Oct
Hurrah for the BBC!
I love England.
I love it for the history and the bad teeth, the windswept vistas and the London Underground system. However, as someone who has not had the advantage of going on a Scottish holiday recently (*cough* Tessa Dare *cough*), I have to get my England the old fashioned way. Via television.
Streaming services such as Netflix are remarkably useful not only in directly importing Britain into my Southern California home but also in acting as research for the time period I write in. And it’s not all Jane Austen that speaks to me. Here’s a few of the more esoteric BBC period dramas that will help with those Downton Abbey withdrawls:
Based on the George Eliot novel, Daniel Deronda tells the parallel stories of an idealistic young man who does not know his parentage but believes in the basic goodness of people, which aids his search, and a selfish spoiled young woman who makes a desperate marriage to a Lord who simply wishes to break her, as one would a horse.
Downton Bonus: Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham in DA) is eeevvvviiiilll in this.
I’m madly in love with this Anthony Trollope story about a Victorian-era Ponzi scheme before they were named Ponzi schemes.
Zombie Bonus: Cillian Murphy plays an idealistic young man (there are lots of those in Victorian literature, it seems) trying to build a railroad.
Jane Austen Bonus: Matthew MacFayden!
Whenever I talk about BBC miniseries, I have to mention this Elizabeth Gaskell (she of Cranford and North and South authorship) story about a daughter, her stepmother, her stepsister, and the boy across the way that she loves. It is one of my favorites, and I sigh every single time Roger Hamley declares his love in the rain…
Here’s a scene (but not that rain scene. I’ll let you discover that on your own).
Jane Austen Bonus: Both Rosamund Pike (Jane) and Tom Hollander (Mr. Collins) of the 2005 Keira Knightley Pride and Prejudice pop up in this… in very different roles than that of P&P.
So what’s your favorite esoteric BBC miniseries? I’d love to seek out some new ones!
Oct 20, 2012
11:39 am
Ooohh lots of great things to add to my Amazon wish list. Thank you Kate!
I am a huge BBC fan too and you’ve already mentioned some of my favorites-the 95 BBC with Colin, North and South, etc. One I saw that was quite good was the 1994 version of Middlemarch (an adaptation of the George Eliot novel). The story was intriguing but mostly it was Rufus Sewell that was so compelling to me.
I also really liked the 2009 miniseries version of Emma with Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai.
Oct 20, 2012
12:02 pm
Lisa — I loved the 2009 Emma. I thought Romola Garai was adorable in it. I have yet to see Middlemarch, however — it’s going on the list!
Oct 20, 2012
12:08 pm
I love there Emma. It is one of the best Emma I have seen. I also love North & South. They do such a good job.
Oct 20, 2012
12:17 pm
I get so lost in the story every time I watch North and South, mostly in the gorgeous baritone that is Richard Armitage’s voice…
…
…
(snaps out of it)
I’m sorry, what were you saying, again?
Oct 20, 2012
12:21 pm
Lol. He does have a lovely voice. It’s easy to get lost there.
Oct 20, 2012
4:00 pm
Miranda and I once agreed that the kiss at the end of North & South must be the most perfect first kiss in all of film. I never did before, but now I want to kiss Richard Armitage. A lot.
Oct 20, 2012
4:10 pm
Also, the way he looks at her in the train station???? TO DIE FOR.
Oct 20, 2012
9:57 pm
I really should watch North & South. I read the book, and love Gaskell in general, but I need to see this movie. Especially if it has the most perfect kiss of all time. (Which I thought was supposed to be in the Princess Bride?)
Oct 20, 2012
12:16 pm
Ok now your asking me to remember titles? Oh well. I like the movies about the various queens of England.
Oct 20, 2012
12:23 pm
Ohhh… well, if you do remember the name I would love to see it!
Oct 20, 2012
4:01 pm
LOL, Susan. I have trouble remembering what I’ve watched too!
Oct 20, 2012
12:35 pm
There is this series (not a mini one) called Larkrise To Candleford based on the Flora Thompson novel. It’s got a terrific cast, Mr. Bates from DA plays a prominent role but the star of the show is the independent, optimistic, and effervescent Ms Dorcas Lane (played by Julia Swahila, of AbFab and Cranford) who is one of the towns leading citizen and owner of the post office and the foundry (blacksmith). I think this is late Victorian but takes place not in London but somewhere in the Cotswold and there’s always this underlying tension between the haves from Candleford and the have nots from Larkrise. This was all seen from the perspective of Ms Lane’s niece Laura who grew up in Larkrise (the poor side) but was sent to her Aunt to work at the post office in Candleford (the rich side).
