“IF YOU LOVE DARK, EMOTIONALLY INTENSE PERIOD DRAMAS… THIS ONE WILL GRIP YOU FROM THE VERY FIRST MINUTE.”

‘Outstanding’ period drama based on ‘horrific’ real-life murders on Netflix

Handmaid’s Tale fans don’t want to miss out on this “perfect balance of beauty and horror”.

Period drama fans have been left ‘completely hooked’ by the Netflix series (Image: NETFLIX)

Netflix fans have been “completely hooked” by this true crime period drama that “messes with your brain”. This six-episode drama takes Netflix subscribers to 19th Century Canada where a story is told over two timelines: the first is in 1843 when an infamous double homicide is committed.

The second is 16 years later when a psychiatrist tries to figure out if one of the convicted killers should be pardoned due to insanity. Alias Grace revolves around the murders of Scottish gentleman farmer Thomas Kinnear and his pregnant housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in Canada.

Alias Grace stars True Blood icon Anna Paquin (Image: NETFLIX)

Housemaid Grace Marks and stablehand James McDermott were convicted of the crimes with McDermott hanged and Grace receiving a commuted life sentence but the pair continued to blame one another for the murders.

Not only is the 2017 CBC and Netflix period drama a true story, it is also based on Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood’s 1996 novel of the same name.

“An outstanding series, so well told and brilliantly acted”, a fan praised on IMdB.

Someone else described it as a “perfect balance of beauty and horror”, while a third said it was “excellent” and “not to be missed”.

A fellow user, hailing it as a “killer show”, further remarked: “The way the story messes with your brain is sooo good.

“It’s not even fast or dramatic in a typical way, but it just pulls you in slowly and suddenly you’re completely hooked.”

Kingsman star Edward Holcroft plays psychiatrist Dr Simon Jordan. (Image: NETFLIX)

Wayward star Sarah Gadon takes on the role of Grace Marks, with Kingsman star Edward Holcroft as her psychiatrist Dr Simon Jordan.

CB Strikes’ Kerr Logan is behind James McDermott, while Due South star Paul Gross and True Blood icon Anna Paquin as victims Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery.

Speaking to Virago about writing the novel which Alias Grace is based on, Atwood shared:“The book itself is ‘pieced’ like a quilt — with contrasting views — every faction at the time had their version of Grace. Demon or innocent? Even — tall or short?

“But in the gaps in the story — the places where evidence was not there or had gone missing — I felt free to invent.”

Alias Grace is available to watch on Netflix.

CRE: https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/2221472/outstanding-period-drama-based-horrific