Great Miniseries-es

[MrTorso]

In the book, it's mentioned toward the end that someone is trying to get the nearby TV station operational again so that old videos of movies and TV can be aired.  The book was written in the early 90s, so DVDs weren't around.  But I fantasize about being a survivor in a catastrophe like that today, and then raiding warehouses and electronics stores to get tons of programs.  You really could create several TV stations based around the offerings out there on DVD now.

I assume you meant that the Stand was set in the early 90s.... (that is only the uncut/expanded edition that came out in 1990. Originally the book was set in 1985 when it was first published in 1979).

Like most of the King mini-series the first parts are really good then they taper off. I loved the first night of IT with the kids. The second night sucked (with the adults).

[gojikranz]

I rather like the stand.

but my favorite miniseries would be Dune and Children of Dune.  I know somepeople hate them for various reasons but i really love them and think that it will probably be my adaptation of choice (prove me wrong paramount!).

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

Would have mentioned "I, Claudius" but it's hard to know which are series and which are mini-series over there.

Because there's also the "House of Cards"/"To Play The King"/"Final Cut" thing.  Was that a mini-series? Three mini-series? A TV series?

Three series (seasons).

Very few things are miniseries in the UK except when shown on Masterpiece Theatre.

The miniseries is really an American concept since shows made here tend to be fairly gargantuan even if they only run one season.

Band of Brothers was ace even if every time it's replayed I always manage to tune in when they get to the camps.

I Clavdivs was very good even if it was again only a mini series by virtue of transatlantic travel.

Does Life on Mars count?

Well, it does if you figure it by my standard about a mini-series.....they went into it with the idea before they shot one frame that it will be X number of episodes and there will be a beginning, middle and end to the story, period.   Series will keep going as long as the network will let them - like the US "Life on Mars".

Which my only confusion about the House of Cards thing is if it was intended as a closed ended thing or if after three the network said, "Thanks but no thanks".   And "Foyle's War" is technically a series but it had a built in end in that they did a season for each year of WWII and no more....but whether that was the plan is the question.

And I thought the "Salem's Lot" and "It" Mini-series were better than "The Stand".

[gojikranz]

Well, it does if you figure it by my standard about a mini-series.....they went into it with the idea before they shot one frame that it will be X number of episodes and there will be a beginning, middle and end to the story, period.   Series will keep going as long as the network will let them - like the US "Life on Mars".

if that counts than i nominate babylon 5

[Thrifty]

In the book, it's mentioned toward the end that someone is trying to get the nearby TV station operational again so that old videos of movies and TV can be aired.  The book was written in the early 90s, so DVDs weren't around.  But I fantasize about being a survivor in a catastrophe like that today, and then raiding warehouses and electronics stores to get tons of programs.  You really could create several TV stations based around the offerings out there on DVD now.

I assume you meant that the Stand was set in the early 90s.... (that is only the uncut/expanded edition that came out in 1990. Originally the book was set in 1985 when it was first published in 1979).

Like most of the King mini-series the first parts are really good then they taper off. I loved the first night of IT with the kids. The second night sucked (with the adults).

Yet I never read the book until 1999.  So how odd is that; three different progressively later dates, all of which are the not too distant past.

What about the Langoliers?  Was that a mini series or just a movie?  It was certainly a lot shorter than The Stand or It and could have stood as a solo movie without much compression.

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

"Langoliers" was a movie.  "Tommyknockers" was a mini-series.

[gojikranz]

"Langoliers" was a movie.  "Tommyknockers" was a mini-series.

Langoliers has got to be a miniseries, it was two parts on tv right, nto theatres?

i kinda like langoliers despite the dated effects.  it was awesome when i was a kid and ive got it on dvd nowadays.

It has a great first half and then kinda tapers of but i like it as well.  the stand is my favorite king miniseries though.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Looks like my list has mostly been covered:

John Adams
Band of Brothers
From the Earth to The Moon (the episode on the building of the LEM is my favorite)
Dune

I thought The Stand was average, but there's no way it could compare to the book, would need to be 10 hours long...

The Shining 2 part series was above average, could have been better maybe if done for HBO instead of for basic cable, could have been a little more R rated like many parts of the book.

There was a 2 or 3 part (4+ hour) version of Moby Dick a long while back, I thought that was pretty good.  Have to be careful getting it on DVD, there's a cut down 90 minute version as well as the full 145 minute one.

Of course Battlestar Galactica, twice.  I liked the way the original started out, and loved the re-imagining that started out as a mini-series.   Maybe I'm remember wrong, I thought the original started out as a mini-series then moved to series, but maybe that was later that they edited the first few hours into a movie...

That's about all I can think of for dramatic stuff. 

There's some great documentary style ones:

When We Left Earth
Planet Earth
All those Ken Burns ones....

[k1]

Did anybody watch The Company a couple of years ago? It was a very short mini series (3 or 4 installments) starring Michael Keaton and Chris O'Donnell but I thought it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Yeah that wasn't too bad.

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

"Langoliers" was a movie.  "Tommyknockers" was a mini-series.

Langoliers has got to be a miniseries, it was two parts on tv right, nto theatres?

You're right.  It was 4 hours - 2 hours a night.

Could have sworn it was all on in one night.

[Imrahil]

From the Earth to The Moon (the episode on the building of the LEM is my favorite)

That one was really excellent. Love the use of the Great Escape music in it.

I also like the one with Dave Foley as the narrator too.