My Cart - There’s nothing quite as comforting on a chilly winter’s evening as a good costume drama, and this is undoubtedly something we Brits do best.
Last month saw the start of the highly anticipated BBC period drama Wolf Hall, which is already being hailed by some as the best costume drama ever made.
Inspired by this, here we take a look back at some of the best costume dramas of all time.
Bleak House
The BBC’s 2005 adaptation of Charles Dickens masterpiece Bleak House has got to be one of the best Dickens adaptations ever made. The series features an all-star cast, including the likes of Gillian Anderson and Charles Dance, and is a superbly crafted thriller, which builds suspense and intrigue until the very end.
The series also manages to effortlessly introduce audiences to a vast array of fascinating characters and storylines, without ever appearing overly complex and was a hugely ambitious undertaking.
The series was originally shown in a series of twice-weekly, half-hour episodes, to reflect the original serialisation of the novel. It proved a huge success, receiving much acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Pride and Prejudice
No list of the best ever costume dramas can be complete without mentioning the BBC’s now famous 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s much loved novel, Pride and Prejudice.
This series remains the definitive romantic period drama and was honoured with a number of awards. This lavish adaptation also catapulted Colin Firth, who plays the magnanimous Mr. Darcy, into the limelight and the infamous lake scene has been voted one of the most memorable moments in British TV history.
The series, which remains popular today, was also in many respects a cultural phenomenon and inspired a renewed enthusiasm for Austen’s works.
Brideshead Revisited
The 1981 TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s acclaimed novel, Brideshead Revisited, delighted legions of television viewers at the time of its release and remains to this day, one of the best and most original costume dramas ever produced.
The series benefitted greatly from its high production values and also made sure to pay close attention to period details. As a result, the series is able to boast an authentic feel and lavish aesthetic style, for which it’s well remembered.
The series also features some first-class performances and made a star of Jeremy Irons, who played the disillusioned painter Charles Ryder.
Hopefully this will have inspired you to discover the charms of a bygone era for yourself, by checking out a few of these epic costume dramas.
Here at Electronic World we have a fantastic selection of cheap TVs, perfect for discovering period classics such as these for yourself. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us today, by giving us a call on 0121 327 3273 and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help you with your enquiries.
