“The Story of The Costume Drama: The Greatest Stories Ever Told” Premieres in March on PBS

- A Celebration of 50 Years of Historical Drama
With Interviews and Clips -

Featuring scenes from some of the most memorable and best loved series ever broadcast, THE STORY OF THE COSTUME DRAMA: THE GREATEST STORIES EVER TOLD is a celebration of 50 years of historical drama on television, the genre that brought bans in America and complaints from the Royal Family, all while creating massive stars and riveting audiences to their television screens with stories of love and war, birth and death, the rich and the poor. THE STORY OF THE COSTUME DRAMA: THE GREATEST STORIES EVER TOLD premieres on PBS stations beginning March 3, 2012 (check local listings).

Narrated by Keeley Hawes, THE STORY OF COSTUME DRAMA shows how the genre has changed across the decades – from The Forsyte Saga to Upstairs, Downstairs, from I,Claudius to Brideshead Revisited – with interviews with the stars of these series and the people behind the camera.

THE STORY OF THE THE COSTUME DRAMA includes clips from The Forsyte Saga, Vanity Fair, A Family at War, Brideshead Revisited, Poldark, Upstairs, Downstairs, Edward VII, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, Emma, The Jewel in the Crown, Lillie, Pride and Prejudice, Moll Flanders, and many more.

5 Responses to “The Story of the Costume Drama: The Greatest Stories Ever Told”

1. Hels Says:
   February 15th, 2012 at 2:06 PM

   British tv does crime fiction extremely well but it does costume dramas brilliantly. You specified some of my all-time favourites: Brideshead Revisited, Upstairs, Downstairs, Edward VII, Edward and Mrs. Simpson, and The Jewel in the Crown (no Regency series you will notice). The costumes are well researched, the acting is brilliant and the architecture is already in perfect place.

2. Evangeline Holland Says:
   February 15th, 2012 at 11:14 PM

   Yes, I notice! It seems Austen adaptations are beloved because of the books, and not because of the sheer quality of them.

3. Ree Says:
   February 16th, 2012 at 3:17 AM

   So looking forward to the retrospective on Costume Dramas…My favorites…NO ONE does them like the British…Everything is PERFECT…Especially the hair styles…If it’s 1920s/30s…they get out the Marcel irons…

4. not Bridget Says:
   February 16th, 2012 at 6:15 AM

   Sounds great!

   Some prudes on Amazon were appalled by the UK production of Ford Madox Ford’s “The Good Soldier”–made long ago & starring Jeremy Brett. It’s a tale of adultery that is punished–with not a hint of graphic sex or violence. (I suspect they’d seen in it on Netflix Streaming rather than actually buying the DVD.)

   But these folks went on & on about how they loved all the fine, uplifting tales they’d seen on Masterpiece Theatre. I’m guessing they missed “I, Claudius”….

5. Evangeline Holland Says:
   February 16th, 2012 at 11:33 PM

   @not Bridget LOL. There are a few complaints about The Buccaneers as well!