X
- 2010
- TV-MA
- Starz
- 2010
- TV-MA
- Starz
- 2010
- TV-MA
- Starz
- 2010
- TV-MA
- Starz
Pillars of the Earth
Season 1 Premiere: Jul 23, 2010
67
7.1
All Seasons
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
67
74% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
16% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
11% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
67
74% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
16% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
11% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Ken Follett's 1989 historical novel had a resurgence in popularity as a 2007 Book Club selection, and should finally achieve world domination with this adaptation. Who knew the Middle Ages were so soap-operatically . . . dark?
This is one of those potboilers where the good guys (Madfadyen as a pious friar, Sewell as a master builder) are impossibly noble, suffering in a lawless time through the murderous machinations of the endlessly scheming villains (most notably McShane hamming it up as a cunningly ambitious church official).
Pillars does a surprisingly good job of maintaining story coherence. It also avoids what might be called the Fairytale-Princess Fallacy of costume dramas; the muck and brutality of the Middle Ages are on full display.
Admirers of the novel probably will be pleased. Average viewers who never read the novel (or any historic fiction) will be either confused or bored--possibly both.
With a little bit of effort on your part--The Pillars of the Earth is pretty good viewing. It's the sort of expansive miniseries that we never see on network television anymore.
All the court intrigue ends up somewhat more confusing than intriguing.
Nothing about the slipshod writing or frenetic direction makes these people compelling, and some of them come across as downright cartoonish.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 37 User Ratings
7.1
68% Positive
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
16% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
16% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 37 User Ratings
7.1
68% Positive
25 Ratings
25 Ratings
16% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
16% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company:
- Tandem Communications
- Muse Entertainment Enterprises
- Scott Free Productions
- The Movie Network (TMN)
- Movie Central Network
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
- Pro7Sat1 Produktion
Initial Release Date: Jul 23, 2010
Number of seasons: 1 Season
Rating: TV-MA
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 3 Nominations
Online Film & Television Association
• 1 Win & 13 Nominations
Primetime Emmy Awards
• 1 Win & 7 Nominations
