17 Excellent British Period Dramas You Can Binge Right Now
By Lacy Baugher
Anna Maxwell Martin and Matthew Rhys in “Death Comes to Pemberley”. (Photo: Courtesy of Robert Viglasky/Origin Pictures 2013 for MASTERPIECE)
Death Comes to Pemberley
Sure, Jane Austen never wrote a sequel to her famous novel Pride and Prejudice. But that hasn’t stopped quite a few other folks from doing so in her stead.
One of the most successful commercially successful efforts has been P.D. James’ novel Death Comes to Pemberley, so of course someone made a television version of it. The story gives us a glimpse into Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s life at Pemberley, six years after their marriage. They have two sons, and appear to be blissfully happy together. (Yay!) And apparently they’re also…involved in a murder mystery? (Um, what?)
Yeah, the premise is a little bit weird. But who hasn’t wondered what might have happened if wayward Bennet girl Lydia suddenly showed up at her sister’s house one night out of the blue screaming about murder? The answer is: probably zero people, but this three-part BBC series still ends up being strangely entertaining.
That’s due in large part to its fantastic ensemble cast, which includes Anna Maxwell Martin, Matthew Rhys, Matthew Goode, Jenna Coleman, Penelope Wilton, Trever Eve, Rebecca Front, and more. The sets are gorgeous, the acting’s first rate, and, of course, the costumes are lovely. Besides, if it doesn’t grab you as a particularly worth Pride and Prejudice sequel, it’s a decent enough story that you can always pretend that these are just other characters with eerily similar names.
Number of Seasons: 1
Where to Watch: Netflix