In case anyone was confused as to the complexity of the story line I found this on another site:
think I've got it now.
Old Dorrit was Mrs Clennam's lover, and her husband had an affair with Frederick, but because they didn't have any offspring, they adopted Little Dorrit.
Mrs Wade was Tattycoram's Mother and her Father was Old Chivery. Rigaud spoke very quietly and I didn't hear what he had to say, but I think he fancied himself. He also fancied Pet and Amy. I believe he also liked Fanny.
Mr Merdle was based on the bankers of today and swindled everyone out of their savings without them suspecting anything.
Arthur didn't realise that Amy loved him but young Chivery did. Too late though.
Flintwinch had a twin brother called Flintwinch, and Affery didn't know.
The Circumlocution Office employed a Tite Barnacle; Pancks worked for Casby, who lived with Mr F's aunt who liked Flora on her sandwiches, sorry, who liked Flora and her sandwiches.
Rigaud was killed when the housing market collapsed.
Arthur's Mum had only pretended to be paralysed for forty years and walked quite well after a minute or two, which was just as well, as her house fell down just after she left.
I don't know what happened to Pet or Henry Gowan...Gowan, Gowan, Gowan, Gowan.
Any questions?
Frank
Oh yes I see it all now
dragon
I've watched it, but seemed to miss some of the important details but skeyd + it and will watch it again
Frank
Actually I've found a serious explanation of it all on the internet.
Then read this further clarification taken from an Imdb forum...
Spoiler:
. Would Mrs Clennam really get a random orphan from somewhere? Would Mr Dorrit and the others not say anything or treat Amy differently?
Anyway Arthur is the dancer's child and his father was his father. But Frederick Dorrit introduced them and helped the dancer out when Arthur was taken by Mrs Clennan.
When old Mr Clennan's ?Uncle/Father? found out about the affair he put in his will that Arthur's real mother should be compensated, also her Patron frederick Dorrit and his youngest if he had a child, but instead that went to his niece Amy Dorrit. Mrs Clennam concealed al this. In the book, Arthur never finds out about his parentage.
Hope that makes sense, if anyone has read the book and I've really got the wrong end of the stick, please tell me. I'm really disappointed at the quality of the show ending, my family and I were going eh? what? through most of it.
Silverpixie (Admin)
I regretted not watching this at first but I'm glad now that I didn't, it looks so complicated and I hate programmes that leave me with questions.