Adapting a sprawling medieval epic for television required rewriting history and changing character fates.
In short: The 2010 miniseries adaptation of Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth took significant creative liberties with its source material. Beyond altering character ages and relationships, the showrunners completely overhauled the plot, invented new historical timelines, and crafted an ending entirely distinct from the original 1989 novel.
Produced over a single year for 40 million dollars, the eight-part series was a collaborative effort between Tandem Communications, Muse Entertainment Enterprises, and Scott Free Productions. Filmed in Austria and Hungary in 2009, the production aimed to capture the essence of the 12th-century Anarchy period. However, the adaptation frequently diverged from the book, omitting characters like Thomas Becket and merging others, such as the thief who becomes the monk Johnny Eightpence. Plot points were also heavily modified; for instance, the series introduces a poisoning attempt on Jack and a lake rescue scene involving Aliena that never occurred in the written text.
The most dramatic departures involve the narrative's conclusion and historical accuracy. While the novel follows a complex series of events leading to the deaths of major figures and the rise of new leaders, the series opts for a more condensed, high-stakes finale. In the show, the villainous Waleran and William Hamleigh meet their ends through a public trial and a fall from the cathedral roof, respectively. These changes extend to the historical backdrop, where the series compresses the timelines of Henry I and Henry II and inaccurately depicts the deaths of figures like Robert of Gloucester and Eustace, who did not perish in the battles shown on screen.
Despite these deviations, the miniseries received a 77 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its production values and cast. The final visual of the show features a CGI cathedral that blends architectural elements from Salisbury and Wells, honoring the real-world inspirations behind Follett's fictional Kingsbridge. While some reviewers noted that the show took great liberties with actual history, the project remains a notable example of how complex literary works are restructured to fit the pacing and demands of episodic television.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Pillars of the Earth (miniseries)
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