Fingersmith
Two young women, one passion.
Created by Aisling Walsh
On BBC One
A taut Victorian con-artist thriller that pivots from calculated deception into genuine intimacy between two women, sustained across three episodes of escalating betrayal and emotional revelation.
A young woman is hired as a maid to an heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering uncle. But, the maid has a secret: she is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a gentleman to help him seduce the heiress to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until the women discover some unexpected emotions.
Where to watch
Questions people ask
Is Fingersmith one of a kind? Yes, very. More singular than 93% of series.
Is Fingersmith sad? Yes, very. More sad than 91% of series.
Is Fingersmith easy watching? Barely. Less comforting than 75% of series.
Is Fingersmith scary? Somewhat. More frightening than 73% of series.
Does Fingersmith leave you hopeful? Not especially. Less hopeful than 63% of series.
Is Fingersmith violent? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Written about
- The Shows That Know They EndFinding
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Everything like Fingersmith, and what each one shares →
Like Fingersmith
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Fingersmith
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Fingersmith, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Fingersmith, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Fingersmith, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
