Miniserien

A miniseries is a television program designed to tell a complete, self-contained narrative within a fixed number of episodes. Unlike ongoing multi-season series, a miniseries has a defined story arc and a planned conclusion, with no expectation of additional seasons after its final episode.

Typical characteristics include a limited episode count, a continuous plot line, a cohesive cast, and high production values. Miniseries are often adaptations of novels, stage plays, or real historical events, but original screenplays are also common. The format enables ambitious storytelling within a finite runtime.

Historically, miniseries emerged in the early era of television and became prominent in the 1970s and 1980s with landmarks such as Roots (1977) and Shogun (1980). In the 21st century, titles like Band of Brothers (2001) and Chernobyl (2019) brought renewed attention. In the streaming era, the terminology varies by region, with many titles marketed as limited series or miniseries interchangeably.

Differences from ongoing series and related formats: a miniseries is designed to conclude after its run, whereas traditional series continue with new seasons. A limited series typically has a single season but may be extended in some markets, while an anthology series presents a different story and cast each season.