The Story of the Costume Drama

Although little more than a glorified clip compilation, this BBC overview of the period miniseries—a staple of British television—makes for an engaging tour of the genre, even if a brief taste of shows like I, Claudius, Poldark, and Brideshead Revisited serves only to whet one's appetite for the entire meal (likely the raison d'être behind the project). Divided into five episodes—“The Greatest Stories Ever Told,” “The Stars,” “Affairs of the Heart,” “Picture Perfect,” and “A Call to Arms”—the series features a substantial amount of overlap and repetition. But it also covers a lot of territory, from 1955's Robin Hood up through 2007's Cranford and Fanny Hill, with recollections by actors, directors, and writers (such as Andrew Davies, who is repeatedly mentioned for his skill in teasing out the sources' sexual implications without being blatant). The interview clips add a nice personal touch to the gushing narration—as do visits to the shooting locations. Some of the best-known performers are conspicuous by their absence as interviewees—Colin Firth, for instance, whose eye-catching wet-shirt scene from Pride and Prejudice is shown over and over again, eliciting swoons from female commentators. And the approach is definitely Anglo-centric, with constant mention of viewer numbers in British households and only rare reference to broadcast success in the U.S. But this will certainly encourage many viewers to seek out shows they've missed. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)