This is an entirely fictional telling that has nothing to do with the biblical Dinah beyond the borrowed names. Its characterizations of Jewish faith and idol worship have no similarities with the realities. Instead, it has transformed the Red Tent (the tent reserved for a woman’s monthly menstrual retreat from the camp) into a feminist sanctuary for a fabricated worship of female deities. So, divorced from any historical efficacy, here is my response to the series. It is beautifully shot, told and performed. Rebecca Ferguson, Minnie Driver and Morena Baccarin, all bring beauty, grace and grounded characters to life. Debra Winger was a delightful addition. The lush sets, soaring sound track, vibrant colours all give the story a wonderful depth. As a work of total fiction this is a magnificent work of art. Its richness lingers after the credits roll. I give this limited series a 9 (beautiful) out of 10. [Drama]

I remember watching The Red Tent years ago, and the only thing that stuck with me was that Rebecca Ferguson was in it, and that she looked absolutely stunning. I think this miniseries came before the roles that would later make her a household name. I’m glad I stumbled across it again today and had the chance to spend three uninterrupted hours watching it from start to finish. As for the story itself, it is heavily fictionalized. In many ways, it resembles the kinds of speculative narratives built around obscure or unexplored corners of biblical history, the sort of stories that imagine what might have happened between the lines of scripture. I also wouldn’t call it feminist propaganda, especially when compared to some of the more overtly ideological productions we see today. At its core, it is simply a fictional elaboration of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, a biblical figure about whom we know very little. Viewed in that light, The Red Tent is hardly unusual. Religious traditions have long inspired expansive reinterpretations and spin-offs. After all, entire faiths and traditions have emerged from retellings, reinterpretations, and alternative perspectives on biblical figures and stories. Compared to that, The Red Tent is a relatively modest attempt to imagine the life and voice of a character who occupies only a small space in the biblical narrative.