The Tide of Life poster
Where to stream

The Tide of Life

8.019961 seasonTV SeriesDrama

Tide of Life is a three-part miniseries adaptation of Catherine Cookson's 1976 novel of the same name. Produced by the BBC, it was broadcast on ITV1 over three Fridays in January 1996. Young housekeeper Emily Kennedy learns about…

DirectorDavid Wheatley
WriterCatherine Cookson

Where to watch

Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime VideoBritbox Apple TV channelBritbox Apple TV channelBritBoxBritBoxBritBox Amazon ChannelBritBox Amazon ChannelAmazon Prime Video with AdsAmazon Prime Video with AdsShout! Factory Amazon ChannelShout! Factory Amazon ChannelFawesomeFawesomeThe Roku ChannelThe Roku ChannelPluto TVPluto TVPlexPlexPlex ChannelPlex ChannelAmazon Prime Video Free with AdsAmazon Prime Video Free with AdsTubi TVTubi TV
Availability shown for United States · rights vary by country

Seasons & Episodes

E1
Part One
Jan 5, 1996
E2
Part Two
Jan 12, 1996
E3
Part Three
Jan 19, 1996

Cast · Directed by David Wheatley

GKGillian Kearney
Gillian Kearney
Emily Kennedy
RSRay Stevenson
Ray Stevenson
Larry Birch
JPJames Purefoy
James Purefoy
Nick Stuart
JCJustin Chadwick
Justin Chadwick
Con Fullwell
DHDiana Hardcastle
Diana Hardcastle
Rona Birch
JBJohn Bowler
John Bowler
Sep McGilby
MWMary Woodvine
Mary Woodvine
Lizzie Rowan

More from Gillian Kearney · Lead actress

Midsomer Murders
Midsomer Murders
1997 · 7.5
Emmerdale
Emmerdale
1972 · 4.3
Casualty
Casualty
1986 · 6.2
Brookside
Brookside
1982 · 6.2
Shameless
Shameless
2004 · 7.5
Heartbeat
Heartbeat
1992 · 7.2
Primeval
Primeval
2007 · 7.5
Moving On
Moving On
2009 · 7.3
The Forsyte Saga
The Forsyte Saga
2002 · 7.9
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
1996 · 7.3
See all fromGillian Kearney

More from Ray Stevenson · Co-star actor

Dexter
Dexter
2006 · 8.2
Vikings
Vikings
2013 · 8.1
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
2008 · 8.5
Black Sails
Black Sails
2014 · 7.6
Peak Practice
Peak Practice
1993 · 6.5
Thor: Ragnarok
Thor: Ragnarok
2017 · 7.6
Thor
Thor
2011 · 6.8
Ahsoka
Ahsoka
2023 · 7.4
The Bill
The Bill
1984 · 6.8
Rome
Rome
2005 · 8.2
See all fromRay Stevenson

More from David Wheatley · Director

Dalziel and Pascoe
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996 · 6.4
ScreenPlay
ScreenPlay
1986 · 6.0
Screen One
Screen One
1989 · 7.2
Starhunter
Starhunter
2000 · 5.4
Fat Friends
Fat Friends
2000 · 7.9
The Wingless Bird
The Wingless Bird
1997 · 6.3
The Rag Nymph
The Rag Nymph
1997 · 6.9
The Fifteen Streets
The Fifteen Streets
1989 · 6.4
Monsignor Renard
Monsignor Renard
2000 · 7.5
The Girl
The Girl
1996 · 7.1
See all fromDavid Wheatley

More like this

Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
1995 · 8.2
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
2025 · 6.7
Scarlett
Scarlett
1994 · 6.6
Dalziel and Pascoe
Dalziel and Pascoe
1996 · 6.4
Alias Grace
Alias Grace
2017 · 7.2
The Crown
The Crown
2016 · 8.2
Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey
2010 · 8.1
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
2006 · 7.7
Wolf Hall
Wolf Hall
2015 · 7.5
Obsession
Obsession
2023 · 6.4
Say Nothing
Say Nothing
2024 · 7.5
Thai Cave Rescue
Thai Cave Rescue
2022 · 7.7

The Tide of Life — streaming FAQ

Which OTT platform streams The Tide of Life?

The Tide of Life is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Britbox and BritBox in United States. It's not currently on Netflix.

Is The Tide of Life on Netflix?

No, The Tide of Life is not on Netflix in United States as of September 2026. It's currently on Amazon Prime Video and Britbox.

Is The Tide of Life on Amazon Prime Video?

Yes — The Tide of Life is included with an Amazon Prime Video subscription in United States as of September 2026.

Where can I watch The Tide of Life for free?

The Tide of Life is available to stream free (with ads) on Fawesome and The Roku Channel in United States.

How many seasons are in The Tide of Life?

The Tide of Life has 1 season in total (3 episodes). The series concluded in 1996.

Are all episodes of The Tide of Life out yet?

Yes — all 3 episodes across 1 season of The Tide of Life are out and available to stream.

Is there a Season 2 of The Tide of Life?

No — The Tide of Life ended after 1 season, so there is no Season 2.

Is The Tide of Life based on a book?

Yes — The Tide of Life is based on a book or novel.