Summer's Lease is a British television drama miniseries which aired in four parts on BBC Two in 1989. It is based on the novel of the same name by John Mortimer who adapted it for the screen. Sir John Gielgud won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance and the soundtrack, composed by Nigel Hess was named by the Television and Radio Industries Club Best Television Theme.
In a 1991 review, John J. O'Connor of The New York Times called the series "more successful as travelogue than drama." O'Connor summarised that despite some excellent performances, the characters "are not terribly interesting."
At the 1991 Primetime Emmy Awards, Sir John Gielgud won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and was also nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor.