This week’s premiere of Tom Jones continues the tradition of the spring period drama miniseries while returning to the literary roots of MASTERPIECE. Mammoth Screen, the production company that brought period drama fans Poldark, is back with another 18th Century tale. Screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes (best known for Amazon/ITV’s 2018 Vanity Fair miniseries) adapted Henry Fielding’s classic novel with a modern eye for more inclusive history. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the novel yet: each episode features the spirit of the novel in the brevity of the hour long drama format. Let’s discuss all of the main characters we’re introduced to this week: