Boundaries of (dis)belief: past and present in period television drama and its cultural reception

In recent years, the ‘historical’ or ‘period’ television drama has enjoyed particular success. Though always popular in Britain, these programmes now attract global audiences through streaming services. International creations have followed in the footsteps of British network television commissions, and streaming platforms have likewise capitalised on this trend by offering their own productions. The market for period drama seems as expansive as the genre itself. Historical television (both fiction and non-fiction) offers a representation of the past, as understood in the present. In so doing, it engages with boundaries of audience (dis)belief. The version of history realised on screen may conform to or challenge public interpretations. Straying from accepted perceptions is not always badly received; indeed, some programmes are labelled innovative for doing so. This seems largely motivated by genre — expectations of historical satire, for example, do not match those of period drama. This leads us to ask: what are the boundaries of the period television drama, who sets these, and why? While history on film has enjoyed a longer tradition of scholarly attention (such as Rosenstone 2006, and White 1988), history on television has not always been so popular. In recent years, however – in line with the legitimisation of television studies more generally – researchers have taken an interest in how and why the past is televised (Landsberg 2015; Hills et al. 2019). To explore cultural understandings of the relationship between the period drama and history, I suggest three case studies: Downton Abbey (2010-2015), The Crown (2015-), and Bridgerton (2020-). The popularity of Downton Abbey has undoubtedly been instrumental in the last decade’s swathe of period dramas: the blueprint for The Crown and Bridgerton’s success. All three have been markedly popular, are rooted in British history, and have seemingly stretched the limits of historical interpretation. These series, therefore, provide an excellent platform for discussing cultural perceptions of the past, the boundaries of (dis)belief, and the wider issues of televising history