A Preview of The Forsytes, Season 1| MASTERPIECE Studio
Released March 2, 2026 08:10
The Forsytes is a modern reimagining of John Galsworthy’s landmark novels which chronicle the lives and loves, trials and triumphs of a wealthy Victorian stockbroking family. Written by Debbie Horsfield, who also wrote MASTERPIECE’s 2015 adaptation of Poldark, this new series depicts the tensions between tradition and self-sacrifice, and personal happiness and the pursuit of love. In preparation for The Forsytes, coming to MASTERPIECE on Sunday, March 22, we’re joined by MASTERPIECE mainstay, actor Tom Durant-Pritchard, who plays Montague Dartie, to take a sneak peek at this highly anticipated upcoming drama.
This script has been lightly edited for clarity.
Jace Lacob: I’m Jace Lacob and you’re listening to MASTERPIECE Studio.
From the outside, the Forsyte family could be described as ambitious, successful, loyal, and elegant, aspiring to climb the dizzying heights of high society in Victorian London. But as with any family, fictional or otherwise, we often find far more than meets the eye: there are rules, often punishing ones, for what it means to belong to this clan.
CLIP
Frances: As a Forsyte woman, you’re expected to shine. To be a perfect hostess, to forge useful connections, to profess no controversial opinions, to pursue no scandalous habits...
Irene: Am I permitted a mind of my own?
Frances: Of course, but be aware the men like to think everything’s their idea. And it’s so much easier to let them.
The Forsytes is a modern reimagining of John Galsworthy’s landmark novels which chronicle the lives and loves, trials and triumphs of a wealthy Victorian stockbroking family. Written by Debbie Horsfield, executive producer of MASTERPIECE’s Poldark, this new series depicts the tensions between tradition and self-sacrifice, and personal happiness and the pursuit of love. It’s a timeless story simmering with ambition, desire, love, and betrayal.
CLIP
Soames: Do I think I’d be the better chair? Of course. Do I need to stoop to scheming to achieve it?
James: You can leave all that to me.
In preparation for The Forsytes, coming to MASTERPIECE on Sunday, March 22 at 9 p.m. Eastern, we wanted to give you a little taste of what to expect.
CLIP
Ann: Are you “in love”?
Irene: Oh, I have tremors, my pulse races, and I feel faint. Some poets call that love.
Ann: What would you call it?
Irene: A prelude to something deeper.
Ann: I hope you find it.
Today, we’re joined by MASTERPIECE mainstay, actor Tom Durant-Pritchard, who plays Montague Dartie in The Forsytes, to take a sneak peek at this highly anticipated upcoming drama.
Jace Lacob: This week, we are joined by The Forsytes star, Tom Durant-Pritchard, welcome.
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Thank you.
Jace Lacob: How would you describe The Forsytes to MASTERPIECE viewers or costume drama fans, people who may have seen the previous adaptations of The Forsyte Saga, or maybe have not?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Well, I would describe The Forsytes as, well, it is two families who live next door to one another, and it is a story of rivalry, power, romance. Yeah, I think that's about it, really.
Jace Lacob: You play Montague Dartie, a caddish social climber who is married into the Forsyte clan and has a “fondness for the gee-gees.” How does Monty fit into this sweeping family drama? What's his role within this world?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: I mean, he barely fits into this role at all. He's the worst businessman in the history of the world and yet, always is there, right on the cusp of every opportunity that's ever existed. Monty is always in the background. He's that guy who's in the corner of every picture of every powerful party that's ever been. He's always there or thereabouts. And he's married into this Forsyte family, and he is desperately trying to creep his way up to the top and run the Forsyte dynasty business.
Jace Lacob: So the role of Monty was previously played on television by Terence Alexander in the 1967 version, and Ben Miles in the 2002 version. While you're playing a younger version of Monty, did you look at either of their portrayals, or go back to John Galsworthy's books to look at how he was described when developing the character?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Well, I did, I looked a little bit. But Debbie Horsfield, who's written this version of The Forsytes, has completely changed some of the dynamics of the script. So I did a little bit of research. I watched a bit of the ‘60s version, and then I watched the Ben Miles one from the early 2000s, just to get a sense of what they did. But the version that we've done is slightly different. So I took small aspects, some of the pomposity of Monty from some of the earlier versions which exist in the novel, and then just brought a sense of my own madness to it, really.
Jace Lacob: This role is quite a change from the upstanding Detective Inspector Alexander Blake you play on Miss Scarlet. So it does beg the question, what would Blake and Monty make of each other were they to cross paths?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Well, I imagine Blake would be arresting Monty. There is no way that they'd be hanging out socially. I think Blake would take pleasure in putting him behind bars.
Jace Lacob: So you mentioned Debbie Horsfield earlier. She is no stranger to MASTERPIECE viewers, having written Poldark. How would you describe Debbie's scripts for The Forsytes?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Well, Debbie’s scripts, they are so rich and varied and surprising. They are great scripts and she creates these entire worlds that aren't immediately visible to the… when you're reading them, and then you just see them come to life when all the characters arrive and you've got all these beautiful, big set pieces. You've got balls, you've got giant dinner parties, drinks parties, and she just creates narrative weaving through these families. And the intrigue is there that you could make a series about any one of maybe 15 characters in this particular series, and it carries just as much interest. And that was the real joy of doing a show like this, is it feels like a real ensemble piece, and it's got such a big, varied and really talented cast. And if this keeps going for seasons and seasons, you'll get to meet all of them at varying points, I imagine.
Jace Lacob: This is a sumptuous costume drama that's been described as Downton Abbey meets Bridgerton by some. What can you tease for viewers about what lies ahead in the first series of The Forsytes?
Tom Durant-Pritchard: Oh, there is going to be scandal, there is rivalry, it's sexy. We've got all sorts of intriguing, unexpected, naughty storylines that all get revealed in the first few episodes and it is a colorful, mad experience.
Jace Lacob: Love it. Tom Durant-Pritchard, thank you so very much.
Tom Durant-Pritchard: An absolute pleasure.
Next time, we meet the illustrious Forsyte clan, as well as the gatekeepers standing in their way as they ascend the social ladder, including the wealthy Lady Carteret, who has no love for the Forsytes.
CLIP
Frances: Ah, Lady Carteret.
Lady Carteret: Oh dear. We were hoping to keep Miss Louisa to ourselves.
Frances: My apologies.
Join us on Sunday, March 22, as we talk with acting legend Susan Hampshire, to discuss playing Fleur in the 1967 version of The Forsyte Saga and returning to the world of Galsworthy's novels nearly 60 years later, this time in the newly created role of Lady Carteret.
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