How the Period Drama Is Bending the Rules
By Arya Desai
The period drama has been a tried and true favorite on television for many years. Known for flowery language, elaborate costumes, and grand music scores, it is understandable why the fascination for another time has captivated audiences. In 2014, Starz’s Outlander broke records with 2.3 million watches in just the first week of its season. Similarly, the Downton Abbey series finale gained 9.6 million viewers and resulted in multiple spinoff projects.
From Jane Austen adaptations in regency England to sweeping romances set in the medieval ages, the classic period drama has one thing in common: tone. Traditional and proper, these series harken back to the conservative time period in which they are set.
However, several new series have pushed the boundaries of what period drama looks like, sounds like, and most of all, what the characters can act like. In these new projects, soundtracks embrace nontraditional influences, more inclusive casting has been implemented, and modern dialogue has been added to the characters’ vernaculars.
To stay current with the evolving tastes of Hollywood, the period drama has proven it still has something fresh to offer…and fans seem to love it.
Photo: Netflix, Liam Daniel
Bridgerton
The most famous of these examples is the Shonda Rhimes hit, Bridgerton, which first premiered in 2020 on Netflix. The first season, which follows the traditional high-class families of 1800s London, turns the depiction of these characters on its head. Daphne Bridgerton, the perfect model of the beautiful debutante, is roped into scandal due to her sexual exploits. Raunchiness and casual discussion of physical intimacy play out as a theme in the following Bridgerton seasons in a way that isn’t often centered in other traditional dramas.
Inclusive casting is also a staple of the Bridgerton brand. Actors like Regé-Jean Page, who plays the Duke of Hastings, and Simone Ashley, who plays Lady Kate Sharma, are cast as the romantic leads to the Bridgerton family in each of their prospective seasons.
Finally, the score of Bridgerton is unique. Traditional waltzes and romantic scores are set to the tunes of popular modern songs, allowing the watchers, or readers, to recognize some of their favorite tunes on screen.
Photo: Hulu, Tony McNamara
The Great
Another classic genre-bender is the Hulu show, The Great, which reimagines the life and reign of Queen Catherine of Russia. The series, which stars Elle Fanning as the lead, depicts a much more unfiltered, ruthless, and youthful depiction of the Queen. As a result, the show takes on a distinct comedic edge that has delighted fans of the series.
In season 1, as Catherine navigates marriage to party boy, Tsar Alexander, she hatches a plan to have him killed. Their enemies to lovers' romance is depicted as the typical ups and downs of a modern toxic relationship.
But it is the dialogue that makes The Great stand out so strongly from its counterparts. Swearing is common in this version of the Russian Court and characters speak with the casual, unfiltered manner of today’s society. The effect is a witty, entertaining script.
Buccaneers
Once again set in the backdrop of late 1800s England, Buccaneers follows the lives of five wealthy American women who enter society in the hopes of finding their perfect match. Equipped with strong personalities, the girls soon get into conflict as they fight between heart and head while finding love.
The new series, which is still only in its first season, depicts the female leads as young party girls, hungry for adventure and passion. Unlike Bridgerton, this Apple TV original series uses modern dialogue which adds an edge to conversations between these members of polite society. The cinematography feels more modern, full of hand-held shots and unique angles to add to the youthful feel of the show.
With the feel of a coming-of-age series, rather than a traditional period drama romance, this show manages to center its focus on the struggles of girlhood and female friendships.
Photo: Starz
The Serpent Queen
Another historical retelling with a twist is The Serpent Queen. Similar to The Great, the premise of the show revolves around another strong, royal woman: Catherine de Medici. Once again, the modern style of dialogue adds a sense of play to this historical drama. Catherine, who was the Queen of France in its heyday, is depicted from her life as an adolescent to her final state as the cold ruler she is famous for becoming.
Catherine’s rough life with an early marriage and openly disloyal husband is something the show hasn’t shied away from. However, these frustrations are taken out by the angsty teen Catherine in an entertaining way. Her real-life rivalry with Diane de Poitiers plays out hilariously on screen as the two women fiercely fight for the attention of the King.
Overall, the show takes on a grunge aesthetic, with music choices and a rough editing style, differentiating it from many historical dramas about monarchs.
Photo: Amazon Prime
My Lady Jane
Last on the list is Amazon Prime’s new series, My Lady Jane, which premiered on the streaming service this June. Perhaps the most groundbreaking of all, this show blends genre seamlessly between fantasy, drama, and dark comedy.
Jane is depicted as an unapologetic, outspoken young woman who dreams of financial independence and freedom. Unfortunately, she is forced into a marriage with the brutish Guildford Dudley, with whom she shares a hot and heavy enemies-to-lovers storyline as the season unfolds. After the disappearance of her cousin, the King, Jane is forced to deal with a bloodthirsty Queen Mary, an angry group of “Ethians” (human-to-animal shapeshifters), and an overbearing mother. In this rendition, Jane escapes her short reign and eventual beheading.
Besides the addition of the fantastical “Ethian” characters, My Lady Jane also uses punk and alternative rock music to score the series. Modern language and raunchy themes are another unconventional addition to the already bizarre world of this series.
