A miniseries (or mini-series) is a television show that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. The term “serial” and/or “series” is used in the United Kingdom and in other Commonwealth nations, though its meaning does not necessarily equate to “miniseries” in its usage.
Several commentators have offered more precise definitions of the term. In Halliwell’s Television Companion, Leslie Halliwell and Philip Purser argue that miniseries tend to “appear in four to six episodes of various lengths”,[1][2] while Stuart Cunningham in Textual Innovation in the Australian Historical Mini-series defines a miniseries as, “a limited run program of more than two and less than the 13-part season or half season block associated with serial or series programming.”[1][3] Still, with the proliferation of the format in the 1980s and 90s, television films broadcast over even two or three nights were commonly referred to as miniseries.[4][5]
In Television: A History, Francis Wheen states:
Both soap operas and primetime series cannot afford to allow their leading characters to develop, since the shows are made with the intention of running indefinitely. In a miniseries on the other hand, there is a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end (as in a conventional play or novel), enabling characters to change, mature, or die as the serial proceeds.[1][6]
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https://www.feisworld.com/blog/introduction-of-the-new-mini-series