Calling all period drama fans! Channel 4 has just added The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Sam Claflin (Peaky Blinders, Lazarus), to its roster of TV shows – and it could just be your next binge.

The eight-part series, which first landed on screens in August 2024, is based on Alexandre Dumas’ 1846 novel. It charts the journey of escaped prisoner Edmond Dantès, who is falsely accused of treason and later assumes a new identity as the Count of Monte Cristo.

Sam Claflin shines in every project he stars in, whether it’s Love, Rosie, Daisy Jones & The Six or Lazarus. Combine his performance with a richly detailed historical retelling of Dumas’ classic novel and the show promises a compelling adaptation of a timeless rags-to-revenge story.

Intrigued? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about The Count of Monte Cristo…

What is The Count of Monte Cristo about?

The series follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor who is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned without trial in the Château d’If, a grim island fortress off the coast of Marseille.

The synopsis continues: “After many years of captivity, he finally escapes and assumes the identity of the wealthy and enigmatic Count of Monte Cristo. With his newfound resources, he embarks on a journey of revenge on those who have wrongly accused him.”

man and woman sitting at table© paolo modugno / UKTV
Sam Claflin and Ana Girardot in The Count of Monte Cristo

Who stars in The Count of Monte Cristo?

Sam Claflin (Peaky Blinders, Daisy Jones & The Six, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) leads the cast as Edmond Dantès, while Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci, Watchmen) plays Abbé Faria and Blake Ritson (The Gilded Age) stars as Danglars.

They are joined by Karla-Simone Spence (The Confessions of Frannie Langton) as Haydée and Harry Taurasi (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) as Fernand Mondego.

Rounding out the cast are Poppy Corby-Tuech (The Royals) as Héloïse, Ana Girardot (The Wages of Fear) as Mercédès and Gabriella Pession (Tell Me Lies) as Hermine.

man standing on ship© paolo modugno / UKTV
The show is available to binge on Channel 4

What have viewers said about The Count of Monte Cristo?

The show proved a hit with viewers on IMDb, with an overall rating of 7.8 out of ten.

“This series encompasses the majority of the book and in such, it should be deemed as a must-watch by any and everyone that loves this novel,” wrote one reviewer, while another added: “This series is outstanding in every respect. Certainly, one of the best adaptations of Dumas’ book that I have seen in my 61 years. The fact that it’s an eight-part miniseries gives the production time to properly flesh out the characters and various plot strands.”

man standing on rocks against crashing waves© ©Mediawan
The series is based on Alexandre Dumas’ 1846 novel

Meanwhile, a third added: “I’m extremely happy with how this series was made. Not only have they found a way to make it realistic, but they’ve also found a way to make the story so precise that it could have easily happened in reality. One of the few adaptations I can say is wonderful. The cast and locations are breathtaking in their authenticity.”

The Count of Monte Cristo is available to watch on Channel 4.