North and South –
Based on Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1854 novel. My over the top love for this miniseries can
mostly be attributed to Richard “oh my goodness gracious me, can he brood like
a champ” Armitage as John Thornton. The
rest of the cast is great as well including the first of three appearances on
this list by Brendan Coyle. A heart
melting romance wrapped up in some interesting depiction of life in an early
industrial town circa 1850’s.
The Buccaneers –
This miniseries is based on a great but unfinished novel by
Edith Wharton (published in 1937, set in the 1870’s). Four noveau riche American girls take the
British nobility by storm, landing marriages of variable prestige. Their romantic notions of marriage and the
British aristocracy are slowly crushed.
It’s fantastic and difficult at times to watch.
Pride and Prejudice –
I have a somewhat controversial preference for the 2005 film
adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (but that will likely get its own essay)
but this is a truly fabulous 6 hours of television. Jennifer Ehle will always be who I picture
when I think of Elizabeth Bennet and Julie Sawalha embodies Lydia. And the costumes are divine.
Lark Rise to Candleford –
A delicious dish heaped high with sentimentality in a way
that makes the cockles of my heart glow.
A great cast (Brendan Coyle and Julie Sawalha again with the addition of
Claudie Blakley) helps elevate the tone and give it some really nice affecting
moments. I’d also really like to be
Dorcas Lane (Julie Sawalha), please.
Anne of Green Gables/ Anne of Avonlea
Ask my friends how obsessed I was with these two miniseries
as a young woman - I’ve made pretty much
all my close friends sit through a marathon.
If Dorcas Lane is who I look up to now, Anne is who my younger self
wanted to be - the plucky orphan who excels through intelligence and a fierce
devotion to being who she is even when it lands her in all kinds of jams.
Wives and Daughters
Another mini-series based on an Elizabeth Gaskell
novel. Is a nice portrait of a father-daughter
relationship. Again some great actors –
Justine Waddell, Keeley Hawes, Michael Gambon – and some lovely romance all
wrapped up in family drama.
Bleak House
Gillian Anderson is mesmerizing in this fantastic adaptation
of the Dickens classic.
Little Dorrit
More classic Dickens, chock full of quirky Dickens’
characters. Mathew MacFadyen , whom I
greatly admire, plays Arthur Clennam who is trying to make everything right for
the Dorrit clan.
Deadwood
This may not seem to fit, as it is not exactly genteel and
there is a whole lot more cursing. But
it takes place around the same time as many of the others on this list just in a very different setting. So fuck all you cocksucking hoopleheads if
you are not amenable to my choice of inclusion! This is a genius of a show with
lots of action, drama and humor and it is scripted in an almost Shakespearean
way of speaking. It has a fantastic
cast: Ian McShane, Jim Beaver, Brad Dourif, Timothy Olyphant. This one is definitely in my top programs of
all time. I am very sad we only got 3 seasons.
Downton Abbey
This program has had its ups and downs but when it is good
it is so very, very good. The level of
devotion it has inspired doesn’t surprise a bit. It succeeds at bringing the viewer into the
lives of the aristocratic family that live in Downton Abbey but also the staff
who serve there. An amazing cast helps
make it all come alive (Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Dan Stevens, Brendan
Coyle) -
you feel like you are involved in their life.
What are your favorites?
What are your favorites?
I really need to watch Downton Abbey. I feel like I am missing out with that one.
ReplyDeleteI know I can sometimes have a negative reaction when SO many people are raving about something. But this is a bandwagon that's definitely worth getting on I think. Especially the first season which is really fantabulous.
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