benbess
Senior HTF Member
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- Ben
What a great form this is, and so unique to television. So many novels and stories can't be told in a 2, 3, or even 4-hour movie. And unlike a regular series, where things sometimes reset to the status quo each episode, miniseries can often better deal with how characters and situations change over time. Also, as limited series, often the production values can be higher than for regular TV. But the biggest appeal for me of a good miniseries is the writing, and many writers have brought some of their best work to the form. Some of these miniseries have been meaningful to me over many years now, even if I haven't seen them for a long time. I'm intending especially to include British productions here, since they are actually often my favorites....In fact, I'll probably only list those, and make a second list at some point of my favorite American miniseries.
Here's my list, subject to change.
1. I, Claudius, BBC, 1976
Low production values, and shot on videotape (darn), but what an amazing cast, screenplay, and story. Moving, horrifying, and powerful—and much of it based on the outlines of things that really happened. Saw this when I was about 12, back in c. 1977, and found it stunning at times. I've been looking out for actors I saw in first in Claudius ever since, like Derek Jacobi and John Hurt. They have never let me down that I recall. The wonderful novels by Robert Graves are brilliantly adapted by Jack Pullman, who sadly died only a few years later.
2. Pride and Prejudice, BBC, 1995
What a cast. Jennifer Ehle projects such personality and spark into this role, and is also, of course, stunning. As is Colin Firth, who for a time was so identified with this role that he once said that if he became an astronaut and landed on Mars, the headline would probably read: "Darcy Goes to Mars." This has near-movie level production values. Each episode wonderfully balanced between drama, comedy, and human insight. The screenplay, by the King of the BBC miniseries, Andrew Davies, is a marvel. In my opinion, it's the perfect adaptation of a Jane Austen's wonderful novel to the (small) screen. Even though I'm listing it second, this is the miniseries I've watched by far the most in my life, having watched and owned it over almost twenty years on VHS, DVD, and finally on the terrific blu-ray release that went back to the original 16mm elements and reframed it for widescreen. Normally I don't like messing at all with the OAR, but in this case, imho, it really works.
3. To Serve Them All My Days, BBC, 1980
Production values are modest, and unfortunately this was shot on videotape, but this was one of the very first miniseries by Andrew Davies, adapting and improving on the good but not (imho) brilliant novel by R.F. Delderfield. The novel is solid, don't get me wrong, but don't looking for all of the crackling, witty, and insightful dialogue found in the miniseries in the novel, because most of it was created by Davies and simply isn't in the book. Watched this when it came out, and it, along with many other things, influenced me to become a teacher. Wonderful performances by the whole cast, with special tips of the hat to John Duttine as David Powlett-Jones and Alan MacNaughton as the cynical and slowly dying Howarth.
4. Daniel Deronda, BBC, 2002
Yet another adaptation by Andrew Davies that I think really improves on the original novel, in this case by George Eliot (Mary Evans). Another wonderful cast, including Hugh Dancy, Jodhi May, Romola Garai, and the squirm-worthy Hugh Bonneville. This was directed by Tom Hooper, who went on to direct two other good miniseries—Elizabeth, and then John Adams. After that, of course, he graduated to movies and did The King's Speech and Les Misérables.
5. Bleak House, BBC, 2005
Andrew Davies again, here improving on the somewhat wordy Dickens novel. Another great cast.....
Here's my list, subject to change.
1. I, Claudius, BBC, 1976
Low production values, and shot on videotape (darn), but what an amazing cast, screenplay, and story. Moving, horrifying, and powerful—and much of it based on the outlines of things that really happened. Saw this when I was about 12, back in c. 1977, and found it stunning at times. I've been looking out for actors I saw in first in Claudius ever since, like Derek Jacobi and John Hurt. They have never let me down that I recall. The wonderful novels by Robert Graves are brilliantly adapted by Jack Pullman, who sadly died only a few years later.
2. Pride and Prejudice, BBC, 1995
What a cast. Jennifer Ehle projects such personality and spark into this role, and is also, of course, stunning. As is Colin Firth, who for a time was so identified with this role that he once said that if he became an astronaut and landed on Mars, the headline would probably read: "Darcy Goes to Mars." This has near-movie level production values. Each episode wonderfully balanced between drama, comedy, and human insight. The screenplay, by the King of the BBC miniseries, Andrew Davies, is a marvel. In my opinion, it's the perfect adaptation of a Jane Austen's wonderful novel to the (small) screen. Even though I'm listing it second, this is the miniseries I've watched by far the most in my life, having watched and owned it over almost twenty years on VHS, DVD, and finally on the terrific blu-ray release that went back to the original 16mm elements and reframed it for widescreen. Normally I don't like messing at all with the OAR, but in this case, imho, it really works.
3. To Serve Them All My Days, BBC, 1980
Production values are modest, and unfortunately this was shot on videotape, but this was one of the very first miniseries by Andrew Davies, adapting and improving on the good but not (imho) brilliant novel by R.F. Delderfield. The novel is solid, don't get me wrong, but don't looking for all of the crackling, witty, and insightful dialogue found in the miniseries in the novel, because most of it was created by Davies and simply isn't in the book. Watched this when it came out, and it, along with many other things, influenced me to become a teacher. Wonderful performances by the whole cast, with special tips of the hat to John Duttine as David Powlett-Jones and Alan MacNaughton as the cynical and slowly dying Howarth.
4. Daniel Deronda, BBC, 2002
Yet another adaptation by Andrew Davies that I think really improves on the original novel, in this case by George Eliot (Mary Evans). Another wonderful cast, including Hugh Dancy, Jodhi May, Romola Garai, and the squirm-worthy Hugh Bonneville. This was directed by Tom Hooper, who went on to direct two other good miniseries—Elizabeth, and then John Adams. After that, of course, he graduated to movies and did The King's Speech and Les Misérables.
5. Bleak House, BBC, 2005
Andrew Davies again, here improving on the somewhat wordy Dickens novel. Another great cast.....
