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Martin Chuzzlewit

Martin Chuzzlewit

Martin Chuzzlewit is a wealthy old man. But who will inherit his riches?

1994Miniseries1 season6 episodes~385 min/epMidcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

Old Martin Chuzzlewit is nearing his death. Who will inherit his riches? With such a prize to play for, the Chuzzlewit family bring forth all of their cunning, greed and selfishness.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Martin Chuzzlewit?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Martin Chuzzlewit streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Martin Chuzzlewit?

Martin Chuzzlewit earns 4 badges, led by Top 10% of shows and Standout acting.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Martin Chuzzlewit worth watching?

Martin Chuzzlewit's Midcredits score is the 92nd percentile of all shows, from 1.1K ratings across 2 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

92nd percentile

Better received than 92% of shows

92nd percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)91st
Approval (how many liked it)88th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

82 /100

91st percentile of all shows

93rd percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

87% liked it

88th percentile of all shows

88th percentile among Drama83rd percentile among 1990s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

44th percentile

1.1K ratings across platforms

32nd percentile among Drama25th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 67% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A handsomely mounted BBC period piece with superb actors, though its approach to the novel is selective and the hero lacks spark.

Fans praised

  • Flawless casting with Tom Wilkinson's Pecksniff as an unforgettable hypocrite
  • Elizabeth Spriggs' boozy, hilarious Mrs Gamp and Pete Postlethwaite's transformative Tigg
  • Loyal adaptation that keeps Dickens' satire, dark comedy, and moral weight intact

Detractors panned

  • American section gutted to a bare land-swindle, losing Dickens' political satire
  • Young Martin Chuzzlewit's whining and mumbling makes him an unappealing hero
  • Plot feels meandering and packed with ordinary Victorian contrivances

What stands out

Acting91

superlative ensemble: Tom Wilkinson, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Scofield, Elizabeth Spriggs, Keith Allen all deliver career-best work

CharactersDivisive86

vivid Dickensian grotesques (Pecksniff, Mrs Gamp, Jonas) but young Martin is a weak lead

Atmosphere83

dark, gloomy, authentically grimy, never too clean

Cinematography79

gorgeously realized muddy, gloomy Victorian settings; well-shot

HumorDivisive79

Pecksniff's pomposity and Mrs Gamp's drunken riffs are genuinely funny

DialogueDivisive78

exemplary blend of Dickens' original and David Lodge's adaptation; witty and natural

PacingDivisive70

well-paced for a miniseries; drama breathes but never bogs down

Plot and storyDivisive63

rambling family-greed story with over-busy coincidences and a rushed fairy-tale ending

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 1994 · 6 episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Nov 7, 199484 min
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Nov 14, 199452 min
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Nov 21, 199455 min
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Nov 28, 199453 min
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    Dec 5, 199453 min
  • S1E6

    Episode 6

    Dec 12, 199453 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Martin Chuzzlewit like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Wry, serious and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: middle
Satirical humor
Register
Satirical · 5% of showsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series holds its material with a knowing, satirical edge, mocking the greed and hypocrisy of its characters while still allowing moments of warmth and genuine tragedy.
The rideThe series maintains a tense, brooding atmosphere throughout, with moments of dark comedy, building to a climactic reckoning.
StructureThe series follows a linear, chronological narrative typical of serialized period drama, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Episode formatA six-episode limited series that tells one continuous story with no self-contained cases.
Season formatThe series concluded after one season with a complete arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe satire of greed and hypocrisy entertains while leaving you mulling over the timeless flaws of human nature.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rags
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3% (this title): Underdog triumph 2% (this title) · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Rags to riches: A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition. · Underdog triumph: Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).

3% of shows fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeYoung Martin Chuzzlewit, disinherited and tested by his grandfather's scheme, ultimately rises to fortune while the greedy relatives are exposed and punished. The series also focuses on overcoming the ‘monster’ of hypocrisy and greed embodied by Pecksniff and Jonas.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfGreedPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% (this title) · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Power

Greed · 2% of showsDeception · 6% of showsFamily bonds
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how greed corrupts family bonds and drives deception among kin competing for an inheritance.
StanceThe film satirizes greed and hypocrisy within a family, using broad caricatures to expose moral failings.

The world

19th centuryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Geoffrey Burgon
SettingVictorian London and countryside estates, circa 1840s
MusicA period-appropriate orchestral score that underscores the drama and satire.

Content guide

Is Martin Chuzzlewit okay for kids?

As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • CanadaPG
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Martin Chuzzlewit have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Martin Chuzzlewit?

Cast

Emma Chambers
as Charity Pecksniff
Julia Sawalha
as Mercy Pecksniff
Keith Allen
as Jonas Chuzzlewit
Philip Franks
as Tom Pinch
Tom Wilkinson
as Seth Pecksniff
Paul Scofield
as Old Martin Chuzzlewit
Peter Wingfield
as John Westlock
Pauline Turner
as Mary Graham
Ben Walden
as Young Martin Chuzzlewit
Steve Nicolson
as Mark Tapley

Crew

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What are shows like Martin Chuzzlewit?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Martin Chuzzlewit include Bleak House (2005), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2008) and Pride and Prejudice (1980).

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474 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.