Looking back at five of the best period dramas of all-time
As a viewing audience, we have been treated to a number of classic period dramas over the years. From shows set in the 1970s to movies based on even earlier events, the period drama genre is bursting with must-see productions.
The period drama genre is hugely adored too, hence why these types of programmes tend to be produced on a regular basis. International audiences adore popular creations like Downton Abbey alongside other famous period dramas such as The Crown.
These types of shows and movies can be accessed easily too, with people utilising the same smartphone devices they use to send texts or play games like Age of the Gods: God of Storms slot to watch these types of dramas on streaming services like Netflix, alongside the televisions, iPads, laptops and everything else we make use of to consume content in today’s technology-based world. As an audience, we’ve never had it so good; the period dramas on offer are improving, and the amount of devices we can sample them on is too.
With an extensive selection of period dramas registering huge success over the years, here is a look back at five of the best of them.
Life is Beautiful
Winning three Oscars, Life is Beautiful is a powerful story that has won over millions of people. Following the life of a Jewish man who strives to provide comedy to his son as they attempt to survive the horrors of living in a concentration camp, this thought-provoking, tearjerker of a movie has it all and provides entertainment from start to finish.
It was met with controversy upon its release, with critics saying it diminished the suffering of Jews during the Holocaust, but the awards it subsequently won silenced any doubters. Life Is Beautiful is a masterpiece.
Brideshead Revisited
Originally aired in 1981, Brideshead Revisited is based on Evelyn Waugh’s novel and is fondly remembered by viewers who managed to sample it.
Starring the faultless and hard to forget Jeremy Irons during his younger days, the story heavily features his character, Charles Ryder, and his relationship with a wealthy and eccentric family who live in a mansion called Brideshead Castle. From there, Ryder and the family, who are called the Flytes, feature in an array of memorable scenes.
Poldark
A show which changed Sundays for most of the population, Poldark pulled in big crowds following its inception in 2015.
Starring Eleanor Tomlinson and Aidan Turner, the show became an instant hit with the viewing public thanks to its powerful storylines, with the main intriguing plot surrounding Ross Poldark and his love for his wife, Demelza.
A Room With A View
A popular movie from 1985, A Room With A View is a period drama which was set between both Florence in Italy and Surrey in England. Featuring a 19-year-old Helena Bonham Carter, this gripping romance follows a Tuscan love story between Lucy and George Emerson.
Cecil, who is played by Daniel Day-Lewis, gets in the way, though. From there, Lucy faces a selection of big decisions. Overall, A Room With A View is a superb show.
The French Lieutenant’s Woman
Featuring two love stories based in the Victorian era and one from the 1980s, The French Lieutenant’s Woman stars both Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons in what is a truly iconic production.
In fact, Streep earned herself an Oscar nomination for the role she played in the movie as a stern French woman who refused to conform to outside expectations and live the way she wanted to live. She was certainly a woman ahead of her time.