Oct 20, 2012
1:04 pm
That sounds wonderful Corie — I’ll have to find it! I’ve loved Julia Swahila, ever since she played Lydia in P&P.
Oct 20, 2012
12:44 pm
My favorite is Jeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. This is how I found P G Wodehouse and what a wonderful intro it was.
Oct 20, 2012
1:05 pm
Fry and Laurie are hilarious! You never think of Hugh Laurie as being a comedian, because he’s so grouchy on House, but he is incredibly talented.
Oct 20, 2012
1:21 pm
I completely forgot to mention Robin Hood! I know it’s not technically a miniseries but I caught S3 and thought it was great. I know we were all supposed to root for Robin and all, but RA”s dark, brooding, tortured, and angsty Guy of Gisborne had my heart going pitter-pat. I’m still kicking myself for not watching it from the beginning and missing out.
Oct 20, 2012
2:36 pm
I haven’t gotten into Robin Hood yet, but its in my queue simply because of the Armitage-ness.
Oct 20, 2012
1:23 pm
The Buccaneers is one of my favorites. With a group of Americans, who find love, loss and everything else when they go to give the nobility some of their money. That is it in a nutshell.
But, i love the stories it tells of how each of the girls deals with the trials in their lives.
Then their is Our Mutual Friend. David Morrisey playing a man so evil that when he was cast in Sense & Sensibility, I wondered how he could be a good guy in a movie. All the stories intertwine to make an enjoyable show.
Then there is The Hanging Gale about the Irish Potato Famine and how it affects a family in Ireland, played by & written by real life brothers Joe, Paul, Mark and Stephen McGann.
There are SOO many dramas to think of above are some of my favorites that I have watched over and over again – included on that list is North & South (Richard Armitage – should I say more?). I also watch my Austen adaptations, with my favorite being Sense & Sensibility.
Also on BBCA, I love watching Doctor Who and White Chapel. Wish BBC America would show the past seasons of MI-5.
Oct 20, 2012
2:39 pm
I adored the Buccaneers! It reminded me a little of Lisa Kleypas’s Wallflower series. American girls, new money, in England to marry a title. Of course, that’s part of the plot of Downton Abbey too…
I haven’t seen the Hanging Gale or Our Mutual Friend, but they are going on the list!
Oct 20, 2012
1:36 pm
Oh, I just love the latter two of those! Haven’t watched Daniel Deronda yet, though.
I became ridiculously addicted to British TV in the short time I was there. I love how many quiz shows they have. Like, tons of them! In such a small country, too. You would think by now, every Brit’s had their turn.
I have seen the future of Downton, and it’s killing me not to be able to talk about it!
Oct 20, 2012
2:40 pm
YOU’VE SEEN SEASON 3 OF DOWNTON???
Oh the jealousy… it roils…
Oct 20, 2012
4:02 pm
Somebody dies! I saw a tweet and somebody dies but I don’t know who!!!
Oct 20, 2012
4:14 pm
Oh, Tessa, so true. I loved living over there and watching the TV. Last time, I became addicted to chatty man and Stephen Fry leads the most hilarious late night quiz show.
Also, saw a great documentary on the development on the Stiff upper lip.
Oct 20, 2012
9:58 pm
I am pretending I haven’t seen any of this Downton stuff since at some point I will get all the dvds and watch this show.
Daniel Deronda, however, I have seen and loved.
Oct 20, 2012
3:12 pm
Believe me, we’ve seen them all. Luckily I have a husband who loves the BBC miniseries as much as I do. Our favorite by far is MONARCH OF THE GLEN. We’ve seen all you mentioned. We also loved the original “UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS”.
Oct 20, 2012
4:28 pm
Oh, I loved Monarch! That dear old Laird actor was awesome.
Oct 20, 2012
4:49 pm
Susan — unfortunately, my guy isn’t as much of an anglophile as I am. He’s far more likely to watch a superhero movie marathon than one minute of anything Jane Austen. And ideas on how I can convert him?
Oct 20, 2012
5:18 pm
My Mom doesn’t like Costume Dramas – but I have gotten her into Downton Abbey.
My advice – watch them when he isn’t there, so he won’t whine when they are on. Isn’t it annoying when you have “people who say what?” around you?
Last week at Zumba class, I was messing up and all I could think of was — “Wrong way Mr. Collins.” From P&P and I was with no one who got the reference.
Oct 20, 2012
3:27 pm
My favorite several season series is The Sharpe series with Sean Bean. My favorite short series was Clarissa. That was years ago.
Oct 20, 2012
4:27 pm
DREAMY…. ahhh.
Gaelen, Bean Fan!
