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uning into Bridgerton, Netflix’s new period series from super-producer Shonda Rhimes, feels like falling into a post-modern Jane Austen fever dream. A string quartet plays Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next as revellers of all races file into a dazzling ballroom, while Julie Andrews, voicing acid-tongued society scandalmonger Lady Whistledown, dishes out bitchy zingers like Regency London’s answer to Gossip Girl. It plays fast and loose with historical accuracy, but makes for pacy, addictive viewing.
Much as we love to see Colin Firth emerging from a lake, costume dramas have never been the coolest, most innovative of genres. They’re the M&S of the telly world: comfortable, reliable, definitely not cutting edge. Now though, that’s changing. You can trace the beginnings of a shift back to Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, an anachronistic confection that aimed to capture the queen’s teen spirit with its mad party scenes and post-punk soundtrack. Fast-forward a d
Bridgerton Review: Gorgeous, But Not Flawless
You didn t honestly think we ve been ignoring
Bridgerton, the latest Regency (ish) period drama from Netflix and powerhouse producer Shonda Rhimes, did you?! As the hosts of
Drama After Dark, we weren t about to let this show slip by, and even live tweeted our reactions to the show, afternoon tea at hand, while we watched. But as drama queens raised on
MASTERPIECE, what did we make of the show? Read on to find out more but be forewarned! There
will be spoilers.
First things first, what did we like about
Bridgerton? Well, the production design, for one. The opulent and frankly gorgeous costumes caught our eyes right away.
(Credit: Martin Burke)
Ask journalist Erin Coughlin to describe Agatha Christie and without missing a beat she says, “Agatha Christie is the reigning queen of mysteries, period.”
Ms. Coughlin notes that Christie’s books have sold some 2 billion copies. Only the Bible and William Shakespeare have sold more.
Erin Coughlin will be the speaker (via Zoom) at the Jan. 8, 2021 Friday Night Dialogue.
During her interactive presentation, viewers will learn about Christie’s enduring influence on literature, film, television and pop culture. Ms. Coughlin will also talk about Christie’s enormous output: 66 mystery novels, in which the reader meets a number of Christie’s detectives the most famous, of course, being Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.