The Long Song

The Long Song season 1 on BBC One
Watch The Long Song on BBC One
Status:
Ended
Season 1:
Ended on December 20, 2018
Watched: 0%
0 of 3 Episodes
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TVDB
IMDB
Season: 1
# Air Date Episode Name Watched?
E1 Dec 18, 2018 Episode 1
E2 Dec 19, 2018 Episode 2
E3 Dec 20, 2018 Episode 3
Mark Series:
Watched / Unwatched
Mark Season 1:
Watched / Unwatched
Production Note - Limited Series
Production Type:
limited series

The Long Song is a standalone limited series that concluded its 3-episode run in December 2018. This BBC production was a high-profile adaptation of Andrea Levy’s historical novel, brought to the screen by Heyday Television. The project was conceived as a prestige miniseries designed to dramatize the final days of slavery in 19th-century Jamaica and the subsequent transition to freedom. Because the narrative follows the specific arc of the source material from start to finish, the production was always intended to be a finite piece of television.

The production scale involved extensive location filming in the Dominican Republic to recreate the sugar plantations of colonial Jamaica. Its definitive conclusion is rooted in the literary structure of the original book, which provides a complete life story for the protagonist, July. By covering the entire breadth of the novel across its three installments, the creators ensured that the story reached its natural and intended resolution without the need for additional seasons.

3 episodes, 1 season
Confidence: 5% Last Refined: March 2026
Why Watch:
"Explore the historical impact of the 2018 BBC adaptation of Andrea Levy's The Long Song and its role in diversifying the period drama landscape."
Series Analysis:
The Long Song stands as a pivotal moment in British television, offering a necessary recalibration of the period drama genre. By adapting Andrea Levy’s final novel, the series moved away from typical Regency drawing rooms to the sugar plantations of 19th-century Jamaica. Its legacy is defined by how it centers the perspective of July, portrayed with remarkable depth by Tamara Lawrance. The show challenged viewers to confront the brutal realities of the colonial system through a lens of resilience rather than mere victimhood. The Long Song effectively reshaped how the BBC approaches imperial history, ensuring that the voices of the marginalized are no longer sidelined. It remains a landmark production that demands reflection on the complexities of freedom. Set a reminder for any future revivals.
Tone: Scholarly, reflective, and historically significant. Last Updated: March 2026
Frequently Asked Questions

No, The Long Song was produced as a standalone miniseries and there are no plans for a second season. The show definitively concludes the narrative arc of its source material, remaining a complete limited series unless it were eventually adapted into an anthology format.

The series is a television adaptation of the critically acclaimed 2010 historical novel by Andrea Levy. While the specific characters are fictional, the setting is grounded in the historical events of the 1831 Baptist War and the transition away from slavery in Jamaica.

Although the series is set in 19th-century Jamaica, the production was primarily filmed on location in the Dominican Republic. This location was selected because it provided the necessary colonial architecture and natural landscapes required to authentically recreate the period's sugar plantations.

The complete limited series consists of three episodes, which originally aired on BBC One. These three installments cover the entirety of the story, providing a concise and focused adaptation of the original novel.

The story follows the life of July, a resilient young slave working on a Jamaican sugar plantation during the final days of the era of slavery. It depicts her complex relationships and survival during a period of massive social and political upheaval in the 1830s.

The series features Tamara Lawrance in the lead role of July and Hayley Atwell as her mistress, Caroline Mortimer. The supporting cast also includes Jack Lowden as the new overseer Robert Goodwin and Sir Lenny Henry as Godfrey.
FAQs Updated: March 2026
Featured Characters (7)
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Network:
BBC One
Seasons:
1
Years:
2018 - 2018
Genre:
Mini-Series, Drama
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