Prime Video’s The House of the Spirits Reboot Is an Instant Streaming Hit After Strong Reviews

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Meryl Streep is a highly acclaimed actress with numerous award-winning performances. While many of her films have been successful, she’s also had some that didn’t do well, like her 1993 historical drama, which was a significant box office failure.

On April 29th, a new version of The House of the Spirits was released. This adaptation is based on Isabel Allende’s popular 1982 novel of the same name and is the first one produced in Spanish. It’s already proving successful as a streaming series, receiving positive reviews and gaining traction on platforms like FlixPatrol.

The new drama series started at number six on the charts and has quickly moved up to fifth place globally. It also premiered at number six in the United States.

What Happens in The House of the Spirits?

I’ve been completely swept away by the story of the Trueba family. It’s an incredible saga filled with love, loss, and the drama of a country undergoing huge changes over a hundred years. You really get to know their passions and their secrets, and it’s heartbreaking to watch the family patriarch, a very strong-willed man, and his granddaughter end up on opposing sides during a time of intense conflict. It’s a powerful story that has really stayed with me.

The eight-part series, House of the Spirits, tells the story of strong and determined women – Clara, Blanca, and Alba – across three generations in a traditional South American nation. The series spans over fifty years, showcasing their lives and struggles.

The cast of The House of the Spirits includes Daniela Ramírez (known from Ozark and Sense8), Dolores Fonzi (Belén), Nicole Wallace (My Fault), and Juan Pablo Raba (Narcos, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).

The House of Spirits Received Strong Reviews

Despite featuring a notable cast including Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Glenn Close, and Antonio Banderas, the 1982 film was initially criticized by reviewers, largely due to its lack of diversity. Currently, it has a 32% ‘rotten’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences give it a much more positive score of 71%, and it holds a 6.9 rating on IMDb.

The new Prime Video series is already proving to be better than the original, even though it hasn’t received many reviews yet. Currently, 83% of critics recommend it, based on just six reviews, so that score could change as more people share their thoughts. Still, the initial response has been very positive.

Aramide Tinubu of Variety praised the adaptation as both ‘fantastic and gutting,’ noting its beautiful cinematography and stating that a Spanish-language version was much needed. They described the show as visually stunning and captivating, especially in contrast to the 1993 film adaptation starring Meryl Streep, which didn’t quite succeed.

Peter Martin of ScreenAnarchy highlighted the show’s excellent acting and high production quality. Lacy Baugher at RogerEbert.com described the series as feeling genuine, immersive, and enchanting right from the start, praising its beautiful sets, expansive scenery, and vibrant designs, which also effectively illustrate the political changes happening in South America at the time.

You can now watch the first three episodes of The House of the Spirits on Prime Video. New episodes will be released every Wednesday.

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2026-05-01 18:06