You’re looking for it. That specific, gut-wrenching, beautifully shot three-part miniseries that originally aired on BBC One back in 2018. If you’re asking where can i watch the long song, you probably already know it’s based on Andrea Levy’s final novel. It’s a story about July, a defiant young slave in 1830s Jamaica during the final days of slavery. It’s brutal. It’s funny in a dark, survivalist way. It’s essential. But finding it on a Friday night when you just want to sit down and stream can be a massive headache because licensing deals for British period dramas are basically a game of musical chairs.
Honestly, the answer changes depending on where you're sitting.
In the United States, your best bet is usually PBS Masterpiece. Since PBS handled the American broadcast, they tend to keep it in their digital vault. If you have a PBS Passport membership—which is honestly one of the better "stealth" deals in streaming—you can usually find it there. It also pops up on Amazon Prime Video as a channel add-on. Don’t expect it to be free with a standard Prime sub, though. You’ll likely see that "Subscribe to Masterpiece" button staring you in the face.
Why British Dramas Disappear and Where They Go
The BBC is weird about its archives. In the UK, BBC iPlayer is the home base, but even there, shows have "expiration dates" based on complicated royalty agreements with the production companies like Heyday Television. If it's not on iPlayer, UK viewers usually have to pivot to BritBox.
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BritBox is the joint venture between ITV and BBC. It’s basically the "Greatest Hits" of British telly. If you are scouring the internet for where can i watch the long song and you live in Canada or Australia, BritBox is almost always the winner. It’s the most consistent platform for these types of high-end literary adaptations.
The Netflix Factor
Sometimes Netflix swoops in. They did this with Peaky Blinders and The Last Kingdom. But for The Long Song, Netflix hasn't been the primary home in major territories. You might find it in some random European or Asian markets on Netflix, but for the "Big Three" (US, UK, Canada), it’s mostly tucked away in more specialized corners.
Let’s talk about buying it outright.
If you hate the "now you see it, now you don't" nature of streaming, you can buy the episodes on Apple TV (iTunes) or Google TV. Usually, it’s about $7.99 to $9.99 for the whole series. It’s three hours of television. That’s less than a fancy latte in 2026.
What Makes This Show Worth the Hunt?
Tamara Lawrance is a powerhouse. Most people recognize Hayley Atwell from the Marvel movies, and she’s great here as the erratic, often cruel Caroline Mortimer, but Lawrance carries the weight of the entire world on her shoulders as July.
The show doesn't blink. It deals with the "Baptist War" or the Christmas Rebellion of 1831. It’s a part of history that often gets glossed over in standard textbooks. Seeing it played out through the lens of a woman who refuses to be a victim, even when the system is designed to crush her, is why people keep searching for where can i watch the long song years after it premiered.
Sir Lenny Henry is in it too. Most people know him as a comedian or more recently from The Rings of Power, but his presence here adds a layer of gravity. The production value is through the roof. It was filmed on location in the Dominican Republic (standing in for Jamaica), and the saturation of the colors—the deep greens of the cane fields against the stark white of the plantation house—creates this visual tension that stays with you.
Checking Regional Availability Right Now
Platforms shift. What's true on a Tuesday might be different on a Thursday because a contract expired at midnight.
- In the US: Check PBS Passport first. If not, Amazon Prime Video (via Masterpiece Channel).
- In the UK: Start with BBC iPlayer. If it's "currently unavailable," head to BritBox or ITVX.
- In Canada/Australia: BritBox is your primary target.
- Global: Use a site like JustWatch or Reelgood. They track these things in real-time. Just type in the title and it will tell you if it's currently on a subscription service or only available for "rent/buy."
One thing to watch out for: search results often get cluttered with a Chinese drama called The Long Ballad. Totally different show. If you see people in Tang Dynasty armor, you’ve taken a wrong turn. You’re looking for the 19th-century Caribbean setting.
Is it on YouTube?
Legally? Only in clips or behind a paywall (YouTube Movies & TV). You might find "bootleg" versions, but the quality is usually trash—shaky frames, pitched-up audio to avoid copyright bots, or those weird "picture-in-picture" boxes that make it impossible to actually see the cinematography. Given how much the visual style matters in this series, don't do that to yourself.
Hard Copies and the "Old School" Way
Physical media is making a comeback for a reason. Digital licenses can be revoked. If you truly love the work of Andrea Levy, getting the DVD might be the play. It’s often available on Amazon or through specialized retailers like the BFI shop. It ensures that no matter what happens with the BBC/BritBox merger or whatever corporate rebranding happens next, you actually own the content.
The series is short. It’s a "limited series" in the truest sense. There is no Season 2. There shouldn't be. It’s a complete arc that follows July from her youth into her old age, framed by her son (played by Doon Mackichan) encouraging her to write her story down. It’s meta-narrative at its best.
Finding where can i watch the long song is basically the first step in a very emotional weekend. Prepare yourself. It’s not "comfort" TV in the traditional sense, but it is deeply rewarding.
Actionable Steps for Your Watchlist
If you want to watch this tonight without the frustration of clicking through empty links, follow this specific order of operations:
- Check your local library's digital access. Many libraries offer Hoopla or Kanopy. These services are free with a library card and frequently host BBC and PBS content that has cycled off the major streamers. It’s the most underrated way to watch high-quality miniseries.
- Sign up for a BritBox free trial. If you haven't used it before, they usually offer a 7-day trial. You can easily finish all three episodes of The Long Song in one or two sittings and cancel before the bill hits.
- Verify the title on JustWatch. Before you enter any credit card info, toggle the "New" or "Free" filters on a streaming aggregator. Sometimes a show will suddenly land on a "FAST" service (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) like Tubi or Pluto TV for a month.
- Watch the "Making Of" featurettes. If you do find it on a platform like PBS, don't skip the behind-the-scenes interviews. Understanding how they adapted Levy's specific prose—which uses a very distinct, ironic narrator—into a visual medium makes the viewing experience much richer.
Don't settle for a low-res version. The cinematography by George Steel is too good to watch in 480p on a pirate site. Find a legitimate stream, grab the trial, and see one of the most underrated historical dramas of the last decade.