Historical Accuracy in Period Dramas

Over lockdown I decided to revisit a programme from my teenage years. The CW series Reign, with its intense drama and lavish costumes, was the tonic I needed during the Leaving Cert years and it was fascinating to rewatch it as a history student.

Reign is infamous among fans of period dramas. The series is loosely based on the life of Mary Queen of Scots, but as a reviewer for The A.V. Club put it the show is more, “an alternate-universe fanfiction than anything pretending to approach history”. Within the show, stories about assasination attempts and political intrigue are treated with the same gravitas as the various romantic subplots that have little-to-no historical basis. The show’s costume design in particular has inspired many a lengthy YouTube video criticising the lack of historical accuracy - the outfits often look like something you’d see Betty and Veronica wear to prom in Riverdale.

The topic of historical accuracy in period dramas is a controversial one, and I have mixed feelings on the matter. It’s true that on one hand, shows like Reign are meant to be a form of escapism, allowing us to admire gorgeous clothes and fantasise about living in a castle. If the show touches on an event or a period in history that sparks my curiosity, I’ll happily research it for myself. These programmes aren’t documentaries, and I don’t treat them as such.

However, many casual viewers might not do further reading on the period, or the people being depicted. It’s ridiculous to suggest that one has to prove themselves an expert on a period of history in order to watch a TV show that explores it, but it can cause problems, especially when it comes to historical dramas that involve real figures. In one episode of the ITV series Victoria, the show overplays the extent to which the eponymous queen cared about the Irish Famine in the 1840s. This is dangerous when the Famine is largely uncovered by the English education system, and while the episode highlighted the role that British landlords played in the disaster, the fact that the show still reassured viewers that their beloved monarch did her best for the Irish people left a sour taste in my mouth. The media we watch has an impact on the way we look at the world. Historical dramas have a responsibility in this regard, and certain narratives need to be challenged.

Often the ugliness of the past is airbrushed out of these shows in order to appeal to our modern sensibilities. This can have negative effects when certain figures from history are romanticised. At the same time, the argument for historically accurate media is often weaponised against programmes that decide to explore certain social issues. While Call The Midwife (50s-60s) has been praised for its handling of a variety of topics such as abortion and domestic violence, I have seen criticism of the fact that none of the main characters ever express racist views. The same can be said for Anne With An E, which has received criticism from certain groups for being ‘too PC’ due to its feminist themes and gay representation. The mere presence of black actors in the most recent BBC adaptation of A Christmas Carol led to backlash from a loud minority online who considered the casting choice ‘historically inaccurate’ - an argument that’s built on a fallacy, as people of colour have always existed in Europe, in spite of what many period dramas would suggest. It’s telling that many viewers are willing to accept the presence of ghosts in their story, but consider a black man playing Bob Cratchitt beyond rational belief.

When discussing historical accuracy we have to ask ourselves, who benefits from what is presented in our media? I’d argue that the drama in Reign, as well as the questionable costume choices, while annoying, are relatively harmless. Black actors shouldn’t be expected to only ever play slaves or Civil Rights leaders - a trope which doesn’t resemble the realities of world history but nevertheless persists due to colonial narratives. Additionally, while it might be ‘unrealistic’, as a bisexual woman it meant a lot to me to see Anne - a character I’d loved since childhood - stand up for other members of the LGBT+ community.

I don’t think that there’s an easy answer to the question of historical accuracy. However, I believe that showrunners should be transparent about their intent in making these shows - are they going for a sensationalised story, or trying to accurately depict events? Perhaps we should try to make the subject of history more accessible so that viewers can read up on the backgrounds of their favourite shows. That being said, I’d still rather look at Toby Regbo on my screen than the real Francis II - accuracy be damned.

WORDS BY MARY O HARTE ART BY EMILY THOMAS