The 2002 British television adaptation of Doctor Zhivago, featuring Keira Knightley and Sam Neill, is back on ITVX. Based on Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel, the drama follows Yuri Zhivago and Lara through World War I, the Russian Revolution and the upheaval that followed. Knightley later became internationally known for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Hans Matheson plays Yuri Zhivago, a doctor caught up in the political upheaval of the era, while Knightley portrays Lara Antipova. Sam Neill appears as Victor Komarovsky. Their intersecting lives bring personal relationships into focus against the wider turmoil in Russia.
The cast also includes Celia Imrie and Kris Marshall. Bill Paterson appears alongside Gregg Sulkin, while Hugh Bonneville and Maryam d’Abo round out the British television and film performers.
This television adaptation is distinct from David Lean’s 1965 feature film, which starred Omar Sharif as Yuri and Julie Christie as Lara. Geraldine Chaplin also appeared in the film, as did Rod Steiger. Tom Courtenay was part of the cast, too. Its television format and cast distinguish the 2002 production from the better-known film adaptation of Pasternak’s novel.
Doctor Zhivago’s return to streaming comes amid continued interest in period dramas and television adaptations of literary classics. Attention also follows actors’ careers and health. Coverage of José Luis Gil’s absence from La que se avecina for health reasons is detailed in this report on his ongoing recovery.
For viewers interested in period drama or the evolution of British television, Doctor Zhivago offers an early-2000s take on Pasternak’s novel, pairing historical events with intimate storytelling. The series is available in ITVX’s catalogue, alongside other dramas and adaptations.
