(and watching/reading interpretations of the past from eras that are now the past themselves is always interesting.)
Yes, sometimes they can be pretty strange! I find, though, that a lot of our current historical dramas seem scared of the past - if they have the correct costumes or facts, it'll somehow drive away the viewers, whereas oldtime BBC things are much more interested in chewing over the issues and aren't afraid of accurate costuming. Even if it's all very theatrical. I don't mind that if you give me something that isn't just trying to be candyfloss, or cool, edgy and dark or whatever it is. (I hope we get over this phase soon - classic lit adaptations are generally way better at representing the past than many of our historical series seem to be.) I mean, there's nothing wrong with pretty! I just want a bit of substance as well that preferably isn't added violence or something.
(Now I sound grumpy. I love stuff with good writers, like Abi Morgan with The Hour and Ripper Street was doing interesting stuff with men-as-monsters, so those were great and I watched DowntonVictoria because everyone needs candyfloss sometimes.) There was To Walk Invisible last(?) year, too, which was great (on the Brontes) - but it's one off or short serial things that seem to do that.
(I'm probably still just grumpy from having sat through The White Princess earlier this year which didn't even manage to be entertainingly bad, which something so ahistorical and terrible on that level really ought to have been!)
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Yes, sometimes they can be pretty strange! I find, though, that a lot of our current historical dramas seem scared of the past - if they have the correct costumes or facts, it'll somehow drive away the viewers, whereas oldtime BBC things are much more interested in chewing over the issues and aren't afraid of accurate costuming. Even if it's all very theatrical. I don't mind that if you give me something that isn't just trying to be candyfloss, or cool, edgy and dark or whatever it is. (I hope we get over this phase soon - classic lit adaptations are generally way better at representing the past than many of our historical series seem to be.) I mean, there's nothing wrong with pretty! I just want a bit of substance as well that preferably isn't added violence or something.
(Now I sound grumpy. I love stuff with good writers, like Abi Morgan with The Hour and Ripper Street was doing interesting stuff with men-as-monsters, so those were great and I watched DowntonVictoria because everyone needs candyfloss sometimes.) There was To Walk Invisible last(?) year, too, which was great (on the Brontes) - but it's one off or short serial things that seem to do that.
(I'm probably still just grumpy from having sat through The White Princess earlier this year which didn't even manage to be entertainingly bad, which something so ahistorical and terrible on that level really ought to have been!)