Watch A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol is a 2019 adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, produced by the BBC One. This gritty version of the story takes a dark and haunting turn that feels perfectly suited to the bleakness of the original text. The story centers around Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly businessman who doesn't believe in the spirit of Christmas. Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him of the three spirits he will encounter that night. Over the course of the evening, Scrooge is taken on a journey through his past, present, and future, where he must confront the choices he's made and the impact they've had on those around him.

Guy Pearce gives a powerful performance as Scrooge, capturing his cold and calculating nature, along with the vulnerable humanity that is revealed as the story progresses. In this version of the story, Scrooge is portrayed as more complex than the caricature of a miserly businessman. He's ruthless in his business dealings, but his past traumas and losses have hardened him, making it difficult for him to form meaningful connections with others.

Alongside Pearce, the cast features talented actors like Andy Serkis, who plays the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Stephen Graham, who appears as Jacob Marley. Their performances, along with the supporting roles, provide depth and nuance to the story's characters.

One notable aspect of this adaptation is its production design. The gritty, gray-toned world that Scrooge inhabits feels like a Dickensian nightmare, twisted and distorted by his greed and cynicism. The imagery of the three ghosts is especially striking, each one perfectly designed to embody the themes of the different periods of Scrooge's life.

The show's director, Nick Murphy, deftly handles the tone of the story, finding the right balance between the darkness and the hope at the heart of the story. He's aided by an excellent script from Steven Knight that captures the spirit of the original story while freshening it up and making it compelling for modern audiences.

Overall, A Christmas Carol is a beautifully crafted adaptation that brings new life to a beloved story. While it's definitely not a lighthearted holiday romp, it does capture the central message of Dickens' story – that redemption is always possible, no matter how lost we may feel.