Oct 20, 2012
5:15 pm
I LOVE the Sharpe series. Those shows were so good and the newer ones they have made aren’t bad either. Anything with Sean Bean in it is worth watching. Even if it is to see how does he die off in this series. I believe Sharpe’s is one of the very few that he hasn’t died.
Oct 20, 2012
4:06 pm
I’m so happy to have these recommendations, Kate! I haven’t watched much tv or film lately, so I’m woefully behind, but I cannot wait until DA comes on in the US again!
I remember Poldark very fondly. Dating myself with that one. Must watch it again sometime this century.
Oct 20, 2012
4:17 pm
Poldark was AMAZING. Really interesting male/female relationships and attitudes.
Oct 20, 2012
4:50 pm
Katharine — you should be thanking Netflix. Their ‘recommended for you’ algorithm is eerily on target. At least for me.
I do not know Poldark, but I’ll have to find it
Oct 20, 2012
5:13 pm
Poldark is a bit on the dated side, BUT – oh, you really get involved. I loved it and was really into it. There are two series. To me, it looked like they were only going to have one series, so the first series ends nicely. The second series ends like there was going to have a third season, but alas, no third season was had. They did try to bring the series back and made a pilot for the new series with a young Ioan Gruffudd as the son in the series.
Oct 20, 2012
6:51 pm
And I just discovered, it’s available on netflix
Oct 20, 2012
4:12 pm
Ooooh. So many fabulous ones have already been listed. I am a MAJOR fan of the orignal Upstairs Downstairs having watched all five seasons multiple times.
A new one I love, though very dark and not for the faint of heart, is The Crimson Petal and The White.
Also, Aristocrats. Amazing story about the duke of Buckinghams daughters in the late seventeen hundreds.
Oct 20, 2012
4:26 pm
Oh I have Aristocrats in my Netflix queue! Thanks for the reminder!
Gaelen
Oct 20, 2012
4:51 pm
Maire — have you seen the new rebooted Upstairs Downstairs? Set in the 30s. I was a little thrown by it, it didn’t have the magic of the original series, but I still loved seeing that house again.
I’ll have to look up the other two!
Oct 21, 2012
4:30 pm
I did see Season One and was VERY on the fence. I ADORE Eileen Atkins and since she was one of the original writers of The Original it was great to see her in the show. Still, it felt somehow oddly lacking in empathy. Was it gorgeously shot??? YES.
Oct 20, 2012
4:14 pm
I loved P & P , North and South, Jane Eyre, Cranford…..all of them really, I’m a period drama junkie.
I’m currently loving The Paradise, based on the book by Emile Zola but set in London instead of Paris and Downton of course. Really looking forward to a new series called Ripper Street starring Matthew MacFadyen as a Victorian detective.
Oct 20, 2012
4:53 pm
I can’t wait for Ripper street! It sounds a little like BBCA’s Copper, but on their side of the pond.
Haven’t gotten to Paradise but will have to find it!
Oct 20, 2012
4:26 pm
One of my favorite BBC series is Blackadder with Mr. Bean because I love to laugh and I love literary humor and it’s the best of both! Monty Python aside, of course.
Happy Weekend, all!
Gaelen
Oct 20, 2012
4:54 pm
I love Blackadder! In fact, it was what first introduced me to Hugh Laurie, and the fact that he’s a comic genius (as well as a crotchety, limping diagnostic physician.)
Oct 20, 2012
5:32 pm
Can I just say Downton is definitely worth waiting for. So far it is blowing the last series right out the water!
Glad to see so much love for North and South, I think I watch it at least once a year!
New season of Merlin has just started which I’m very happy about because I love it, and not just because I love Bradley James in it
Great mini-series recently finished called Parade’s End based on a novel by Ford Madox Ford.
Also the Hollow Crown which was a series of Shakespeare’s Richard II, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 and Henry V.
Oh and for an 80s classic I love the Woman of Substance and Hold the Dream mini-series
There was a mini-series of Anne Bronte’s Tenants of Wildfell Hall which was very good and one of Lorna Doone.
Oh and there is two parter of Queen Elizabeth I called Elizabeth I with Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons which is to die for.
I think that’s all I can think of at the moment!
Oct 20, 2012
6:52 pm
Wow — those all sound incredible, and I haven’t seen most of them! Thanks for the recs!
Oct 20, 2012
9:59 pm
Almost anything with Jeremy Irons is to die for!
Oct 21, 2012
12:30 am
The House of Eliott, Wish Me Luck, some old Henry James teleplays from the 1970s, The Forsyte Saga, War Girls, and a few others stashed in my queue.