Count of Monte Cristo (2026) Review

Brighton Nelson

17 May 2026 — 3 min read

The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite literary classic, at least of the ones I'm adequately acquainted with. There's been a multitude of adaptations of this film, whether direct adaptations or reimaginings. I loved the very cinematic movie version of the story from December 2024, and I had high hopes for this one, given its extended runtime! Is this 2026 miniseries the quintessential adaptation of this terrific tale now, or is it "just another adaptation"? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be discussing in today's Reel Ranker review. Thank you so much for joining me, and I hope you enjoy this article!

If they can ever make the Château d'If episode not be the highlight of an adaptation, they either did something really wrong or really right. As for this series? Episode 2 is easily my favorite.

Let's dive into some negatives first. I really enjoyed the extended runtime here compared to a movie, but it could've used at least 4 or 5 additional episodes to adapt more of the rich subplots from the book. I love the punchiness of movies and how they adapt the most important parts of novels, but when adapting a book that's upwards of 1,350 pages to television, a few more than 8 hours could've fully fleshed it out in the way the book has always deserved. The audiobook is over 50 hours long—8 hours of TV simply didn't capture as much as it should.

There are only three other slight issues I had. #1: The jarring pronunciation, with each character constantly switching between British and faux-Français every other sentence. The pronunciation of Château d'If almost killed me! #2: It could've felt a bit more cinematic, even though it's a TV show. The first couple of episodes felt far more cinematic than the following episodes, which were a tad disappointing. Finally, there is the super rushed ending. There's some great material at the end of the book that was weirdly skipped over. Lots of versions end differently from the book, which I'm personally okay with, but if that's how the project wants to approach it, then the ending needs to be at least as good as the original. Unfortunately, that's not quite the case here.

The costume design in this show is absolutely impeccable.

However, when your adaptation's weakest aspects are a lack of length, pronunciation, and a B+ ending, that's a pretty telltale sign of a great adaptation. Sam Claflin is a phenomenal actor and is my personal favorite version of Edmond Dantès—though I will admit it could change once I finish watching every adaptation. He brings nuance, gravitas, and a melancholic tone to the character that I enjoyed. I love how he's less ruthless in this adaptation, taking revenge in a more subtle way that holds a mirror up to Mondego, Villefort, and Danglars, making them hate themselves rather than Dantès taking them out in a more violent way than many adaptations.

Additionally, the story is great and simple as ever, with plenty of dramatic subplots for flair. This show brings everything to life wonderfully! The show especially pulls of the setup before the Château d'If better than previous adaptations, and does a lot of smaller moments far more justice than others.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 85%
Letter Score: A+
Star Ranking: 4.5 out of 5

The Count of Monte Cristo (2026) is one of the best adaptations of the titular title! While it could've used a couple more episodes and a better conclusion, it's a thorough saga that elegantly tackles intricate subplots and features great performances.

Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other dramas? See them below!