The stories we tell about the past can tell us a lot about what matters in the present. Nowhere is this clearer than the realm of historical fiction, where a battleground has emerged between those who want verisimilitude and those who prefer revisionism. Costume dramas may once have been the cosy province of dusty prudes, but recent streaming hits Persuasion and Bridgerton have divided viewers over liberties taken in an attempt to appeal to a younger – and very online – crowd.
On the face of it, it seems unusual that the costume drama has become a culture war hotspot. For decades, its proper place hasn’t been the battleground but rather the cosiest slot on Sunday night telly. In those dark days before 1995’s BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, historical dramas – for the most part – did their best to mimic their literary source.
