Tom Jones - A Foundling, the BBC Mini Series

One of my favourite mini series of all time is a BBC production of "Tom Jones - A Foundling", which tells the story of an orphan boy adopted by a wealthy nobleman...

And the chaos that ensues as the rascally boy comes to age.

Written by Henry Fielding and first published in 1749 it has nothing to do with the singer "Tom Jones", who is himself named after the fictional "Tom Jones" from the book: "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling".

The plot includes rowdiness, drunkiness, swordfights, lies, schemes, wanton females (and males) and a great deal of humour.

Which is to say it has lots of things going for it. Part comedy, part soap opera, part three-musketeers-style duels.

In other words it is really entertaining television. In its original book format it included an handful of moral and ethical dilemnas that forced Henry Fielding's contemporaries to think hard, ideas that by today's standards of marrying for love, honesty in a relationship, fidelity and so forth - doesn't seem so unorthodox these days, but instead just helps to make a great comedy / drama.

And you can watch all of it for free on YouTube. :)