Of course, we're all here for the epic Downton love but.... I thought it might be interesting to discuss what other fabulous period dramas we all love!

My personal favourites and recommendations:

Pride and Prejudice

CLEARLY the BBC version, not that rubbish film (sorry to anyone who likes it!!! :unsure: ). There is MUCH Colin Firth love in this girly. It's just utterly wonderful, and so true to the book, and well, Colin Firth is wonderful. :wub:

Cranford

This is the next best thing to P&P for me. I wasn't expecting to love it quite so much as I did. The ladies of the village are all just wonderful, particularly Imelda Staunton (did I get that right?) and Judi Dench. Oh and it has Philip Glenister in!! (YUM!). It weaves together wonderful characters and wonderful storylines, and makes you go through absolutely every emotion across the first five episodes. I love it. (I've only seen the second series once, so here I'm mainly thinking of the first series).

Sense and Sensibility

Ah, but the old or new version?? I must admit that I love both, for different reasons. I normally like older versions of things. I love Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, and Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman. But I must admit that I really, really enjoyed the more modern version - beautiful music, and it was all very emotive.

Plus - I actually didn't realise until AFTER Downton had finished that Dan Stevens played Edward Ferrars!! I justremembered that I'd had rather a crush on him, then in my Matthew crush after Downton finished I Googled him and realised it was the same person, saw a Youtube video and my heart full on fluttered, I nearly swooned! :wub:

Wives and Daughters

I only came across this one in the last year or so, but it's really lovely. A beautiful story of a very close father and daughter, and how they get on with the new stepmother and her daughter. Francesca Annis (Lady Ludlow from Cranford) is an absolute dream in this, and there's a few more familiar faces (Penelope Wilton for one!). It's really sweet,



I could go on, but I should probably leave it there for now!! I'd be interested to hear other opinions and reccomendations!

Claire x

Excellent idea for a thread, Claire!

I agree with most of your selections, paritcularly BBC Pride and Prejudice. I was a bit too young for it originally, so I obviously watched it when it was repeated at some point over the years. I do have a little bit of love for Colin Firth...he is a true English gentleman, and I swoon everytime I hear his delectable voice !

I also agree with Sense and Sensiblity, however my choice goes to the Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson version, mainly for Alan Rickman. I fluffin' love him. There is something about his voice that makes him so...great! And I adore how young Kate Winslet was when this was made.

My other choice goes to Bleak House, which I adore for MANY reasons, the main one being Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock. What EXCELLENT casting. She is truely an amazing actress. The scene at the start of the episode just after she tells Esther she is her mother, where she is by the window and her eyes are filled with tears...GAH! Gillian is just beyond words epic.

Another vote for the BBC's Pride and Prejudice. Colin Firth coming out of that lake...no words! :D

I also love North and South. Richard Armitage is AMAZING and the whole story is beautiful, it kinda reminds me of an 'up north' Pride and Prejudice.

Sense and Sensibility is also another classic, and I definitely agree about Alan Rickman being particularly yummy.

I really liked the BBC's version of Emma too. :)

I agree with all the dramas being mentioned here. I absolutely love North and South. Which was nothing to do with the fact there was Richard Armitage. Really. :D

And Bleak House is simply awesome. Some excellent actors in there and really amazingly done scenes. One of Carey Mulligham's earlier roles too.

Also, I don't know who's seen Jane Eyre with Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. It was a while ago since I saw it, but it's got excellent scenes. Nominated for several BAFTAs and Emmys too.

The BBC versions of P&P and Emma were awesome, so much better than the Keira Knightley and Gwyneth Paltrow versions. Also, Julia, if that's the one with Lucy from Narnia in it, I saw part of it a few years ago, and I loved it. :D

I don't believe you. :P

And yes, I've really liked Carey Mulligan after seeing her in the new P&P. She only had a small role but I thought she was great.

I haven't seen that Jane Eyre version. I think my friend has it on dvd so I might borrow it from her.

I agree about Gillian Andreson. :)

But I think I have to say that my favourites are:

The House of Elliot - I watched it as a young teenager and I adored it so much. Now I'm watching season 2 on DVD!

Pride and Prejudice - yes, of course the BBC version. It's amazing. I like many other Jane Austen adaptations but this one is my favourite. (When it comes to the books, I can't decide which one I like the most - P&P, Emma or Persuasion?!).

And then I was going to name some other TV series but it slipped my mind when I began to talk about Austen... Does crime fiction count? If so, I really like Foyle's War. And as for movies, Howards End is one of my favourites ever!

Carey was excellent, as as Anna! I adored this show so much. It was so well done. The book is brilliant. Have you read it?

Oooh I always forget about Bleak House! It was excellent.

