The Miniaturist (TV series)


The Miniaturist is a 2017 BBC television miniseries adaptation of the debut novel of the same name by Jessie Burton. The series was directed by Guillem Morales and stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Romola Garai and Alex Hassell and first aired in two parts from 26–27 December 2017 on BBC One. In America, it aired in three parts from 9–27 September 2018 on PBS's Masterpiece.

Plot

In 17th-century Netherlands, young Petronella "Nella" Oortman moves into the Amsterdam home of her new husband, Johannes, shares with his sister, Marin, and their two servants. She receives a cold reception from Marin and an indifferent one from Johannes, who provides her with a mysterious doll's house to occupy her time.

Cast

Production

The series was filmed on location in the Netherlands, with Leiden standing in for 17th-century Amsterdam.

Reception

The Miniaturist received mixed to strong reviews. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 75% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Handsome set pieces and exceptional performances help make The Miniaturist engaging enough, even if its version of events doesn't quite measure up to its mysterious source material."
Caroline Framke for Variety praised the beauty of the series, but criticised it as overly long. "It's a shame that the series never quite gels, given how much it has going for it in terms of story, talent, and the truly spectacular production design and costuming that sets off the on location shoots with such style. But just like the dollhouse at its center, The Miniaturist is better at housing facsimiles rather than characters that feel real.
Hanh Nguyen of IndieWire, who graded the series a B, criticised the series for weak character development — which made it seem as though "an episode has gone missing" — but that the series was still worth watching. "Despite Amsterdam thriving during this time, the series examines life in that society from the point of view of the misfits and marginalized. Defiance and bravery are necessary to face the ugliness that is presented, and it's a theme echoed in the characters' actions. The Miniaturist may feel raw and green, sometimes naively so, but in its awkward, otherworldly way champions hope and change, and that's rarely a waste of time."