Jessica Chastain’s 5-Part Thriller Series Based On A Swedish Classic Is Perfect From Start To Finish

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Ingmar Bergman’s 1973 miniseries, Scenes From a Marriage, is a powerfully memorable show. Across six hour-long episodes, it realistically portrays a marriage falling apart over ten years. It was so honest and impactful that stories circulated claiming it led to a dramatic increase in divorces in Sweden.

Although it’s debatable, this series has clearly impacted other popular, highly-rated dramas, such as Marriage Story, and even led to a successful remake. Interestingly, rumors circulated that filming the remake—which was well-received—caused tension between co-stars Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, even though it proved to be a strong project for both of them. The show itself can be quite difficult to watch at times.

Scenes From A Marriage Has One Of The Strangest Opening Scenes Of All Time

The opening of Scenes From a Marriage is incredibly unusual. Instead of starting like a typical drama, the series begins with Jessica Chastain seemingly playing herself – getting ready to film a scene, surrounded by the masked crew during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a self-aware moment reminiscent of the thought-provoking sci-fi series The OA.

Once the scene begins, Chastain starts telling the story as her character. The choice to immediately acknowledge the show as a television program might seem strange, but it’s a deliberate creative decision. This scene wasn’t in the original series, making it clear from the start that this remake of Scenes From a Marriage will be different.

The five-episode series can be difficult to watch, as the couple drifts apart and avoids important conversations. Both versions of Scenes From a Marriage center around the idea of pretense, and the unusual opening scene emphasizes that the show isn’t meant to be a realistic portrayal of life.

Scenes From A Marriage Breaks The Rules Of Storytelling, But It Is Genius

Most movies and TV shows aim to fully draw viewers into the story, making them forget they’re watching a performance. The truly great shows, even those with fantastical plots, succeed because of strong acting and writing that makes audiences care about the characters and what happens to them.

We’ve become so accustomed to movies and TV shows drawing us in seamlessly that the very beginning of Scenes From a Marriage feels jarring and almost invasive. Similar to the abrupt ending of The Sopranos, it breaks traditional storytelling conventions. But this unconventional approach actually makes the show immediately captivating, particularly for those who know the original story.

The brilliance of Scenes From a Marriage lies in how it reveals the actors’ skill, a layer of the relationship we don’t often see. Jessica Chastain is outstanding in the series, and the show beautifully highlights her talent as her character, Mira, changes and her hidden complexities are revealed.

Scenes From A Marriage Is A Perfect Adaptation

Viewers might not know the recent show is a remake, and it’s not a scene-for-scene copy of the original. The 2021 adaptation of Scenes From a Marriage takes the main ideas from Ingmar Bergman’s series but presents them in a fresh way, making it relevant for today’s viewers.

The 2021 series Scenes From a Marriage retells the story of a marriage falling apart, much like the original. However, it updates the narrative for modern audiences. While the first version relied on traditional gender roles, the remake flips those expectations, allowing for social commentary and incorporating elements like current technology.

The Scenes From A Marriage TV Shows
Title Year Director Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Score Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Scenes From a Marriage 1973 Ingmar Bergman 88% 95%
Scenes From a Marriage 2021 Hagai Levi 83% 81%

The 2021 version of Scenes From a Marriage is so strong that it’s actually better to watch it without seeing the original first. The original was groundbreaking for its time, but the new version perfectly captures the heart of the story while making it relevant and accessible for today’s audiences.

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2026-04-02 23:59