As was North and South - the end scene makes me absolutely melt!!

Oh I forgot two fantastic ones - The Pallisers and The Barchester Chronicles (one of Alan Rickman's early roles - a must-see if you like him!) - they're both Trollopes, I think, and completely engaging even though they're not your typical period drama fare. I absolutely love them both - I'd really reccommend them if you get the chance!!

I like pretty much all period dramas, though my favourites, other than Downton Abbey, are BBCs P&P and North and South, which have been mentioned already.

I also really really love Our Mutual Friend. It's a Dickens from 1998 I think, a BBC one and it's really good. It's got quite a lot of main characters and stories, which all tie together in the usual Dicken's way. It's pretty addicting too.

In terms of Sense and Sensibility, I think I slightly prefer the newer BBC version, as it's a bit more truer to the book and the ages match up better. I also like how they spend more time on Marianne falling for Brandon at the end - it felt a bit too rushed in the film. The fact that Dan Stevens is in it is obviously not a factor at all! :D

Well I shall add my vote to the BBC Pride and Prejudice! Even now after all these years it is still in my opinion the best adaptation ever made. Colin Firth just owned Darcy and Jennifer Ehle was an incredible Lizzie. Sorry Keira, you just didn't do it for me!

My next favourite is North and South! *Swoon* In fact, and this is very hard for me to admit, Mr Thornton is better than Mr Darcy! I've read the book which is just as good but the final scene of North and South (at the train station) simply made me swoon and die. Lovely!

Another few favourites are Sense and Sensibility, Jane Eyre and Bleak House.

Perhaps the slightest bit off-topic, but they're bringing out a new Jane Eyre film. And from the trailer I saw, it looks excellent. :D

I just started "North & South" today, and I do like it -- although as someone whose only previous exposure to period pieces had been the movie versions of "Emma" and "Sense & Sensibility," I was amazed by how...serious N&S is.

I tried it on the recommendation of a friend, to whom I recommended DA, and I'm thinking, "Wow, she's gonna think DA is kind of silly, if she likes N&S." :(

I mean...I think familial relationships, scandal, class differences, secrets, scheming, romance and a touch of political intrigue is fascinating -- but it's not exactly unionizing workers, y'know? :unsure:

Oh but Eolivet, you get Mr Thornton!! Dark, brooding looks!!! Passion!!!

Stick with it, and I promise you that the last scene is totally worth everything!!! It makes me melt and squeal every time!!

Claire, the last scene was truly incredible, I agree -- and Mr. Thornton is a great character, but it was just so depressing. Honestly, I don't know what the folks who watched it in real-time did with themselves between episode 3 and 4, because episode 3 was one of the most depressing hours of TV I have seen in a long time.

Brendan Coyle was amazing, though, and John/Margaret had great chemistry. But everything else was a steady stream of...not even sadness, but despair!

I suppose it was an upbeat ending, but to me, it was sort of like being thrown in a deep, dark hole and someone saying "See that light up top! It's not all bad!" :ph43r:

(But yes, fantastic final scene. :) )

Lol!!! That's a good way to see it - and I do agree with you. That's why I didn't have it on my original top list, because it is just so depressing, so much of it - and it's all so dark and industrial and utterly depressing.

But I do adore Mr Thornton.... *dreamy sigh* he's so brooding!! And the last scene is fab. But yes, I do agree with you that the rest is rather bleak!!

Eolivet, I also just watched N&S and found it very depressing so I'm relieved I'm not the only one! Yes the last scene was melty and yes Mr. Thornton is great to stare at, but I'm still on the fence about N&S. I'm going to sound so shallow saying this, but I really hated the long periods of cold, grey depressing visuals. Also, the story moved too slowly for my taste, but I'm also very ADD. I love Downton for its amazing costumes and decor as well as the multiple storylines all going at once so you're never bored. (Oh, and maybe a few characters too, but that's beside the point!) N&S was therefore quite a contrast. Then again, I've never been a huge fan of Gaskell's writing, so that probably accounted for it as well.

But, Mr. Thornton is dreamy and totally worth watching so I'm glad I took the time to see this once!

While we're on the topic of Mr Thornton, I just have to say how much I LOVE his accent!!! It's so refreshing for a period piece. I'm a northern girl myself, so of I course I appreciate it. But I just love the way he shouts "I want to marry you because I love you!" in his wonderful northern accent. *swoon*

Claire... did you say you loved Barchester Chronicles? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU!!! :wub: Barchester is my favourite period drama EVER (and thus deserves caps locks) and nobody on the internet has ever heard of it though I try to convert my RL friends on a regular basis, and always succeed because it is JUST THAT AMAZING. Not seen The Pallisers though, so must look that up. Other Trollope adaptations I've seen are He Knew He Was Right which was ok but not excellent - there was a lovely subplot romance but the characters got very little screentime. It does have David Tennant playing a shifty vicar in it though which is funny. The Way We Live Now is excellent though, but quite heavy going.

