debbie Horsfield and producer Damien Timmer. (Poldark superfans will be especially pleased because Eleanor Tomlinson, who plays Demelza, has joined the cast of The Forsytes!) “Having had a rest after Poldark, we were trying to find a slab of story that Debbie could really enjoy getting her teeth into,” Timmer said in an interview with Radio Times.
Both Timmer and Horsfield were familiar with the two previous adaptations of the books, one from 1967 and one from 2002. The 2002 version is a sweeping 26 episodes and is widely regarded as a BBC classic. But they wanted their 2026 version to differ from the last two adaptations and the books. Timmer said their goal was to “make a version for now. In our ever-more-divided society, there is a real parallel with that late Victorian era. We wanted to take a magnifying glass to this extremely wealthy family who are the 1 per cent.”
What is ‘The Forsytes’ TV series about?
According to the PBS official logline, “the show chronicles the lives of four generations of an upper-class family of stockbrokers, against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving late-Victorian world.
Sticklers for tradition and status, the older Forsytes prize duty and reputation, whilst the younger members rail against the rigidity of family expectations. The question of who will succeed in the family firm, Forsyte & Co., looms large, with rival brothers Jolyon Snr and James battling for their respective sons, Jolyon and Soames, to succeed as chairman. But as each berates their offspring for being torn between duty and love, both harbour a scandalous secret of their own which threatens to undermine them.
Artistic and at odds with the world of business, Jolyon’s life is thrown into disarray when he encounters former lover Louisa, a self-made woman who—until now—has meticulously avoided the Forsytes at all costs. Matters are further complicated when Jolyon discovers he has twins, the result of their passionate affair prior to his marriage to high society queen Frances. Torn between wife and lover, Jolyon must decide whether to prioritise duty or heart. Frances, having worked tirelessly to become the wife of a chairman, must fight to retain her supremacy, whilst contending with renegade daughter, June, who defies her mother by falling in love with a penniless architect, Philip.
Meanwhile, ambitious Soames’ well-ordered life is overturned when he falls for the free-spirited dancer Irene. He is determined to win her heart and a whirlwind courtship ensues. Expecting her to fit into her expected role in the Forsyte family, he soon discovers that Irene has dreams of her own, and her natural exuberance and creative yearnings will not be so easily subdued. Ultimately, every member of the Forsyte family faces the eternal dilemma – to be ruled by the head or the heart.”
How the creators breathed new life into classic characters
At first, Horsfield expressed her hesitation about taking on someone else’s characters—especially this series’ kaleidoscope of characters that spans inner family circles, marriages, class systems and beyond. “Initially, I was nervous about taking on someone else’s characters, but I quickly realised I had to imagine they were my characters, to get inside their heads and understand what made them tick. So I did that and Poldark seemed to go OK,” she continued in the interview.
Timmer sang her praises about finding the heart of each character and bringing it to life on screen. “She’s so good at distilling a saga, keeping lots of different characters in play and knowing what each character’s story is,” says Timmer. “Which are exactly the skills you need to wrangle Galsworthy’s stories about the rich, troubled and often-awful Forsytes.”
Key differences between ‘The Forsyte Saga’ books and ‘The Forsytes’ TV series
So will there be major differences between the books and the show? In short, yes. The 2026 series is described as a reimagining of Galsworthy’s books more than a straight-up adaptation. The new PBS show will step away from the male-centric 1920s perspective to a more female-centric 1800s-set view. This will give characters—especially the women—more agency throughout.
There are also slightly altered plotlines and characters. We don’t want to give away any spoilers, but let’s just say…some characters who weren’t alive in the book are alive on the show! Other adjustments will be made throughout. For example, they replaced the popular governess storyline with a seamstress storyline. Also, Ann Forsyte is introduced as a prominent new character.
When specifically asked about the deviations from the books, Timmer said: “We’re synthesizing Galsworthy, a bit of The Age of Innocence and a lot of Dallas. I want Oil Barons’ Ball vibes going on.” Timmer says they withdrew a lot of drama that was “hidden” within the book. “If you go back to the books,” he said, “a lot of the real meaty drama is actually hidden and the female characters aren’t well-drawn at all. Irene, for example, is a shadowy figure who is really difficult to engage with because you never really understand her motivations.”
Watch ‘The Forsytes’ trailer!
Yes! Here’s a sneak peek of the latest PBS Masterpiece show.
When will ‘The Forsytes’ premiere on PBS?
The Forsytes premieres Sunday, March 22, 2026. All six episodes will stream on the PBS app and PBS Masterpiece, with new episodes airing weekly on PBS Sundays at 9/8c. According to PBS, the logline for the first episode reads: “Chance encounters for cousins Jo and Soames Forsyte, rival heirs to the family firm, throw their previously steady lives into disarray.”
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