was initially set to co-produce the series and serve as its distributor in the U.S. and China. The studio was dropped, however, following the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse allegations.
handles distribution for the series. The miniseries, which consists of six episodes, premiered on 30 December 2018. In New Zealand, the series was released on TVNZ 1 and its free streaming service TVNZ OnDemand. In the US, the series was aired on PBS, starting 21 April 2019, to end on 19 May 2019.
Reception
Les Misérables has received positive reviews from critics. The miniseries holds a 93% approval rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 7.6/10, based on 12 critic reviews. The site's consensus reads "Andrew Davies' deft adaptation of the oft-retold Victor Hugo classic affords viewers a newfound intimacy with these outcasts and revolutionaries, who are ably brought to life by a star-studded cast." Collins' performance as Fantine received praise from critics. Alexandra Pollard of The Independent praised her performance, writing "she plays the tragic Fantine with steeliness and grace", and described it as "magnificent." West's performance as Valjean in the final episode also received critical praise. Gabriel Tate of The Telegraph praised his performance, writing "Dominic West steals the show in a stirring finale." The television mini-series on PBS was described as "an engrossing treat, featuring a vibrant cast and taking its time to unspool the melodrama and offer loving looks at 19th century France." It "hews closely to the source material without skipping too much plot or character motivations", the source material being the 19th century novel by Victor Hugo. The casting is commended, with many strong performances. The plot cannot carry all the detail of Hugo's novel of his characters in a tumultuous time in France, but "when all the cannons are fired and last stands are taken, the sacrifices given do not feel insignificant.". The story is told keeping "the narrative clear and allowing character-driven scenes to breathe." Allison Keene of Collider wrote, "Emotional, engrossing" with 5 stars.