I'm also very much on the BBC P&P bandwagon, as well as Wives & Daughtesr. I liked N&S but I'm not such a fangirl as some people are.

Some other dramas I love that haven't been yet are the Merchant Ivory film of A Room With A View which is my all time favourite film. It's just so, so, so beautiful and intelligent and dreamy and full of brilliant lines. And is set in Italy. DA fans might like it - it's Edwardian. Cannot recommend it enough. It is just BEAUTIFUL. Also, ITV's recent film of Northanger Abbey, Cold Comfort Farm and the recent wonderful BBC adaptation of Little Dorrit.

*could talk about period dramas till the cows come home*

YES!!!

Isn't it just exellent!! You'd never imagine that a period drama centred around the heirarchy of the church, and accession of a bishop (or archdeacon? It's a while since I've seen it!) would be that much fun, but it's just a work of genius!! Absolutely hysterical in places. Alan Rickman is suberb. Nigel Hawthorn is also suberb - it's just an amazing piece of drama!! Oh and how could I forget Geraldine McEwan - her line of "Tea, Bishop?" after gesticulating furiously with a teapot remains one of my all time favourite period drama moments!

I DEFINITELY reccommend the Pallisers. It has Susan Hampshire in it, who is Senorita Nerone (sp?) in Barchester. It's not quite so funny, and is extremely political but is gripping. I loved it!!

Of the others you mention, I've only seen The Way We Live Now, which was a touch depressing for me - very good, though.

(Lol I'm so excited to find someone else who appreciates Barchester too!!!)

Oh, thank goodness you said something, Ariadne, because I felt the same way. Basically...what was the plot, exactly? That's actually part of the reason I had found it hard to get into period pieces in the first place -- nothing ever seems to really happen.

I mean, did it contain great acting? Yes. Was it well-done? Sure. But I think I honestly can't say I was entertained by it. Depressed, moved, shocked, frustrated, and ultimately touched, but it wasn't what I would call "entertaining" to watch.

I'm not saying I expect all my dramas to make me laugh uproariously, but I do expect to crack an occasional smile. N&S was just. so. serious, I found that next to impossible.

(Even though Mr. Thornton, and his wonderful accent, are quite hot. :P )

Yes! Whenever I try to describe it to people they look askance. Can that really be better than Keira Knightley being romantic on the top of a cliff, they ask. And yes, yes, yes it can!

I have a teensy/massive inappropriate crush on Nigel Hawthorne thanks to his performance here and in Yes, Minister. I love the Archdeacon to pieces. In my family, we have adopted Mrs. Proudie's expressions somehow as an injoke. Whenever my mother says my dad said something or had an idea she says (or I do if she forgets), "The Bishop thinks, and I agree with him..."

Now I really want to rewatch it!

I'm with you on that, Eolivet; I still think period dramas are hit or miss for me. Sometimes it helps me to have read the book which covers the character motivations in more detail so maybe that's why I couldn't get into N&S. But I still think I would have trouble with Gaskell's story because there isn't enough drama for me. You know Margaret and Thornton going to get together and sometimes I thought of it as P&P without the sisters and Elizabeth's wit.

I might be odd, but my favorite scene other than the ending was actually when Margaret and Mr. Bell visit her old home and he drops several bombshells in succession. Something about the matter-of-fact way he tells her "I wanted to marry you but guess it won't happen, I'm signing over all my money to you, oh and I'm also dying" in the space of a minute struck me as hilarious. Lots of potential plot exploration there, all skated over nice and quickly.

I love Nigel Hawthorne in Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister! Rose, I'm so thrilled someone else has watched and liked the shows. Actually, if those count, they would be my absolute favorite period dramas because of the brilliant dialogue and the cynical humor.

I love those series too!! In fact that was where I knew Nigel Hawthorne from. He's amazing in them. You would absolutely love Barchester, Ariadne - it's completely hilarious!! A real breath of fresh air amongst period dramas. Completely worth watching!!

Yay for other fans of the Yes Minister series! Claire, on that recommendation, I am definitely going to hunt down a copy of Barchester Chronicles! And I think I should probably check out the Pallisers too if it's very political.

Hmm, between these shows, writing fic, and that inconvenient side thing called work (which is annoyingly busy again), I think I'll be plenty well occupied until autumn. :)

Barchester Chronicles is on my to watch list, but after all the praise heaped on it on this thread, I'm going to make a point of watching it very soon!

