Fans of the acclaimed series The Handmaid's Tale may find another compelling watch in Alias Grace, a miniseries adapted from Margaret Atwood's work, now available on Netflix. The streaming platform offers a wide array of female-centred television shows, from Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love to the BBC favourite Amandaland and the Judi Dench-led Crawford.
A Dark Narrative for Dystopian Drama Lovers
Those drawn to darker narratives have been captivated by The Handmaid's Tale, the dystopian drama created by Bruce Miller and inspired by Atwood's 1985 novel. Admirers of the series, which concluded in 2025, might wish to discover the Canadian miniseries Alias Grace, similarly adapted from Atwood's 1996 historical fiction novel of the same title.
Six Episodes of Historical Fiction
Comprising six episodes, Alias Grace originally premiered on CBC on September 25, 2017, and arrived on Netflix that November. Despite its availability, it may have escaped the attention of some television enthusiasts.
Rooted in actual events, the series chronicles Grace, an Irish immigrant in Canada, who stands convicted of murdering her employer. When a psychiatrist is assigned to assess her psychological condition, events take a dramatic twist. The series fictionalises the infamous 1843 murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in Canada West.
Servants from the Kinnear household, James McDermott and Grace Marks, were found guilty of the killings. McDermott was hanged, while Marks received a life sentence in prison. Despite drawing from real-life events, Atwood created the fictional character of Dr. Simon Jordan, who encounters Grace while researching criminal behaviour. Over time, he develops an obsession with Grace and his projected understanding of her identity as a woman.
Critical Acclaim and Audience Reception
The series boasts an impressive 99% rating on the review-aggregation platform Rotten Tomatoes. One critic noted: 'In the show's best moments, it's about something darker and more complicated; about how there's things we'll do for the sake of ourselves and things we'll do for the sake of those we love, but when both are on the table, dangerous doors swing open.'
Another added: 'The real power of the book and the Netflix series lies in the exploration of what it means to be a woman under the patriarchy.' A third praised: 'Alias Grace is a solid, well-made piece of television that doesn't hide its intelligence under a bonnet, as costume dramas can do. Nor does it attempt to keep your attention with soap opera style cliff-hangers.'
A fourth simply wrote: 'Alias Grace is a remarkable story.' And another said: 'Alias Grace is a beautiful piece of work. Its every detail is rewarding in a way that's rare for television these days, especially on streaming platforms. On top of that, it's a narrative about women, made by women.'
Alias Grace is streaming on Netflix now.
