This TV-epopee of more than eight hours was heavily criticized, or at least regarded with much skepticism. The first broadcast on December 19, 2005, was preceded by months of controversy in the media. Opponents feared that filming the work for television would sacrifice the layered narrative of the novel and the complexity of the socio-political and metaphysical themes to the popular demands of the broadcast medium.
The eight-hour TV epic faced significant criticism or skepticism from its inception, with debates lasting months before its December 19, 2005, broadcast. Critics worried that adapting the work for television would diminish the novel's complex narrative and intricate socio-political and metaphysical themes to satisfy the expectations of a broader audience.