favorite historical tv shows
Dec. 18th, 2018 01:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sea_changed posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
historiumThere was discussion about making a post where people could share their favorite historical TV shows, so I thought I would go ahead and do that: I'd love to hear people's favorites, and I'm always looking for recs.
A few of my own favorites, to start us off--I'm undoubtedly forgetting many, but here are a few off the top of my head that I love:
Black Sails - Early 18th century pirates. The first season starts out somewhat trashy, but the show quickly matures into a fascinating and beautifully-done meditation on the stories we tell--about history, about others, about ourselves--and what stories get preserved and remembered and what stories are forgotten or destroyed. Excellent LGBT rep. Four seasons.
The Hour - 1950s BBC news reporters. The cast here is stellar--Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Dominic West--and the production and writing utterly stunning. This isn't an era or a subject I would be naturally drawn to, but everything about this show is just so extraordinarily well done. Two very short (six-episode) seasons.
Deadwood - 1870s gold-mining town in South Dakota. The one, the only. A cult show for a reason--you either love it or you, well, don't--this show is incredibly well-acted and written like nothing you're likely to hear on television before or since. Three seasons.
North and South - Victorian England. The most goddamn romantic thing you'll ever see in your life. Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, this follows a woman from the south of England and a man from the north, and deals with social and class issues in the mid-Victorian era while telling a nuanced and compelling love story. Also contains the best refusal of a marriage proposal scene ever. Miniseries.
ETA: I knew I was forgetting something important--the HBO John Adams miniseries. It's absolutely wonderful--the acting is incredible (almost everyone's perfect, but their Jefferson is especially perfect), the production is stellar, and it's for the most part quite remarkably historically accurate. A definite recommendation.
A few of my own favorites, to start us off--I'm undoubtedly forgetting many, but here are a few off the top of my head that I love:
Black Sails - Early 18th century pirates. The first season starts out somewhat trashy, but the show quickly matures into a fascinating and beautifully-done meditation on the stories we tell--about history, about others, about ourselves--and what stories get preserved and remembered and what stories are forgotten or destroyed. Excellent LGBT rep. Four seasons.
The Hour - 1950s BBC news reporters. The cast here is stellar--Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai, Dominic West--and the production and writing utterly stunning. This isn't an era or a subject I would be naturally drawn to, but everything about this show is just so extraordinarily well done. Two very short (six-episode) seasons.
Deadwood - 1870s gold-mining town in South Dakota. The one, the only. A cult show for a reason--you either love it or you, well, don't--this show is incredibly well-acted and written like nothing you're likely to hear on television before or since. Three seasons.
North and South - Victorian England. The most goddamn romantic thing you'll ever see in your life. Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, this follows a woman from the south of England and a man from the north, and deals with social and class issues in the mid-Victorian era while telling a nuanced and compelling love story. Also contains the best refusal of a marriage proposal scene ever. Miniseries.
ETA: I knew I was forgetting something important--the HBO John Adams miniseries. It's absolutely wonderful--the acting is incredible (almost everyone's perfect, but their Jefferson is especially perfect), the production is stellar, and it's for the most part quite remarkably historically accurate. A definite recommendation.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-21 09:58 pm (UTC)Unfortunately I watched I, Claudius when I was significantly too young for it and was slightly scarred, but I should probably try it again. And I’ve only seen the newer film version of Brideshead Revisited, which despite a stellar cast was really not very good. I have mixed feelings about the book, but I’ve heard from multiple places that the version you mentioned is good, so I’ll have to check it out.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-21 11:01 pm (UTC)In the TV-series, Irons and Andrews have amazing chemistry. The two are always touching or looking into each other's eyes, and Julia is left out of the picture until it is her turn to shine. And shine, she does- The story goes on, and it is heartbreaking. If you like tragic love affairs and slow-burn, individual-focused drama, the TV-series is highly recommended. The story is very catholic, but catholic in a way that even non-catholics can appreciate, if that makes sense. Faith is a running theme in the book, but it doesn't seem to be making anyone happy.
(The book is also absolutely lovely.)
no subject
Date: 2018-12-22 03:30 am (UTC)Quite honestly, I couldn't watch "I, Claudius" a second time. It's one of those "Glad I saw it once but never again" viewings for me. It's true to its source materials, as I recall, which is part of the problem.
The "Brideshead Revisited" movie was an interesting interpretation of the original, but yeah, not very memorable. I've seen the TV series three times and would gladly watch it again.
Re Holmes and Wimsey: I always go on the assumption that no film/TV adaptation will be as good as the book; then I'm pleasantly surprised when a select few are. They're never like what I imagine in my head, though.