Costumed series were created in order to captivate the viewer not only with an interesting plot, but also with the beauty of the picture, in the first place in which there are an abundance of luxurious outfits, precisely copied from the originals (if the series is historical), or artfully invented (if it's fantasy). Which of these series are the most popular?
Game of thrones
This large-scale and truly luxurious costume series cannot be missed for several reasons. Firstly, this television series has remained the most popular for six years, and secondly, the plot in it is unpredictable, and the costumes are really chic. After the release of this project, all foreign costume shows have to create costumes and sets that are not inferior to the high standard established by the Game of Thrones.
The first season of the game "Game of Thrones" was released in 2011, and since then its popularity has not faded. The final season of the Iron Throne saga is set to launch in 2019.
The plot unfolds against the backdrop of the struggle for power over the Seven Kingdoms, invented states created on the basis of medieval Europe. All characters pursue their goal, for some, the family is important, for some, love, for some - the happiness and freedom of subjects, and someone is only interested in power over everything and everything.
Downton abbey
"Downton Abbey" - unusually interesting and beautiful, this series got into the Guinness Book of Records as "the most discussed by critics." The television series takes place in Great Britain at the beginning of the 20th century. The plot is tied to the death of the only heir to the wealthy Downton estate - he drowned on the Titanic, leaving behind a huge family feud for the inheritance.
In addition to the interesting plot, the series “Downton Abbey” is remarkable for its high-quality transmission of the spirit of the times: costumes accurately recreate all the most fashionable styles of the beginning of the last century, and the characters exist in real historical conditions, faced with technological progress, war, the beginning of the emancipation of women and the epidemic of Spanish flu. A separate plus is the game of the magnificent age-related actress Maggie Smith, known to many for her role as Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series of films.
Cranford
The series "Cranford" is based on the novels of the English writer Elizabeth Gaskell and is an excellent adaptation of life and customs in the Victorian province under the fictitious name Cranford. The plot is tied to the measured life of the town (which seems to be inhabited by some elderly and prim ladies), revived after the appearance of several fresh faces: a young relative of old-age sisters Jenkins, a single father with unfortunate daughters and a young handsome doctor.
There are only two seasons in the Cranford series, including seven 60-minute episodes, but over this short period of time, the audience manages to sincerely immerse themselves in the history of the city and the fate of all its characters. It cannot be said that, like Maggie Smith in "Downton Abbey," in this series, the heroine of another famous age-specific actress, Judy Dench, known for her roles in the films "Shakespeare in Love", "Chocolate", "Seven Days and Nights with Marilyn. "
"Institute of Noble Maidens"
One of the most popular Russian costume TV shows is undoubtedly the Institute of Noble Maidens and its seasonal continuation, Secrets of the Institute of Noble Maidens. Over 519 episodes, amazing, touching and, for the most part, uninvented stories from the life of the institutes of one of the closed female educational institutions of the Russian Empire unfold before the audience.
The Institute of Noble Maidens is one of the best Russian costume series about love. The series takes place in the second half of the 19th century: against the background of the Institute’s internal life, social changes and the Russo-Turkish war, the viewer watches a touching romantic story between a young pupil Sofia Gorchakova and the married count Vorontsov.
Jane eyes
The series "Jane Air", broadcast on BBC from September to October 2006, is the eighth adaptation of the famous film of the same name by Charlotte Bronte. The series was recognized as successful by both viewers and critics, despite the fact that it is an adaptation and does not fully correspond to the original source.
In the series, Jane Eyre appears in front of the viewer as a young orphan girl, a student at a female school. After graduating from an educational institution, Jane settles in as a governess in the rich estate of Edward Rochester. One night, the young governess, promptly responding to the noise, rescues Mr. Rochester from the burning room - this event becomes an impetus leading to fundamental changes in the life of Air’s orphan.
The tudors
"The Tudors" is a costume series of joint British, Irish and Canadian production, telling about the English king Henry the Eighth Tudor and the period of his reign. The action takes place in the 16th century, the plot lines are connected with the intrigues of the royal court, the struggle for the throne and the social problems of New England.
The Tudors television series is one of the most expensive shows ever shown by Showtime, and the series’s rating has never dropped below 63% over four seasons.
