"Medea" (2005) TV mini-series

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Theo van Gogh

Writers:

Euripides (play)
Theodor Holman (scenario)

Release Date:

8 January 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Plot:

Greek tragedy by Euripide moved to Dutch politics. Medea, the daughter of the chairman of the senate, falls madly in love with ambitious politician Jason. Together they plan a campaign to make Jason prime minister.

Plot Keywords:

TV Mini-Series | Character Name In Title

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Katja Schuurman	...	Medea
Thijs Römer	...	Jason
Cas Enklaar	...	Bert Middelink
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alix Adams	...	Minister
Dragan Bakema	...	Thomas
Krijn ter Braak	...	Mr. Moyra
Ronald de Bruin	...	Journalist van Nieuwspoort
Kristen Denkers	...	Begrafenisondernemer
Tijn Docter
Astrid van Eck	...	Xandra
Gwen Eckhaus	...	Gynaecoloog
Tara Elders	...	Anne
Fred Emmer	...	Anchorman
Cees Geel	...	Beertje
Theo van Gogh	...	(voice)
Monic Hendrickx	...	De Vries
Marcel Hensema	...	Matthijs
Jort Kelder	...	Jort Kelder
Caro Lenssen	...	Rosita
Bata Miodrag Milojevic	...	Bodyguard
Mike Reus
Michel Sluysmans	...	Wubbe
Jochum ten Haaf	...	Frederik
Ids van der Krieken
Eric van Sauers	...	Robin
Georgina Verbaan	...	Vanessa
Maarten Wansink	...	Jensma Schutte
Ingrid Willems	...	Secretaresse
Jack Wouterse	...	Oldekamp
Simon Zwiers

Runtime:

Netherlands:300 min (6 parts)

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch

Color:

Color

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

AVRO Television

Trivia:

The AVRO who produced the series, was planning to make more adaptations of the Classical tragedies. But after the murder of the director, Theo van Gogh, no production of other projects begun.

Well-written, but it feels too distant and too artificial

I liked the concept of re-telling the story of Medea and Jason at the background of Dutch politics, so I had high expectations for this mini-series. Knowing that controversial director Theo van Gogh was murdered right after finishing this product, made it all the more interesting. So, I gave it a try.

When a renowned politician ( Krijn ter Braak ) is in a tight spot due to accusations of being part of a fraud with building companies, his daughter Medea ( Katja Schuurman )allies with businessman Jason( Thijs Romer) to help her father out. At first their relationship is just based on doing business, but it rapidly transforms into an amorous and passionate affair. Jason, being bored by his success in real estate, wants to use Medea as a leverage to gain the political power to become minister-president( PM )of Holland. By campaigning against the so called '' old politics '' he becomes more and more popular among the voters. But by gaining power he starts to become more estranged from his pregnant wife Medea, and their turbulent relation comes to a radical clash.

I had the entire time the feeling that something was missing. It felt a bit too distant and too artificial for my taste. I never had the idea that I was watching real people of flesh and blood. It didn't help that soap star Katja Schuurmans was in a lead role. She's gorgeous by having the beauty of a Greek goddess, but her acting is stiff and shallow. Thijs Romer did a better job. By slightly over-acting he managed to give the character Jason a certain ''theatrical'' air to it. For some reason that worked splendidly.

The screenplay by Theodor Holman was well-written, though I must say that there are too many side roads to keep the main storyline around Medea and Jason from running smoothly. There is almost no tension. Too much happening in too little time.