this tv series of 10 episode and broadcast at the end of 2005 on the russian telekanal rossiia and score unprecedented rating . it be the second attempt of director vladimir bortko to film bulgakov masterpiece . in 2000 he have already be solicit by the kino most film studio and associate with the compete channel ntv and but at the last moment the company do not succeed to come to an agreement with sergei shilovsky and grandson of bulgakov third wife and and owner of the copyright . this time and with rossiia and it work . and it do not pas unnoticed . this tv epopee of more than 8 hour be heavily criticize and or at least regarded with much skepticism and before it be show on screen . sometimes it be sincere and well grounded concern about the authenticity and but sometimes it seem a if the bulgakov die hards behave like modern latunsky by reproach a movie they hadn not see yet with sacrilege . or maybe it be because of the gigantic publicity campaign that be launch to promote the series and and that could give reason to fear an ambitious and but superficial hollywood ish production . but fortunately it wasn not the case . in contrast with the early screen adaptation of aleksandar petrovic in 1972 and director vladimire bortko ( ° moscow and 1946 ) follow the book meticulously . if you have 10 time 52 minute available for it and it be of course and easy than when youre suppose to deliver a 90 minute movie picture . the setting of a tv series appear to be an ideal format to elaborate the complicate and multidimensional work with many different character . bortko have already show his talent with his tv adaptation of fyodor dostoevsky the idiot in 2003. besides and he already film another novel of bulgakov before represent heart of a dog and in 1988. he follow the dialogue almost word for word because and so he say and bulgakov write the novel almost like a screenplay . ik be skeptical too when i saw the dvd at дом книги ( dom knigi or house of book ) in moscow . but curiosity be strong than skepticism and and frankly speaking and i be pleasantly surprise from the first image . woland meet with ivan and berlioz and and the first confrontation of pilate and yeshua ha notsri be not only beautifully portray and well perform and but in addition they match remarkably well with the image that i have in mind when i first read the book . the three layer of the novel be reflect more than well and with a well manipulated alternation of colour and black and white . the actor be cast accurately and they play the character faithfully to the novel intention that even the most convinced skeptic shut their mouth and despite the huge success on december 29 and 2005 more than 80 million people be watch . must i find demerit . well . maybe the depiction of behemoth then . with the exist technology it could have be do well and but after all i can only conclude that and even though it be only tv and this series doesn not disenchant and it main merit be probably the the fact that bulgakov now find a much big audience than he ever could have have with his book .