Television’s Best Period Series

The Most Magical of Period Series

One of the most dazzling aspects of television is its hypnotizing ability to swiftly and

effortlessly move viewers into a different universe, transporting them beyond the

physical and breaking through all tangible boundaries in which they reside. The

carefully crafted frames moving across the screen can be so powerful that they have

the potential to bring viewers to entirely different worlds, shattering any and all

divisions of time and space. Whether TV brings its audiences back to the year 1900, or

springs them forward to 2020, television can create complete and perfect universes

where the imagination of the producer runs free and boundless, rid of all worldly

obstacles and human limitations. Television is a place where worlds can be built,

characters can be shaped, and destinies can be controlled in a way they are simply not

able to be in the real world

Over the last number of years, the television landscape has begun bursting with shows

that bring audiences to eras unfamiliar and ages unexplored. A birthing of period series

that dive into eras from the age of the Vikings, to the roaring 20’s, have transported

viewers to places otherwise only able to be visited in their imaginations.

So what are the most recent period series that are a must watch?

Television of the Eras

1950/60’s

Mad Men– For all those who have not yet entered into Don Draper’s dramatic world of

New York City’s ad game, you have been sorely missing out. Taking place in the late

1950’s/60’s, Mad Men follows the highly sexual, wildly dramatic, and appealingly

cutthroat world of ad men on New York’s Madison Avenue. Besides the brilliant writing,

intriguing plot, and flawless casting, what makes Mad Men so special are it’s

breathtaking sets and wardrobes so wonderful it makes you believe in the future of

mankind once again. Dramatic? Sure. But that’s what good television has the ability to

do! As the series progressed from the stiff 1950’s to the free love of the late 1960’s, so

did its sets and wardrobes. The times are made to look so enticingly wonderful, I might

have caught myself Googling ‘How to dress like the 1960’s?’ more than a few times.

Except I don’t do vintage. Unless it’s Chanel. The AMC series will air its last installment

of its seventh and final season this spring.

Masters of Sex: Also set in the 1950’s/60’s, Masters of Sex tells the story of William

Masters and Virginia Johnson’s journey of completely reshaping the sexual landscape

and redefining human sexuality. Masters of Sex third season is set to air this summer on

Showtime.

Call the Midwife: The BBC series follows a group of young midwives in London’s poor

and extremely rundown East End in the 1950’s and 60’s. Call the Midwife provocatively

explores what it was like to be one of the most crucial members of society, a midwife,

and all the heart wrenching, joyful, and incredibly taxing tolls the job took on its young

women. Call the Midwife is currently in its fourth season and has already been green

light for a fifth set to air in 2016.

The Americans: Set in the Reagan ruled America of the 1960’s, The Americans follow a

wildly attractive husband and wife team (Keri Russell and Mathew Rhys) of KGB spies

living undercover in the suburbs of Washington DC. The wonderfully suspenseful drama

is currently in its third season on FX.

For the Regal at Heart

The Tudors: The captivating series follows King Henry VIII’s (Jonathan Rrhys Meyers)

during his almost 40-year rule over England in the early 16th century. The unbelievably

sexy series chronicles the hungry king on his journey to quench his thirst for wives,

mistresses, and power. The riveting story is complete with the tales of Anne Boleyn,

and the cast aside Queen, Katherine of Aragon. The Tudors ran for four seasons on

Showtime before going off the air in 2010.

Reign: Reign follows the rise to power of Mary Stuart, known as Mary Queen of Scots.

The historical drama follows Mary as she arrives in France from Scotland in 1557 as a young 15-year-old girl on her way to becoming Queen of England.

Reign chronicles the young Scot’s arrival and subsequent adjustment into French court, and all the passion, tumult, fierceness, and politics that come with being royal.

Reign is currently in its third season on the CW channel.