1) The Tudors
IMDb: 8.2
Seasons: 4
For those of you who don't know your English history. Henry VIII is the Tudor king in need of an heir. He's married to the Spanish Princess Katherine of Aragon and their only living child is the Princess Mary. Henry VIII spots Mary Boleyn one day and takes her on as his mistress but it is her sister Anne that makes him cut ties with the Vatican and become head of his own church: The Church of England. This series focuses on the raging politics of the time and includes the stories of people such as Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell.
Anne Boleyn has been debated since she first appeared in court with many contradicting opinions on her motivations and personality but I do like this interpretation of her. The transformation of all the characters as they grow old is amazing... it takes you a moment to readjust to seeing their normal faces again in other shows or in photos. Costume and hair are beautiful and impressive.
2) Peaky Blinders
IMDb: 8.7
Seasons: 2
This series is about the mafia in Birmingham after the WWI. The Shelby brothers are a mafia gang known as the Peaky Blinders because they sow razor blades onto their hats and then use them when taking care of their business... They go about their daily lives when a box of guns goes missing and a new Chief of Police is sent to Birmingham to try and find them. The Peaky Blinders are immediate suspects but do they actually have them? Have they bitten off more than they can chew?
I really enjoyed this series because it gives you a real sense of the tension people felt after the war and with the rise of Communism and the IRA. You have characters suffering from serious PTSD and others determined to get better working conditions and power for the unions and all through this you have strong female characters who refuse to be pushed back to the sidelines because the men are back from war. Don't be fooled by the topic, this is not an action packed series. It focuses mainly on the characters and the situations they are in rather than constant beatings, killings and other mafia related violence. I loved the cinematography and the general mood of this series. There's one shot that has stayed with me since I saw it and its this: they're walking into a gun battle, in slow motion of course but the camera is a high level shot on a puddle. We see the men walk slowly towards the puddle through its reflection until their feet reach the water. Then the camera slowly tilts up as the men continue walking towards the camera in slowmo. Argh, beautiful... I really want to be able to devote time to watching it so I'm saving season two for the holidays!
3) Vikings
IMDb: 8.6
Seasons: 2 (3 to be released in 2015)
Wow, wow, wow... Ragnar Lothbrok is a farmer in Scandinavia but he is also a Viking. Vikings spend their summers raiding towns and villages in nearby countries but they have now plundered about all they can from the places they already know of. Ragnar is adamant that there are other countries to be discovered but receives little support. He convinces a small band of men to come with him against the orders of their Earl and they land on the shores of England. This success is only the beginning of Ragnar's rise and I can't wait to see what happens in the new series!
I've been fascinated with Vikings for as long as I can remember but there are surprisingly few documentaries about them and little on the internet. I was really excited when I saw the trailer for season one and I was NOT let down! I love how they incorporated information about Viking culture into a flowing scenario so you feel like you're learning but not watching a documentary. Another great factor are the female characters. Lagertha (Ragnar's wife) is based on the Norse myth of Lagertha the Shield Maiden which Ragnar actually tells to his children as a bedtime story at one point of the series. Lagertha is strong, not just mentally but physically as well and can hold her own on the battle field. Siggy is the Earl's wife and has traits we would stereo-typically associate with male characters: she's full of ambition for herself. She wants wealth, power and prestige and she's not afraid to play whatever games she needs to be satisfied. She has no other motivation but herself. This series is also a wonderful reminder of the way women in Europe were treated at the time and we see this through their raiding trips to England and are reminded of it when we see the comparison to the Viking women.
4) Spartacus
Seasons: 3 (Plus Spartacus: God's of the Arena)
This is the story of a man captured and then sent to the arena for defying a Roman general. He survives his execution and is then sold off as a slave to be trained as a gladiator. His only ambition is to find his wife and so he refuses to be trained. His new master, Batiatus, convinces him to train by promising to find his wife and have her brought to him but Spartacus must win in the arena in order to pay for her freedom. This series follows Spartacus' rise to fame and what he decides to do with his new-found glory.
OK, before I go on let's just put a few things out there. Season one came out in a time when CGI wasn't that great so things like the stadium look a little like something out of PES but go easy on them. Another thing I have to say is that this series has a certain style and in that style are certain special effects which not everyone might like e.g. blood splattering BUT there's no point fighting it. This series is what it is and we have to appreciate it for that. I don't think the effects are bad but if you found the blood effects in 300 far fetched then you're going to have a bad time...
Now that's over and done with, I have to admit to having a soft spot for any sort of rebellion story. This is one of the series you watch knowing the ending but get nervous watching anyway. There is a great flow in the story and great acting. The wording could put a few people off but I think it helps add character and emphasizes the style of the series. Costume and hair are great but let's face it, most people don't watch for the costumes. Sex scenes ahoy! As you get in any series or film with a lot of violence so watch well away from little eyes. After season one there is a change in the actor of Spartacus because he passes away. This is a sad situation in itself and maybe I'm being biased but No. 2 doesn't cut it for me. Credits for Liam McIntyre for taking on a character already established in peoples' minds and then trying to make him your own but I just loved Whitfield.
5) Da Vinci's Deamons
IMDb: 8.1
Seasons: 2 (3 to be released in 2015)
OK, OK... Please don't kill me for my earlier rant. I know this is far from historically accurate but I enjoy it. This series focuses on Da Vinci's life and asks what would have happened if he had had the opportunity to bring some of his more advanced designs into life. I love the costumes, set designs, characters and the fact that he builds a submarine in medieval Europe. The characters' motivations are deep and layered. Leonardo is dealing with the burden of his super genius in a strictly religious world but he's also dealing with the fact that he is a bastard and his father does not approve of him or anything he does. Another one of my weaknesses in a story is the antagonist you cannot hate! Riario works for the Vatican and so an enemy of Da Vinci by default and we hate him when we meet him first but then... we learn his story and in the words of a social worker, then quoted by Andrew Stanton: "There is no one you couldn't learn to love after you've learnt their story." Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful... and Riario turns out to be beautiful. Casting for this character is critical and just looking at a picture of Blake Ritson (Riario) passes on a sense of melancholy and loss.
These are my top five for now but I'll definitely keep things updated or maybe even go on to make a top ten list. We'll see. I also watched Black Sail which I liked because of the concept of pirates and life at sea but it didn't prove to be very memorable. Let me know if you have any suggestions on a series for me to devote my life to! I'm always looking for more.
References:
imdb.com (obviously) :)
