Last year, the BBC scored a massive critical and popular hit with the thoroughly wonderful Cranford, and this spring Lark Rise To Candleford proved to be a real grower. This autumn, they are trying to replicate these successes with two more costume dramas based on classic texts – Thomas Hardy’s Tess Of The D’Urbervilles and Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. This pretty young lady here is Gemma Arterton, who will be taking the lead role in the first of these, currently being trailed on BBC One, and she’s clearly a versatile actress, as she’ll also be appearing in the next James Bond film, Quantum Of Solace (still not getting used to that name, are we?!). She will be supported by Gavin and Stacey‘s Ruth Jones and the brilliantly named Hans Matherson.

The trailer is yet to find its way onto YouTube – though it’s only a matter of time of course – but I have to say that it all looks a little… nice. Anyone who’s read the book will know that it’s anything but, but to be fair, the ad does concentrate on Tess’s time with the suave but dangerous Alec Stoke-d’Urberville, who lives in rather plush surroundings. And, let’s face it, the BBC is the absolute master at this sort of thing, so I’m not too worried.

Little Dorrit will come later, but boasts an equally strong – and rather more starry – cast, and again has the BBC’s costume drama department behind it. Spooks’ Matthew Macfadyen takes the lead role of Arthur Clennam, and Freema Agyema, Mackenzie Crook, Andy Serkis and Ruth Jones (again) will also all appear. Andrew Davies, surprise surprise, has written the screenplay.

You might groan at yet another Dickens adaptation being shown on the BBC, but at least it’s one of the lesser known works (I’d have rather had Dombey and Son, but you can’t have everything I guess), and it has been a while since a Hardy adaptation has come to the small screen. I’m looking forward to both, as recent form – going back to Bleak House – suggests that they’ll be witty, well-acted, and lovely to look at.