Which is the best version to see? The TV special of 312m or the 188m?

I only saw the film and I'm 100% sure the TV version is better.

I enjoyed it overall but at the end, I had a feeling of some parts having been cut abruptly, too many loose ends and underused relationships. I couldn't believe a film that would deal with so many characters, all magnificently exposed in the opening Christmas party sequence, would "only" focus on the two kids.

We never know how the mother fell in love with the Bishop? And even worse, when she stopped to love him. The Gustav-Maj subplot was covered with intensity in the first act but then is handled just like a parenthesis, and many characters just pop up and disappear with a screen-time that doesn't give them much substance.

I wanted to rate and review the film but I'd rather try to find the TV version.

300 minutes means that it's probably constructed like Scenes from a Marriages, 6 episodes of 50 minutes, and I can't imagine Scenes from a Marriages lasting only 180 minutes, as if it was deprived from the equivalent of two episodes, surely, it would be a lesser experience.

EDIT: I saw the TV special, it is the best version to see


Darth Vader is scary and I  The Godfather

The theatrical, edited version was the only version available in the States for years until Criterion came out with both versions around a decade ago. The theatrical version is indeed tighter, but for me there is no question now: I prefer the original Swedish miniseries whenever I enjoy my annual Christmas viewing of the film. I don't think I've seen the theatrical cut in years.