If I broke my record in 2016, I think I watched even more period dramas in 2017! This year, I’m making the reviews shorter and separating them into two categories: whether I highly recommend the film or if I didn’t find it very interesting.

Featuring ‘Still Star-Crossed’

Top 20 2017 Period Dramas

1. CBC’s Alias Grace – Sarah Gadon was superb as Grace Marks!
2. BBC’s Call the Midwife S6 – You laugh, cry, and learn something new every episode!
3. Netflix’s The Crown S2 – S1 is still my favourite but there are still plenty of crown jewel replicas and gorgeous 1950-60’s gowns to gush over. Finale was very moving and it will be sad not to see Claire Foy as The Queen as S3 moves into the 70’s and welcomes Olivia Coleman.
4. Amazon Prime’s The Collection – It took me a while to get hooked but once the glamorous 1950’s gowns came on screen, I couldn’t stop watching it. Hope it will be renewed!
5. Dunkirk – It takes a while to get used to how the film focuses on what happens on land, on sea, and on air but it was very well done. Casting could be more diverse given what we know now.
6. ITV’s The Durrells S2 – This family cracks me up!
7. ITV’s Endeavour S4 – My favourite detective series in the UK.
8. Frantz – This was a rollercoaster of emotions and unexpected plots.
9. Hacksaw Ridge – Very inspiring and moving film.
10. CBBC’s Hetty Feather S3 – I love this series and I was glad it didn’t end even though the book series seem to have an unhappy future ahead.
11. Hidden Figures – Very inspiring and hope to see more films like it.
12. ITV’s Maigret: Night at the Crossroads – Good but the first one was the best.
13. CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries S10 – I enjoy the series very much and always look forward to new episodes.
14. BBC’s Poldark S3 – Sometimes you love Ross, then you hate him… but we love Demelza.
15. Ripper Street S5 – The final episode was the best as it takes us back to the Ripper murders.
16. BBC’s SS-GB – Apparently I really liked this adaptation of an imagining of Nazi-occupied Britain but it’s been a while so all I can say is that it was well done.
17. Still Star-Crossed – I loved the book and the film wasn’t too bad but I hated how some parts were changed and it ended leaving us hanging… only to be axed.
18. Versailles S2 – I did enjoy S2 but skip the torture scenes!
19. Amazon Prime’s Z: The Beginning of Everything (2015/2017) – Found myself enjoying this series more than I’d anticipated.
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – Really enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next Pirates series (assuming there is one)!

Dramas I did not enjoy / find interesting:

• ITV’s The Halcyon
• The Last Kingdom S2
• The Ottoman Lieutenant
• BBC’s Quacks

Previous Period Dramas

Top 5 ‘Old’ Period Dramas

1. History’s Roots (2016) – I highly recommend watching this 4-episode series on one man’s and his descendants’ slavery experience. Heartbreaking most of the time but also full of hope.
2. Sarah’s Key (2010) – I read the book before watching the film so knew what to expect. Very well done!
3. Netflix’s Frontier S1 (2016) – Set in Canada during the 18th Century and involves the Hudson’s Bay Company.
4. BBC’s Poldark S2 (2016) – There was only one episode when I was really, really upset with Ross.
5. Woman in Gold (2015) – After watching this film, I wanted to know more about the painting and the sitter!

Dramas worth watching:

• The Eichmann Show (2015) – Warning: historical footage can be quite distressing.
• Ekaterina S1 (2014) – Watch it for the beautiful costumes and skip the torture scenes (not too many).
• Allied (2016) – I was crying by the end of the film.
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – It’s fantasy but set in the 1920’s and maybe that’s why I found it more interesting than HP.
• Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) – Was this film considered scandalous in the past?
• Ku’damm 56 (2016)
• Lady Chatterley’s Lover (2015)
• Suite Francaise (2014)
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
• That Hamilton Woman (1941) – You can’t go wrong with a film starring Vivien Leigh, this time as Lady Emma Hamilton, known as the mistress of Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson.
• Velvet (2013-16) – I watched snippets of each episode and was happy with the finale. There’s a spinoff now too but since I’m not crazy about the 60’s, I won’t be watching it.

Dramas I did not enjoy / find interesting:

• Anthropoid (2016) – Warning: disturbing torture scene.
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) – I know I should love it but aside from Holly’s glamorous gowns, I didn’t enjoy the film.
• Love & Friendship (2016) – I think Kate Beckinsale was the only entertaining part of the film…
• In Secret (2013)
• Jamaica Inn (2014)
• Macbeth (2015)
• Miss Julie (2014)
• Sarajevo (2014) – I don’t know too much about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria but this film didn’t interest me too much.
• Sunset Song (2015)
• Walt Before Mickey (2015) – I was expecting more about Disney but didn’t love this film.

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