The Count of Monte Cristo Hits US TV! But will it conquer American Hearts?

Damian Ali
10 hours ago
3 min read

Framed and forgotten, can he find justice or only blood?

Actor Sam Claflin as Edmond Dantès, wearing a black 19th-century period coat and leather gloves, sits atop a brown horse in a rugged, arid landscape with stone ruins in the background.

Sam Claflin as Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo: Courtesy of MASTERPIECE on PBS

Sam Claflin stars as the legendary Edmond Dantes in a new television adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo, premiering Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 10/9c on MASTERPIECE on PBS.

This eight part series brings the famous 19th century French revenge tale to modern screens with a cast of familiar faces and stunning European locations. Viewers can watch the broadcast on their local PBS station or stream the entire season early, starting March 1, 2026, through the PBS Passport member benefit and the PBS MASTERPIECE channel on Prime Video.

The story begins in 1815 as Dantes, a nineteen year old sailor with a bright future, returns home to Marseille. He is set to become a captain and marry his love, Mercedes, played by Ana Girardot (The Returned). His world shatters when three men frame him for treason.

Without a trial, he is locked away in the Chateau d’If, a grim island fortress. After years of suffering, Dantes escapes and finds a massive hidden treasure. He returns to society as the wealthy and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo to methodically dismantle the lives of those who ruined him.

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While this production first debuted to international acclaim in late 2024, it finally makes its highly anticipated move across the Atlantic for its official United States premiere this year.

The series arrives in the U.S. with a massive reputation, having already shattered viewership records in Italy, where it became the highest-rated drama on the RAI network in three years. International critics have specifically praised Sam Claflin's performance, noting his "hypnotic" ability to transform from a naive sailor into a cold, calculating avenger over the eight-episode arc.

Director Bille August, a two-time Palme d’Or winner, leads the production. The team spent five months filming on location in Italy, Malta, and France to capture the grit and the gold of the era. To keep the setting authentic, the prison scenes were filmed in a building from the same time period as the real Chateau d’If.

A close-up of actor Jeremy Irons as Abbé Faria in a dimly lit stone prison cell. He has long, unkempt grey hair and a thick beard, wearing a tattered, dirt-stained tunic while looking off-camera with a weary, soulful expression.

Jeremy Irons as Abbé Faria in The Count of Monte Cristo: Courtesy of MASTERPIECE on PBS

While the novel is a pillar of literature, Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones and the Six) believes this version offers a deeper look at the people involved. "What I love about our production is the fact that we have the opportunity to sit with these characters and get to know them, Claflin said. I think we do a pretty good job of staying true to the book."

The cast features Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons (The Borgias) as Abbe Faria, the wise prisoner who teaches Dantes everything from languages to combat. Blake Ritson (The Gilded Age) joins the lineup as the calculating Danglars.

Together, they tell a story that is surprisingly rooted in history. Author Alexandre Dumas based the plot on the true account of Pierre Picaud, a man who sought vengeance after a wrongful imprisonment. Dumas also used the real-life military struggles and prison time of his father to add emotional weight to the narrative.

In the first episode, titled The Letter, the drama starts quickly. Dantes saves his ship during a disaster at sea and earns a promotion to captain. However, his success sparks jealousy and malice in others. Just as he prepares for his wedding, a false accusation sends him into the darkness of a dungeon.

The series aims to show that while Dantes seeks revenge, there is still a human heart beneath the Count’s cold exterior. Claflin noted that even though it is a revenge thriller, there is so much love at the heart of it.

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