i watch this mini on a dvd so my perception wasn not as fragment a it perhaps would have be if i watch one episode a day on tv . i read master and margarita at least ten time so i know it pretty much by heart . it come a a relief that bortko follow the original text so closely and do not turn it in one of hollywood junk adaptation . there no point in get hysterical about the fact that this film be not as good a the book it could never be . i agree with other comment here that many dialogue be till bear because the text be transfer from the book too literally with no dramatic adaptation and particularly when bulgakov author commentary be use in the dialogue . abdulov and basilashvili be the best . to my mind and basilashvili and in particular and add to my previous perception of woland and expand this character if that at all possible . the main complains be begemot all of whose personification fail miserably and gaft character who be completely out of context and rather weird . gaft already play beria in another movie and his appearance here look like a piece cut out from that movie and paste into this one . however this be all minor and generally i enjoy the film . i be only really disappointed with bortko interpretation of the ball . have follow the book so maniacally to the last letter he suddenly deviate off track and not in a good way . in bulgakov book the ball be an explosion of colour and light and music with wall of flower and rainbow fountain . whether it be a poor budget to blame or inability to use decent special effect but bortko create some grey depress place in the middle of nowhere which look rather bizarre . bulgakov feature margarita fly through the ball halls in shoe make of rise petal and wear nothing except heavy pendant over her neck whereas bortko dress her in torture chain and pin her to the ground . it all look a bit sado masochistic and i doubt bulgakov saw it that way . i be surprised no one here comment on it . all in all i think it not a bad attempt and certainly for a mini . i be expect something much bad have seem some of the rubbish produce my russian movie maker these day . to those who say it awful and i think you should calm down and accept that bulgakov book and this movie be completely separate entity and the film can not be as deep because it can not reproduce all the philosophical richness of the literary work . it could try but then it would not appeal to a wider audience which prefers easily digestible adaptation .