Netflix released the first teaser for its six-hour historical fiction, murder miniseries “Alias Grace” on Monday, based on the novel by “The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood.
The novel, published in 1996, blends fiction and reality. Atwood was inspired by the 1843 Upper Canadian murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin). Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon) and James McDermott (Kerr Logan) were charged with the crime. McDermott was hanged while Marks was sentenced to life in prison.
The question remained though whether Marks was involved with the murder itself or was just an accessory. She was eventually (spoiler?) released after 30 years in prison.
In the novel, Atwood writes in a doctor named Simon Jordan, who becomes interested in both the case and Marks while researching criminal behavior. He saw that Marks was a mild-mannered woman — as evidenced in the teaser — so how could she have been guilty of a brutal murder?
“I think of all the things that have been written about me,” Marks narrates, explaining how she’s been called a “demon” and “cunning” but also an “innocent victim.” “How can I be all these different things at once?”
The miniseries is written and produced by Sarah Polley (“Take This Waltz”) and directed by Mary Harron (“American Psycho”). The series is a co-production with Halfire Entertainment, CBC and Netflix.
This is the second Atwood work to get an adaptation this year. The first, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” streamed over on Hulu and was just renewed for a second season.
“Alias Grace” will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and will stream on Netflix starting Friday, Nov. 3.
Watch the first teaser above.