One of the biggest shows of 2017 so far is undoubtedly The Handmaid's Tale, which is adapted from the dystopian novel of the same name written by Margaret Atwood.
Fans of the author will know of one of Atwood's other novels, Alias Grace, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize when it was released back in 1996. Now the story has been adapted into its own TV series by Netflix and CBC Television in Canada who have made it into a six-hour miniseries.
There's an Irish focus on this show too as it is based on the true story of Grace Marks, a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843.
James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory.
The trailer just dropped today, and it looks promising, although unfortunately they didn't use an actual Irish actress for the lead role, and instead went with Canadian actress Sarah Gadon. It's not the worst Irish accent we've ever heard, but we wouldn't say it's good either.
