Remakes are always put to greater scrutiny in this regard, and while Amadeus isn't technically a remake (it's a new adaptation of the Peter Shaffer 1979 play on which 1984's Amadeus was based), it is being treated as one.
I have to admit, I came at it from a different perspective. For my sins, I hadn't seen the Miloš Forman film, and have come to it since. By chance, this has given me two different vantage points from which to view the series - one, as a complete newcomer, and two, with the context of the film with which to compare it.
However, when I did come to watch the film, something strange happened. While I was of course bowled over by what I saw, it actually managed to increase my approval and admiration for the series. Let me explain...
Salieri, played here by Paul Bettany, is the court composer in Vienna in 1781, when Mozart travels to the town. The two are vastly different - while Salieri is pious and esteemed, yet brimming with jealously, Mozart is unrefined, crude and boisterous.
When a new adaptation of a classic work is produced, people tend to ask "why?". When it's a series being crafted out of a film or play, the answer usually comes that the format simply gives more time to explore facets previously untouched, or to dig deeper into themes that were otherwise skimmed over.
I tend to think this is a pretty weak answer. If a piece of theatre or film is acclaimed in its current form, then perhaps it isn't in need of further additions? For an example, see Wicked being adapted into two films rather than one (although, frankly, on that front the box office receipts and many fans worldwide may tend to disagree with me).
In story terms, many of the major beats are still here, but some of them are given a greater chance to breathe. For instance, Salieri's declaration of war on God, while powerful in the '84 film, is given even greater due here, in one of the show's most stirring moments and one of Bettany's best pieces of performance.
The focus on Mozart and Constanze's home life, and in particular a personal tragedy, is a masterstroke from writer Joe Barton, who digs into the real history behind the story to lend it even greater veracity, humanity and pathos.
In fact, Constanze's entire story has been bulked up here, with the character given greater agency but also more substantial flaws, more internal conflict and a greater external emotional range. Her relationship with Mozart is far less amiable than in the film, with greater animosity between them and a level of complexity that was previously lacking.
One area in which this is evident is in the character of Salieri, who is seen here struggling with an internal battle between his self-asserted piety and his impure urges, resulting in some truly uncomfortable sequences.
Meanwhile, Mozart, who in the film is generally pretty likeable, if occasionally unrefined, is often here petulant, moody, narcissistic and spiteful.
It's a drastically different take on the character, but one which pays off, not only in the bitterness of the on-screen rivalry it helps to cultivate, but also particularly as the series grapples with just who he is and what his legacy is, in its closing moments.
It also has a stellar supporting cast, from Jonathan Aris as Mozart's repellant father to Rory Kinnear as the culturally ignorant Emperor - although, admittedly, the latter doesn't exactly feel out of his comfort zone given the two on-screen Prime Ministers he now has under his belt.
There are elements that work better, but there are ways in which the film functions more cohesively as a whole, and is impressively streamlined. The musical performances are also somewhat more dramatic, and there's no doubt that the look of the film is richer, more distinctive and more compelling.
There's also some ageing-up that's done throughout the series that frankly leaves something to be desired.
But what's remarkable here is that Barton and directors Julian Farino and Alice Seabright have managed to craft something which operates as a delightful companion piece to the film. It provides a weighty, thoughtful take on classic material, gorgeous performances, and an all-round enjoyable experience.
So, here's my plea: this Christmas, give Amadeus a chance. It might not be the most original series you see on TV this year, but it just might be up there with some of the best - a truly miraculous achievement given the mountainous legacy of what came before it.
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