It's Costume Drama FFS

If there's one thing that the British are supposed to still be champions of, it is costume drama. From Upstairs Downstairs to Cranford there has always been a hankering for a good  period piece on British TV, not forgetting the benefits of selling this style of television programme overseas. The US absolutely adore Downton Abbey, as they did Upstairs Downstairs before it but lately, I can't help noticing a disturbing trend in the costumes.

I'll start with the good stuff. Thankfully there is good stuff being made including the latter seasons of Downton Abbey; the first series of Poldark; Peaky Blinders; Mr Selfridge; Ripper Street all of which show attention and thought to the period detail.

Then there is the bad stuff, which has been universally recognised as poor including The Tudors; The Paradise; and most recently War And Peace. If you are to believe the papers, the opening episode has been hailed as 'costume drama at its most lavish' - The Guardian, 'lush costume drama' - The Telegraph but the truth is that the costumes looked very cheap, occasionally poorly made and often just hopelessly anachronistic.

 

I'd already spotted Gillian Anderson as Anna Scherer in the impressive trailer in what seemed to be a contemporary off-the-shoulder dress, but assumed it was just a trick of the cinematography. But no. Here she is in a dress so out of place, she could have been working the room of a 1970s casino. What were they thinking? The pattern continued and while some of the men faired a little better, the ladies gowns and accessories seemed wanting throughout.

In fairness, the battle scenes seem well shot - I'm no expert however -  and the BBC are obviously making great use of their new camera drone but why lash out a good proportion of the budget on star names and exotic locations if you are going to sacrifice attention to detail such as these? I wouldn't mind if it wasn't for the fact that this is being sold as a 'costume drama'.

I suppose the reviews in the papers quote this kind of praise by default. They are not experts and as the costumes look old-fashioned, they must be correct. I suggest they have a quick look online at the styles, fashions - or even a quick glimpse at Charles Knode's costumes for the 1972 production of War and Peace - to get a good idea of how it should look. The wonderful Barbara Young - Agrippinilla in the classic I, Claudius  is playing the Anderson role. Look at the details - the hair, the jewels, the cut of the dress.