Les Misérables (British TV series)

Following the Battle of Waterloo, Thénardier is pursued as he tries to loot the possessions of fallen soldiers. He inadvertently revives a wounded officer, Colonel Georges Pontmercy, as he loots his body. Subsequently in Paris, Colonel Pontmercy tries to visit his young son Marius Pontmercy but is rebuffed by his conservative, monarchist father-in-law Monsieur Gillenormand, who declares that Marius will be brought up to believe he is a scoundrel. Monsieur Gillenormand further declares that he will disinherit Marius if his father tries to establish contact. However, Marius' aunt finds Colonel Pontmercy in the street and tells him that he may secretly observe Marius when she takes the boy to church.

Also in Paris, Fantine and two friends are romanced by three young gentlemen. Her friends recognize that they are being showered with expensive gifts in exchange for being mistresses to the young men, but Fantine falls in love with Felix and believes he intends to marry her.

Serving a 19-year prison sentence for stealing a loaf of bread, Jean Valjean endures hard labour and frequent abuse by the guards. When one guard is trapped under heavy rocks after a small avalanche at the quarry, Valjean uses his strength to lift the rocks enough to free him. He is later confronted by the prison warden Javert, who declares his contempt for criminals like Valjean.

A year passes as Valjean endures further hardship in the prison, Fantine enjoys her romance with Felix, and Colonel Pontmercy attends church (meeting the churchwarden Mabeuf) in order to watch his son from afar.

After being released from prison, Valjean arrives in Digne but is ostracized and mistreated due to his criminal status. The kindly Bishop Myriel, however, takes pity on Valjean, freely giving him food and shelter. However, in the night, Valjean steals the bishop's silverware and departs. The next day, police officers return Valjean to the bishop, having arrested him as a thief. The bishop saves Valjean by claiming he had gifted the silverware to Valjean and "reminding" him that he had forgotten to also take the silver candlesticks. After dismissing the officers, the bishop declares that he has bought Valjean's soul and that he now belongs to God. Valjean responds with indignation.

Felix and his friends treat Fantine and her friends to a lavish day out, promising them a "surprise" at the end. When the sumptuous meal is finished, Felix and his friends leave the room on pretext of fetching the surprise. However, a waiter then brings the girls a letter stating that the gentlemen are abandoning them in order to return to their respectable lives. Fantine, who has borne Felix a daughter named Cosette, is shocked while her friends look on sympathetically.

Four years later, Valjean has become a wealthy factory owner and the Mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer, adopting the name Monsieur Madeleine. Seeking work, Fantine leaves Cosette in the care of the Thénardiers, who keep an inn at Montfermeil. Fantine finds work at Valjean's factory, but the Thénardiers write letters concocting stories to extort increasing amounts of money, while actually neglecting Cosette.

As mayor, Valjean welcomes Javert as the new chief of police, and they spar over conflicting views of the poor. Later, as Javert watches, Valjean rescues a merchant trapped under a cart by lifting the cart upon his back in similar fashion to his rescue at the prison quarry. Meanwhile, Fantine's supervisor Madame Victurnien takes a dislike to Fantine and discovers the existence of Cosette. Distracted by worry that Javert suspects his true identity, Valjean fires Fantine after Madame Victurnien accuses her of concealing information about her illegitimate child.

The young Marius obediently repeats his grandfather's contempt for Napoleon and for his own father. However, when news arrives that Colonel Pontmercy is on his deathbed, Marius' aunt insists on taking Marius to see him. Colonel Pontmercy informs Marius that a man named Thénardier saved his life, and then dies.

The increasingly victimised Fantine sells her hair and front teeth and becomes a prostitute. After Fantine assaults an abusive passerby, Valjean saves her from Javert and takes her to the infirmary, realizing that he had been wrong to dismiss her from his employment. Javert denounces "Monsieur Madeleine" as Valjean to the Paris police but is informed that a man named Champmatheiu has been identified as Valjean and is facing trial in Arras for robbing Petit Gervais.

Arriving in Arras, Valjean saves Champmathieu from being imprisoned for life by identifying himself as Valjean. Javert arrests Valjean and takes him back to Montreuil in disgrace. Valjean discovers that Madame Victurnien did not fetch Cosette and rushes to Fantine's bedside. The broken-hearted Fantine dies as Valjean promises to find her daughter.

Time passes and Cosette is now a beautiful young woman. Although Valjean had hoped they could live out their days in the convent, Cosette wants to experience the world and does not want to become a nun. Valjean returns to the strongbox in the forest to retrieve more money and takes Cosette to live in a nearby stately home. Marius, also grown up, learns from Mabeuf that his father was a heroic man who loved him. Marius renounces his grandfather's monarchism and they become estranged. He moves into an apartment building and his neighbours are the Thénardiers, who live in poverty and try to scam him. The Thénardiers' daughter Éponine grows disillusioned with her father's criminal activities and fraternizes with Marius. Marius' roommate Courfeyrac introduces him to Enjolras and Grantaire and the Friends of the ABC. Cosette becomes enamored with Marius after encountering him in the Luxembourg Garden. Valjean, however, fears for her relationship with any young man. Thénardier also targets Valjean and seeks to assault him for money. Marius overhears their plot and informs Javert in a bid to prevent the crime.

Gavroche returns to the barricade with news that the revolution has failed in most of the city and that hundreds of soldiers will soon attack. Enjolras and Marius implore all who have families that depend on them to depart in friendship, as anyone who stays will have an impact on history but will likely be killed. Valjean appears and helps to repel the first attack. During the following lull, Gavroche recklessly dances among the fallen soldiers in no-man's land, collecting ammunition. He is finally shot, and Marius bravely runs out to retrieve Gavroche's body and the ammunition. Valjean discovers Javert's presence and asks for the honor of killing him, which Enjolras grants. Instead, Valjean confronts Javert but spares his life and allows him to escape. The French Army storms the barricades, killing many revolutionaries. Marius fights bravely but falls wounded, while Valjean, knowing of Cosette's love for Marius, fights primarily to protect Marius. Grantaire wakes from his drunken stupor in time to stand with Enjolras as they are executed together.

Valjean escapes down a storm drain and carries the wounded Marius through the sewers of Paris. He finds a locked gate, and Thénardier appears with a key. Thinking that Valjean is carrying the body of someone he has robbed and killed, Thénardier asks for half of Valjean's takings. Valjean gives him what he has, and Thénardier permits Valjean and Marius to exit the sewers. Valjean and the unconscious Marius are detained by Javert and his men. After returning Marius to his grandfather, Javert decides not to arrest Valjean. After proposing reforms to the treatment of prisoners, Javert throws himself into the Seine, unable to reconcile showing Valjean clemency and upholding the law.

With the approval of Valjean and Gillernomand, Marius and Cosette marry. Right before their marriage, Valjean confesses to Marius that he is an ex-convict and a thief. Marius further believes that Valjean killed Javert and thus is a murderer. Believing he is not worthy to be loved, Valjean says that he will disappear from their lives after the wedding. Marius agrees to keep Valjean's secret from Cosette, not realizing that Valjean was the one who earlier saved his life. After coming back from their honeymoon, a vengeful Thénardier approaches Marius and Cosette, and threatens to tell everyone that Valjean had killed a young man in the sewers. However, Cosette and Marius see through his lies and finally realize that it was Valjean who saved Marius' life during the uprising. Despite Thénardier’s ill will, Marius gives him enough money to set up a business, as a token of thanks for saving his father’s life at Waterloo.