# Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015)

> Two rival magicians in a restored-magic England clash in a dangerous battle of wits.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/55732

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 7
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: fantasy, drama
- Created by: Peter Harness
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Bertie Carvel, Eddie Marsan, Marc Warren, Charlotte Riley, Alice Englert, Samuel West, Enzo Cilenti, Paul Kaye
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2548418/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: dense
- Violence: mild
- Tone: wistful, uncanny, witty, gothic, measured

## What critics say

Audiences rated this BBC One miniseries positively for its literary adaptation, lavish period atmosphere and strong lead performances.

## Synopsis

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015) is a British period fantasy miniseries created by Peter Harness for BBC One, adapted from the novel by Susanna Clarke. Reclusive scholar Mr Norrell (Eddie Marsan) and daring young novice Jonathan Strange (Bertie Carvel) are destined to restore lost magic to a England that has long forgotten it, and their rivalry becomes a dangerous contest of intellect and ambition. Strange's wife Arabella (Charlotte Riley) and the enigmatic Lady Pole (Alice Englert) are drawn into the fallout, while the mysterious Gentleman (Marc Warren) moves through the story with unsettling charm. The engine of the series is the clash between two great minds, each pursuing magic by very different means in a world where the old fairy powers still hold sway. Set in an alternate Regency England, the series unfolds across seven hour-long episodes with a measured, formal rhythm. Its tone is wistful, uncanny and quietly witty, with a gothic atmosphere of candlelit libraries and damp country houses. Fans of Gormenghast and Strange and Norrell will find resonance in its bookish magic and British period tradition, and in its mix of scholarly rivalry and fairy-tale menace.

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