Masterpiece Theatre This is a ten-part biographical series depicting the life of English novelist Charles Dickens. This episode focuses on the changing relationship between Charles and his father, John Dickens, as the family experiences a downfall.... (more) John is a Naval office clerk and an emotional man with a flair for the dramatic, but he is unrealistic about supporting his family. As one of his eight children, Charles looks up to his father and shares a close relationship with him. As time goes on, John is confronted with the fact that he cannot financially support his family, and Charles' idolized father begins to fall from his pedestal. John gets a transfer to London in the hopes of improving their situation, but as they slip further into debt and encounter hassles with creditors, they are forced to re-evaluate their position. Charles gives up his dreams of education and takes a job with his cousin to help support the family.