The borgias
Another historical series dedicated to the famous surname, this time Italian - "Borgia" - was created by director and producer Neil Jordan in 2011. The plot tells the story of the life of the famous Borgia family, which reigned in Renaissance Italy, at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. After the death of Pope Innocent the Eighth, his holy position, unexpectedly for all the inhabitants of Rome, is occupied by Rodrigo Borgia, having achieved the throne through bribery, tricks and exposures. The family of the rich Borgia was not liked in the city, but events began to develop unexpectedly when the father of the family acquired unlimited power.
Vikings
The iconic Canadian-Irish TV series Vikings was created by Tudors director Michael Hurst in an attempt to repeat the popularity of Game of Thrones, but based on real historical events. Despite this, the television series soon acquired a huge independent audience, and similarities with the "Game" were minimal.
The plot of the Vikings series is based on the story of the legendary Viking king Ragnar Lodbroka - the Scandinavian version of King Arthur, who is a semi-mythical, semi-real person. According to legend, Ragnar was a descendant of the god Odin himself. The series was created based on the Scandinavian Viking sagas, in addition to Lodbrock, the main characters are the northern warrior Lagertha, the first Duke of Normandy named Rollo, the great Viking Floki and many other famous heroes of northern history and mythology.
"The son of a raven"
Russian film producers also decided to make their own analogue of the series “Game of Thrones” and “Vikings” - this is how the television series “Son of the Raven” appeared, telling about the Baltic Vikings. Many critics agreed that "Son of the Raven" is one of the best domestic costume shows. It is distinguished by its scale, unpredictable plot and historical realism.
The plot takes place in the 12th century on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The main character - Roarg - was found by pirates on the wreckage of a merchant ship. The baby was the only one who survived the shipwreck, and a raven sat over his wooden cradle, as if guarding a child. The pirate captain Radomir recently lost his own son, and therefore took Roarg - which in translation means "son of a raven" - under his guardianship.
"Sofia"
Another example of a magnificent costume series made in Russia is Sofia. The main heroine of the television series is Sofia Fominichna Paleolog, or Zoya Paleologinya, the second wife of Ivan the Third and the Grand Duchess of Moscow. The plot tells of the most significant moments of the reign of Ivan the Third, such as the liberation from the Golden Horde and the war with the Novgorod Republic, as well as the fate of Sofia, which was supposed to strengthen Catholic influence in Russia, but neglected the expectations of the pope, becoming the Moscow princess.
The series is interesting not only in a colorful narrative about the history of Russia in the 15th century, but also in the magnificent costumes of princes and boyars, recreated according to historical documents.
"Magnificent century"
The best series ever made in the East and about the East, without a doubt, is "The Magnificent Century" (original Muhteşem Yüzyıl). The Turkish television series, which has won viewers in more than 50 countries, has been recognized by many critics as the best historical series on the Muslim world.
The plot unfolds around the great Ottoman ruler, commander and reformer - Sultan Suleiman the Great. In the center of the story is the relationship of Suleiman with his beloved concubine (and later - his wife) Slavic girl Alexandra. Separate lines of the plot are important events in Turkish history that occurred during the era of Suleiman.
The last kingdom
Another popular Viking costume series is The Last Kingdom. The premiere took place in October 2015, at the moment two seasons have come out and it was announced that the premiere of the third season will be held at the end of 2018.
The action of the series "The Last Kingdom" takes place in the 9th century, in what is now England. The plot tells the story of Utred Bebbanburg, an orphan from the Anglo-Saxon tribes, who was abducted by the Scandinavian Vikings and raised by their supreme leader named Ragnar. The war, which began between the Saxons and the Vikings, poses a difficult choice for Utred between calling for blood and devotion to the Vikings who raised him.
The plot of the series “The Last Kingdom” was based on the series of books Saxon Chronicles by the English writer Bernard Cornwell.
"Great"
One of the most expensive projects of Russian television, and at the same time very popular and historically reliable, was the costume series "The Great", which tells the story of Russian Empress Catherine the Great. The series was broadcast in November 2015 on Channel One.
Historical accuracy was achieved with the help of the diaries of Catherine herself, as well as on the basis of many other archival documents. The plot covers the time period from the childhood of Catherine, when she first met her future husband Peter the Third, before the palace coup of 1762.
Currently, it is planned to create two more seasons of this series, no less expensive and large-scale. The general producer of the series Ruben Dishdishyan admitted that he was planning a series that could compare with such projects as The Tudors and Borgia, calling The Great one of the best series in Russian television.