Movies - TV
12 Underrated Miniseries That You Need to Check Out
By LEO NOBORU LIMA
Olive Kitteridge
The show is one of the great television achievements of the 21st century, with its emotionally profound storytelling and transformative themes reminiscent of great literature. Director Lisa Cholodenko crafts a pristine cinematic experience packed with understated details and outstanding performances, earning the miniseries eight Primetime Emmys.
Alias Grace
"Alias Grace" tells the fictionalized story of maid Grace Marks, who was arrested for murder in 1843, leading to a controversial trial. The show boasts a rare triple alignment of talent: it's based on Margaret Atwood's eponymous 1996 novel, was written by 2023's best-adapted screenplay winner Sarah Polley, and was directed by Mary Harron.
Eight Hours
Directed by legendary German auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder, "Eight Hours Don't Make a Day" is an unsung, exuberant miniseries released between 1972 and 1973. Commissioned as a "worker film," it presents a family drama that diverges from the typical bourgeois narrative to explicitly address the living conditions of Germany's working class.
Face to Face
"Face to Face" was also released as a film, but Ingmar Bergman's original vision comes through most clearly in the four-part, 177-minute television cut. Liv Ullmann delivers a powerful performance as Dr. Jenny Isaksson, a psychiatrist experiencing a mental breakdown as traumatic
memories resurface.
Manuel on the...
Directed by ingenious Chilean director Raúl Ruiz, the three-part French-Portuguese miniseries "Manuel on the Island of Wonders" follows a young boy who strays into a forbidden garden and meets his teenage self. The miniseries explores themes of time, memory, and imagination, and defies expectations of a typical children's TV show.