I am sure that by the title of this post most of my readers have figured out that I will be talking about period-piece television series. I am especially focused on the very historically inaccurate ones. These are chosen because they are very fun, if totally unrealistic! I may adore the real history, but it is also super fun to watch these period pieces.
Number 5: Salem
~This television series, that had three seasons, was a very historically inaccurate portrayal of the events of the Salem Witch Trials. In this version Mary Sibley is a badass witch who dominates a coven!
Number 4: The White Princess
~This is the inaccurate version of the tale of Elizabeth of York. In this version she was in love with Richard III, and only married Henry VII because he won. She even conceived Arthur out of wedlock and had a shotgun wedding. It also showed Margaret Beaufort as the murderer of the Princes in the Tower, and had Perkin Warbeck be the real Richard Duke of York. All of which is historical fraud, but it is such a fun show!
Number 3: The White Queen
~This one tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, with a lot of historical liberty. The costuming and hair are not at all what would have been popular at the time. It shows Elizabeth cursing George Duke of Clarence, and accidentally causing his wife to miscarry, which has no firm basis in reality! All of this may be fictitious, but it is forever fun to get lost in!
Number 2: Reign
~We all know this CW show was not accurate. It famously had costumes that were more modern than anything else. They renamed the four Mary’s with modern female names. This was done to prevent confusion, and made sense, but was still inaccurate. The character of Diane de Poitiers was much younger than she was in reality, and the character of her son Bash never existed. Francis was made to be much more handsome and seductive than he was. There was never an affair between Henry II and one of Mary’s ladies, and there was never a bastard son born to Francis by one of her ladies! Even with all of this (and more) it is so enjoyable to watch and get lost in the drama. Just please do not take this as a real history of Mary Queen of Scots!
Number 1: The Tudors
~Now this one is infamous for not being realistic. But it still featured my favorite portrayal of Anne Boleyn. Natalie Dormer was on point in giving a realistic portrayal of Anne that was balanced and did more to honor her memory than anyone else! Even with a show that mixed events and changed timelines this was a point of reality. This show conflated Margaret and Mary Tudor, Henry’s sisters. Mary was the one married to a King (of France not Portugal) and later to Charles Brandon! Margaret was the Queen of Scotland, and grandmother of Mary Queen of Scots! Even with this, and ever more, fictional elements added for drama, it is still an incredible and fun show to watch and rewatch!
~I hope you have enjoyed my countdown. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
White Rose of Avalon 