There is something genuinely comforting about a period drama. Perhaps it\u2019s the escapism we experience by looking into an era we don\u2019t live in, or an aesthetic that\u2019s unfamiliar to our own \u2014 or maybe it\u2019s the lavish production that often accompanies period pieces, offering endless hours of dreaming and distraction. For most of us, it started in 1981 with ITV\u2019s masterful 13-hour serialization of Evelyn Waugh\u2019s novel, \u201cBrideshead Revisited,\u201d that tells the story of a wealthy, eccentric family who live in a home called Brideshead Castle. Sophisticated and hedonistic, \u201cBrideshead Revisited\u201d offers a glimpse into a bygone world of the English to an audience that was transfixed on the marriage of Lady Diana Spencer to the Prince of Wales the same year. The award-winning score by Geoffrey Burgon is in itself, a masterpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often overlooked, but of great importance to the period drama genre is the Oscar-winning \u201cGosford Park,\u201d a feature film made for theatrical release and directed by Robert Altman and written by Julien Fellowes. The whodunit storyline follows a party of wealthy Britons plus an American producer, and their servants, who gather for a shooting weekend at Gosford Park, an English country house. A murder occurs after a dinner party, and the film goes on to present Mr. Fellowes\u2019 view of the \u201cupstairs\/downstairs\u201d relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Originally planned as a spin-off to \u201cGosford Park,\u201d \u201cDownton Abbey\u201d has become one of the most popular period dramas of all time. The series, which first launched in 2010, follows the aristocratic lives of the Crawley family between 1912 and 1926. To date, it’s the most watched television show on both ITV and PBS, and subsequently became the most successful British costume drama series since \u201cBrideshead Revisited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of course, one can\u2019t speak of period dramas without invoking \u201cThe Durrells.\u201d The hit drama series is the story of Louisa Durrell, who moves her four children from England after the death of her husband. Life is cheap in Corfu, where the family takes up residence in a wonderfully ramshackle house that lacks electricity or other modern conveniences. The series is loosely based on the autobiographical trilogy written by Louisa\u2019s youngest son, Gerald Durrell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest period costume drama is \u201cHotel Portofino<\/strong>,\u201d which tells the story of the Ainsworth family that has relocated from Britain to open an upscale hotel on the Italian coastline. Set in the breathtakingly beautiful resort town of Portofino, this new period drama is about personal awakening at a time of global upheaval in the traumatic aftermath of World War I and the liberating influence of Italy\u2019s enchanting culture, climate and cuisine on elite foreign travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As one \u201cHotel Portofino\u201d reviewer opined, \u201dLike a perfect gin cocktail, the recipe for a blissful romantic costume drama, as laid down by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory in the 1980s, is quite simple. Pluck several English roses and place them in an Italian hotel \u2014 Florence, Venice, Rome, anywhere with gorgeous buildings and sun-drenched vistas. Since roses must have thorns, ensure there are assorted vinegary aunts and bibulous papas, as well as eccentric Americans, local aristocrats and \u2014 this last ingredient is most important \u2014 servants with British regional accents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And as they say in England, \u201cBob\u2019s your uncle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Season 2 of \u201cHotel Portofino\u201d is in production and will premiere in 2023. Season 1 is streaming now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6578,"template":"","filed_under":[],"class_list":["post-6576","journal","type-journal","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n