Ranking Every HBO Miniseries From Worst To Best

An adaptation of a series of novels by John Jakes, this is the third in a trilogy of stories concerning the Kent family, though The Seekers is the only miniseries to have wound up on HBO in 1979, before the network became known primarily for its original programming.

To say that HBO had nowhere near the clout it possesses now, The Seekers looks fantastic. It’s set around the turn of the 19th century, and so period detail is the name of the game. From the costumes to the setpieces (including a pricey battle at sea), no expense is spared.

Unfortunately the production values don’t necessarily stretch to the overall quality of the drama on show. HBO had a huge part to play in making TV as well regarded a medium as movies, but we’re a long way off that here, and the actors, in particular, aren’t the best of the crop. There’s a staginess to the performances en masse that have caused The Seekers to age badly in some respects, despite how great the series looks and the quality of its source material.