Amadeus series debuts with a near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

Amadeus, the television adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s 1979 stage play, has debuted with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score. The strong reception signals early viewer approval for the miniseries, even as a movie adaptation of the same source material was a widely praised predecessor.

The show debuted on December 21 on Sky Atlantic, with and it has landed an 82% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. While the rating is not a 99 or 100, the legacy attached to the title and the challenge of meeting expectations were paramount.

Amadeus series gathers a near perfect Rotten Tomatoes score early on

The story zooms in on the musical rivalry between two towering maestros of the classical world: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. The play, as well as the screen adaptation, does not merely talk about the rivalry but tells the story through a distinct psychological and artistic lens.

With adaptations concerning figures of high reputation and impact, viewers' expectations become a key factor. Even though it's a miniseries, the series appears to have understood and overcome the challenges it took on.

The casting makes a strong impact, especially with the cast associated with the 1984 feature film adaptation. In Amadeus, Will Sharpe steps into the shoes of Mozart. Paul Bettany stars as Salieri.

In the preceding film, F. Murray Abraham played Salieri, and at the opposite end, Tom Hulce played Mozart. This pairing went on to become widely celebrated in pop culture.

An impressive collection of awards was bagged by the film. It got the Best Picture at the Academy Awards and further secured a total of eight Oscars, including Best Director for Miloš Forman, Best Actor for Abraham, and Best Costume Design. Hulce also received an Academy Award nomination for his brilliant performance.

Against this massive success of the film, any following rendition would feel the pressure and viewers must also note that the current Rotten Tomatoes score is based on 11 reviews, nine of which are rated “Fresh.”

As additional reviews come in, that score is likely to fluctuate, and an audience score has yet to be established. A fuller understanding of the show's promise and delivery can only be accessed after more reviews pour in.

The series is adapted and written by Joe Barton, whose recent credits include Netflix’s spy thriller Black Doves and the science-fiction series The Lazarus Project, starring Paapa Essiedu.

Beyond Bettany and Sharpe, the series features a substantial supporting cast. Gabrielle Creevy appears as Constanze Mozart, with Jonathan Aris playing Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang’s father. Olivia-Mai Barrett rounds out the central family dynamic as Sophie, Constanze’s sister.

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Episode list and streaming details of Amadeus

• Episode 1 aired on 21 December 2025
• Episode 2 aired on 22 December 2025
• Episode 3 aired on 23 December 2025
• Episode 4 premiered on 24 December 2025
• Episode 5 premiered on 25 December 2025

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