You scan the TV on a Friday night and see Parade’s End pop up. Immediately, your eyes will roll, and you will tut “Oh god, not another ‘prestige’ costume drama” and switch onto Cowboy Builders. And I am one of you. I generally despise period drama, especially Downton Abbey, one of the dullest, twee and unoriginal dramas to grace Quality British Televison (Well, ITV…) in a long while. And that doesn’t mean the Beeb is innocent- in fact, they are worse. How many friggin’ Dickens adaptations are we going to get, or Victorian novels ‘sexed up’? Poor show, Auntie Beeb.
When I first head of ‘Parade’s End’, I balked. Nothing different, nothing special. But the presence of Benedict Cumberbatch, a convincing feature in an issue of Empire and the appeal of a Tom Stoppard script persuaded me to give the first episode a shot.
It intrigued me enough to get into episode two, and I became hooked. It’s a brilliant miniseries, and definitely worth everyone’s time, especially if you hate period drama. Because Parade’s End is far from a period drama, rather a drama that happens to be period. Here’s why you, my fellow haters, and anyone I can tempt away from Downton, should catch the first few episodes on iPlayer in time for Episode 4 this Friday.
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7 Comments
The monologue about the sounds of war delivered by Cumberbatch was just… I had goosebumps, was on the edge of my seat looking totally spellbound. Fantastic!!! It’s true that these characters are not easy to love, that’s the most realistic thing about them. They intrigue you that’s why you keep coming back.
This just doesn’t feel like a big fat gimmick, no? Unlike Downton Season 2.
Superb show. And my God can Cumberbatch act.
But Downton Abbey (well, the first series) really is pretty good.
Corby Hall???? It’s Groby Hall – the home of the Groby Tree!
Sorry…
Am finding the series spellbinding. Great review – thank you.