We’re coming up to Alias Grace’s release date, and many viewers are curious as to what Alias Grace is about. We’ll take a brief look at the interesting history behind Alias Grace, from the novel to the production of the Alias Grace Netflix series.
With the success of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu, there has been a little bit of buzz over author Margaret Atwood and her other works. This buzz has transferred over to Alias Grace, the new mini-series that comes to us via Netflix.
So, what time does Alias Grace come on Netflix? Keep reading to know the Alias Grace start date and where you can watch it.
The Show Is Based on a Novel
Alias Grace is a novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood published in 1996. The story is about Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant who has been convicted of murder and is working for the governor of the penitentiary.
A committee from the local church brings in an alienist (the precursor to psychologists) to help Grace be diagnosed as a hysteric (an old term that encompassed many mental illnesses) so that she’s deemed not guilty of the murder due to insanity. Grace begins to tell her story to the alienist but has several twists and turns leading to the story of the murders.
Inspired by a True Story
Atwood was inspired to write Alias Grace after discovering the true story of Grace Marks, a servant girl who was convicted of murder in a fairly infamous trial in 1843.
Grace Marks did exist, and much of her real-life story, like her immigration from Ireland to her mother’s death and the trial itself, are actually true. Atwood did add to these events so that it would be a fiction novel, but the basic framework is true.
The novel itself is as much about the society that Grace lives in as it is about Grace, along with comparisons between that society and our own. It is very much the social commentary that one might expect from Atwood.
A Long Time to Adapt
Filmmaker Sarah Polley first wrote to Atwood requesting the film rights to the novel when Polley was just 17 years old. Now 38, Polley has had a long road to making the mini-series, but she did finally make it to the finish line.
At various points, the adaption was connected to Jodie Foster and Cate Blanchette in the long gestation period. But ultimately, those versions wouldn’t come to pass.
Polley serves as producer and screenwriter of the series. And Mary Harron directed the entire six parts of Alias Grace were. Harron had worked as a director on shows like The L Word, Oz, Homicide, Big Love, and films like American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol, and The Moth Diaries.
Canadian broadcaster CBC helped Polley and Harron bring the series to the small screen. It debuting in Canada on September 25, 2017, with Netflix picking up the international broadcasting rights.
The series stars Sarah Gordon as Grace and co-stars Anna Paquin, Zachary Levi, and Paul Gross.
When Can We Watch It?
With the success of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu, there has been a certain amount of anticipation for the adaption of Alias Grace around the world. Especially after the first Alias Grace trailer debuted. And now that Netflix picked up the series, everyone outside of Canada will now have a chance to see it.
Alias Grace’s premiere date is November 2, 2017, on Netflix. All the episodes will be dropped at once, so you’ll be able to binge watch this weekend.
If you live in Canada, you can watch the series right now via the CBC website.