Great Expectations - Season 1

The cleverest boy in school, orphan Pip has yearned for a greater lot in life for as long as he can remember. With his parents and younger siblings long dead, he lives with kindly blacksmith Joe, who is married to Pip's eldest sister, Sara, a tough and unforgiving woman. Together they live in Gravesend, surrounded by the dark and foggy marshes whose tributaries lead to the great River Thames. Whenever Pip is not at the forge with Joe, he eagerly watches the Thames traffic go by - great ships of the British Empire heading out past his bedroom window to a life he can only dream of.

Sneaking out to visit his parents' grave on Christmas Eve, Pip is accosted by an escaped convict, Magwitch. Bound for Australia, Magwitch has escaped the prison ship Redemption after his arch enemy, Compeyson, started a fire on board. With both men still trapped in leg irons on the freezing marshes, neither have much hope of getting far. Now only one thing occupies Magwitch's mind - revenge, in the form of murdering Compeyson - and he forces Pip to come to his aid.

During Christmas lunch at Joe's, one of the guests, Mr Pumblechook, has news concerning Pip. He has learned that the eccentric and vastly wealthy Miss Havisham is looking for a companion for her adopted daughter, Estella. As Estella is the same age as Pip, it has been suggested that Pip, as the cleverest boy in the school, could be a suitable candidate. Joe says he won't let Miss Havisham take Pip away - he will need him in the forge soon enough. But Joe doesn't see that Pip is desperate for the opportunity to become something more resembling a gentleman than a blacksmith.

Pip's greatest desire is to learn from Miss Havisham and Estella how to become a gentleman. As he begins to learn the ways of the world, two men are about to hang, but lawyer Mr Jaggers blackmails the judge into pardoning his client. Back at home, Mr Pumblechook declares that Pip should continue his education with Miss Havisham - and be paid handsomely for it. Pip enlists Biddy's help, offering to pay her out of the allowance he will receive, but she refuses. He fails to see that the only reason Biddy helps him is that she loves him.

Pip's education begins in earnest, but Miss Havisham has a proposal for Jaggers regarding Pip, one which neither she nor Jaggers will ever admit to the boy. Seeking revenge against all men for her past injuries, Miss Havisham intends to have Jaggers throw Pip to the wild wolves of London. Blissfully unaware of the changes on his horizon, Pip continues his life with Joe. Together they make and sell manacles, shackles and chains for the prison ships moored nearby. Pip will not countenance selling the chains for use in the slave trade, although it would be much more lucrative.

However, Miss Havisham soon offers Pip an opportunity that is too good to turn down: a bag of the finest opium, which he might sell for no less than £6. This is more than Pip can hope to make on his own, and more than enough to buy a suit of clothes to disguise the blacksmith's boy behind finery and in imitation of the gentleman he might yet become. But it comes with the understanding that his education is over and he is no longer welcome at the Havisham house. Estella is distraught at Miss Havisham's decision to send Pip away. Pip heads to the local tavern to drown his sorrows, and just as he passes out from too much rum, Mr Jaggers enters his life.

Having left his life in Gravesend, Pip has a brutal introduction to London, working for Mr. Jaggers. Meanwhile Estella discovers a plan of Miss Havisham's.

As London life begins to take its toll, Pip's immoral work with Jaggers brings Estella shockingly back into this life.

Pip's past comes back to haunt him as he wonders if he will ever take control of his own destiny.

As Pip and Jaggers' plans come to a head, Miss Havisham finally comes face to face with her demons and Estella at last tries to break free after a family revelation.