Time changes with every passing moment, but film and television have found little ways to preserve the past in all sorts of little ways. Media made during a specific time can encapsulate the period without realizing it and sometimes even help define it. Media can even preserve specific events for posterity. But, even when years have passed, the zeitgeist of a period can be made immortal through the power of the period drama.
Period dramas are intentionally set in a specific time, taking a look at things from historical events to the fashions of the time. If a long-running series runs long enough, a period drama can even get to showcase different time periods. Regardless, these types of stories have gotten several fans over the years. And there are plenty of qualities that a period drama can offer fans again and again.
8 They're Fairy Tales For Adults
Writers work hard to make characters relatable, but the truth is that, even at a young age, audiences learn to see themselves in characters from different times and places. Viewers don't even have to be familiar with the location. Children in the United States, for example, grow up hearing fairy tales, stories not only set in a distant past, but usually in the far-off palaces of Europe or Asia, too. In this way, period dramas are like fairy tales for adults, allowing older viewers to get a glimpse into distant settings.
Granted, many classic fairy tales aren't accurate reflections of the past, but it's not like historical fiction is always historically accurate, either. Sometimes, the truth can't get in the way of a good story.
7 History Buffs Will Find Something To Enjoy
Historical fiction isn't always accurate, but there is usually some give and take. Bridgerton, for example, is known for including scenes where musicians play renditions of modern pop songs, with the first season featuring the music of Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift alongside the likes of Bach and Vivaldi.
On the other hand, the series does take some interest in history. A few real-life historical figures are alluded to in the series. Queen Charlotte was likely based on Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, with her nephew Prince Friedrich taking inspiration from Prince Frederick Wilhelm Ludwig of Prussia. Period dramas can give viewers all sorts of looks into history they might not realize.
6 They Let Viewers Travel The World
Period dramas, in both film and television, can be found in countries all over the world, whether it's the United Kingdom, China, or Brazil. Of course, many countries favor domestic stories, often looking at their own country's history and taking advantage of location for film shoots. But that doesn't mean foreign viewers can't still watch and enjoy these stories themselves.
Because of this, there are a lot of different period dramas to choose from. And they allow viewers to get glimpses into the cultures and histories of places they've never been, all the while being entertained, too.
5 There's A Lot To Work With (& It Just Keeps Adding On)
Despite humanity's best efforts, time is fleeting; the present will soon become the past. And the same goes for the future. In the end, all things become part of history. But there is one upside to all this: period pieces keep getting more and more history to work with.
In a few years, someone can watch what was once their past, even their childhood, become the subject of a period drama. Shows like The Queen's Gambit and Mad Men didn't seem too concerned that the 1950s and the 1960s weren't too far off, just a few decades from the time the shows were made. And in the far-off future, today's timeline might become part of a period story.
4 Nothing Beats A Good Costume Drama
One of the first things that come to mind when people imagine a period drama is the gorgeous costumes the cast will wear – images pour in of flowing, ethereal hanfus, elegant ball gowns, sparkly flapper dresses with sequins, and miniskirts paired with go-go boots. It all makes viewers sit back and realize that for all that our ancestors lacked, at least they had good fashion sense. And there will often be parties, dances, and festivals where everyone shows off how good they look.
Granted, for better or for worse, some liberties will be taken, and costumes might take modern influences. BBC's The Hour, for example, famously eschewed the permed hairstyles of the 1950s. But the reverse is true, too, and the horrors of older fashions will be exaggerated. Likewise, period dramas are infamous for scenes where the heroine complains about having to wear a corset, even in settings when people didn't actually wear corsets.
3 There Are So Many Things To Experience
Adaptations of The Great Gatsby have become infamous over a common audience reaction. While the novel criticizes the decadence and frivolity of the decade, audiences can't help but enjoy the story because of just how much fun it paints the Roaring Twenties.
Costumes are fun and all, but they're just the start of the style period dramas can offer fans. Things like unique architecture, transportation, artwork, trends, and recreational activities of the past all add to the experience.
2 They Can Sometimes Be A Time Machine To The Viewer's Past
Nostalgia can be a powerful thing. People are often interested in a past they've never experienced. But that's not always the case, either. If not too much time has passed between when a show is produced and when it's set, the people who lived during that time in history might like taking a look back in time.
This is especially true of period pieces that showcase historical events when they were just current events. Some period pieces take place over a long stretch of time, even decades. This means people can watch the world change all over again, but usually at a safer distance this time.
1 It's Important To Remember The Past
There's a bit of a stereotype that period pieces only showcase the glitter and glamour of the past. With all those sparkling costumes and lavish events, the harsh aspects of history can be ignored. But period pieces can go a lot further than that. Plenty of dramas deal with the harsh realities of the past, too, and it's important to learn from these tragedies, too.
The reverse is true, too. While some audiences think they will go into a period drama with some patronizing gift of hindsight, they might occasionally realize people in the past might not be that different from how people are now.