I'm afriad I'm going to have to stick up for North and South though, because I absolutely love it! For me, it's a more grittier and eventful pride and prejudice. I got really addicted to it when it was first on and I was going crazy waiting from one week to the next. (Something which taught me to just record the whole series of period dramas in future and watch them all in one go pretty much - which I did with DA!).

I think the seriousness and dark atmosphere of it was what made me love it so. It was so dark and depressing and so much bad stuff happened, but within that you have the beautiful love story of Margaret and John and I also really loved the sub plot of Frederick. It kept me guessing a lot, and I love that in a show.

The book was also the first classic I've willingly read and it actually got me into reading classics. The book is pretty depressing too, but Margaret is such a strong, admirable character and I love how inthe book you also hear John's side too. It's all just really good.

I have to say though, I'm not usually a fan of dark and depressing shows, usually because they try to hard IMO (ala the new upstairs downstairs), but North and South just really worked for me. I wonder too if because I'm a northener from near Manchester (which is what Milton is based on) that whole side of the story was like a little mini history lesson of my area.

Also, I loved the way Gaskell made such good points about masters vs servants and the good and bad of strikes.

Anyway, I love most period dramas, whether they're dark and depressing like N&S, or much more lighter and entertaining like DA! (though that does have a few more darker bits to it!)

To be honest though, what I like most about period dramas is the romance, if I love the romance, I love the show. If the romance is a bit meh, then the show is a bit meh - bad I know, but it's what gets me really into a show

It's always the love story that gets me hooked (which is pretty much my problem with DA - darn Mary and Matthew for being so interesting and not yet getting together!)

I'm surprised by the lack of N&S love too. Generally it is everyone's favourite period drama. I really like it, but I'm not obsessive over it. I didn't find it depressing or dark particularly (it doesn't make me cry as much as Wives and Daughters does!) but I generally prefer ones with more humour and wit. I agree that the focus is very much on Margaret and Thornton over secondary plots but I found them compelling. Interestingly enough, I tried to read the book but couldn't get past the first few chapters because I just hated Margaret so much! Should probably try again; it's very rare that I dislike a character so much that it prevents me from reading the book. I liked her well enough in the adaptation.

ALSO, HMV is currently having a sale with lots of cheap period drama DVDs at the moment! I picked up the BBC's Middlemarch (a good, solid adaptation that greatly benefits from Rufus Sewell's presence) for £9. Just sayin'...

I am going to go out on a limb here and mention some American period dramas, since this thread is pretty heavily tilted towards English ones.

I LOVE Last of the Mohicans! It is nothing like the book, but I don't mind because I tried reading the book once and thought it was really boring (sorry Cooper fans!)

Speaking of Daniel Day Lewis I also thought he was great in Gangs of New York.

Has anyone been watching The Crimson Petal and the White on BBC2?

It's not a story I'm familiar with but I've been watching and I must say I am rather enjoying it. It makes a change for something to be so macabre and sexy. It's sinister and dark and I'm rather liking that! Not to mention, Gillian Anderson is excellent in it! I loved her as Lady Dedlock in Bleak House and she's just as good in this, though in a totally different way!

I do love BBC drama's, in the past I've always said BBC do periods, ITV don't. Of course that's changed with Downton but I do still think that the BBC are really good at period dramas.

However, would Downton have been as good on the BBC? I'm not sure!

Has anyone watched Garrow's Law and if so, what do you think of it? Someone recommended it to me and it sounds fascinating and I'd love to hear what other people think.

My favourite period dramas that I watch when I feel sad and need comfort are:
Sense & Sensibility '95
Pride & Prejudice '95 (Colin Firth is my Mr Darcy!)
Emma '09 (Johnny Lee Miller is my Mr. Knightly)
Cranford
Jane Eyre '06 - (I love to watch this with chocolate and a cup of tea! Toby Stephens is lovely and gorgeous!)
Little Dorrit '08
Our Mutual Friend '98 (I love this! Wonderful story!)
Downton Abbey Series One, Series Two and Christmas Speical
Victoria & Albert '01
The Young Victoria
Little Women '94
Ballet Shoes '07
A Room With A View '85

Oooh very good choices, especially A Room with a View (my all time favourite film) and Little Dorrit which is just adorable. I ship Arthur/Amy so much, and it really stands up even after I read the book. It's a really great adaptation.

I love everything about A Room With A View. It is a lovely film. I also am a fan of Amy and Arthur in Little Dorrit it's a wonderful adaptation. :)

I agree with the other comments about North and South. It is very dark and depressing! I do own it on DVD but I rarely watch it. I don't swoon over it as there are other period dramas I love and prefer to swoon over, e.g. Downton Abbey and Jane Eyre.