Well first I would like to rant about the fact that there are two decent dramas on at EXACTLY the same time- why does that always happen - ??
The Returned is really good, but I do love an historical drama, and have always loved this period of history - it is just so underwhelmingly studied at school - if at all, and you would have thought all the interest in Kings and carparks might have resurrected a national interest in the Wars of the Roses. I thought the casting was pretty good, I love Janet McTeer, and the costumes and setting were well chosen. I did have few problems with the script being a bit plodding and obvious, but I haven't read the book so will hope it is improved as the series goes on. I seem to recall Edward's brother/cousin goes on to become Richard IIIrd, the one who murdered (allegedly) the two princes, ( who are Edward and Elizabeth's children?). I have a wonderful book by Antonia Fraser on English Kings and Queens and am going to go and reread that period again.
My absolute dream would be for some wise BBC type to commisson an ongoing history series, going back to the Saxons and logically doing a decent drama through the ages, but a serious, non dumbed down one, ( obviously not dry and boring, )but at least trying to convey a coherent sense of history and how everyone links into everyone else, through family lines, dynasties, clans etc, so we could understand how it all fits together. There are always bits of history skipped over or studied 2 or 3 times over so our kids have no sense of a time line. Horrible Histories has done an amazing job rekindling and stimulating interest in history in a brilliant way, but it would be nice to have something more adult, but just as informative, if that makes sense!
( an aside but does anyone know anything about The Vikings new series/drama? IT looks fab.)