4. Bleak House
To claim the title of "best ever Charles Dickens adaptation" isn't exactly easy given some of the doozies we've seen over the years, but Andrew Davies' 2005 15-episode serial Bleak House probably pips just about every other effort. Though previous versions have entertained, this iteration, starring Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, unfolds over 30-minute episode which reflect Dickens' original episodic publishing format. Despite having over 80 major acting roles, the characters are effortlessly doled out to the viewer in a manner they can keep up with, enhancing the drama of the various legal fisticuffs that define the show. It does stretch credulity at times, but that's really all in the fun of a wildly entertaining and superbly acted drama that pulls no dramatic punches.