Off The Telly - What Shall We Watch? Classic Period Dramas

Episode Date: November 29, 2024

In this bonus episode Nat and Jo hear from listeners about their favourite Period Dramas. What qualifies as a period drama? The girls discuss how your classics can range from bonnets and carriages, to Victorian times, to the 1970s. They cover shows like Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, and Gentleman Jack.Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly. What they can’t stop watching, what they definitely aren’t going to bother with, new releases and comforting classics – TV is timeless and no telly is out of bounds. As well as having a natter about what’s on TV, they share backstage goss from the world of telly, whilst also cracking up about the more humbling moments in their lives. Self-confessed TV addicts and stars of two of the biggest shows on our screens, EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to see what’s occurring on and off the telly.Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. So, this special episode is all about our favourite period dramas. Off the telly, what shall we watch? Whoa! Favourite period dramas. Here we go. Right, I'm going to sit back. What ones have you been in? Because you've told a few stories.

What ones have you been in? You've a few stories you've been you've been in loads listen i'm jealous do you know right i was in a period drama once called to the ends of the earth yeah and we were filming oh my god right we were filming in the natural history museum and it's called to the ends of the earth and benedict cumberbatch was in it right and he plays this fella on a boat right so i start in start in the beginning with the gorgeous Matthew Rhys, who I was in drama school with. And he plays like my fella who's proposed to me, you know, like my person.

Who is that? My fiancé. Your fiancé. He plays my fiancé. And the opening bit, we had a scene in, you know, like the entrance hall to the Natural History Museum. I know exactly what you mean. With the large dinosaur.

With the big dinosaur. We got to film all the way through there, right, in the middle of the night. And it was incredible. It was like being at night at the museum or something. That's incredible. We were just running around, just getting to, you know, just run around and do things which you never, ever get to do.

I had an invitation to stay at the Natural History Museum. Oh, my God, I remember you telling me. Did you stay? No. Why? Can't remember. Oh, my God. Couldn't be arsed.

I don't know if everything had just, like, woken up. I know. No, there was a reason. I don't know if Joanie wasn't well or... Yeah? Can't't remember. Oh, my God. Couldn't be arsed. I don't know if everything had just, like, woken up. I know. No, there was a reason. I don't know if Joanie wasn't well or... Yeah? Can't quite remember. Hopefully it'll pop back up again, because what a great thing to do.

Yeah. A little sleepover over there. But it was so much fun, and I just remember just being, like, running around and, like, oh, my gosh, this is brilliant. Is Only Fools and Horses classed as a period drama? Well, it probably is. Comedy drama?

It probably is, isn't it? Because, I mean, we're going back in time now i'm pushing it but you know what right though you know when i did men up the thing on the telly right about the viagra i went to my first costume fitting and um the costume designer was saying um oh we're so excited about this it's been fab we've gone and we've um pulled forward you know lots of period costume uh because we've this, this and this style was going on at the time and this and it was early 90s and she said we've pulled forward

some period costume and I was kind of like, oh my god, oh my god and then everybody was going, oh this is so much fun, isn't it? We're in a period drama and it's blah blah blah and they classed that as a period drama the early 90s. So if I get out my old jean jacket that I've got, Earl Street 1995 circa 1995. You're in a period drama Period drama. The early 90s. So if I get out my old jean jacket that I've got, Earl Street.

1990, circa 1995. You're a period drama. Period drama. I remember one of my favourite costume dramas was Tess of the Durbervilles with Gemma Ratterton playing Tess. And I think she'd only just left drama school and she was a complete like unknown. And I think Eddie Redmayne was in it as well. Classic. She was absolutely heartbreaking I fell in love with her I remember watching it and just the music from it and she had this thick

fringe and this long long long long dark brown hair I think I remember that vision she was just so she just had I'd never seen her in anything before and she had this wonderful quality and she was tess and she was very big eyes yes she was just beautiful open sort of eyes oh god what's your favorite one i was really really racking my brain thinking of things i watch with my mum and dad because i don't really we haven't really had a lot of period drama lately no and i think there probably have been a couple on which I haven't seen Gentleman Jack I didn't see any of that didn't see any of that

Seren Jones would be amazing in that I didn't see that but when I look back I remember The House of Elliot oh yeah have I spoken about

The House of Elliot before yes you have briefly but I just remember the 19 talking of costume and the period and the fashioned house and it was all the sisters together

and they had all the 1920s kind of bends and the period and the fashioned house and it was all the sisters together and they had all the 1920s kind of bends and the short hair yeah the lovely straight dresses with the tassels and i thought oh that's amazing now i'm grown up yeah i realize i can never wear a tassel straight dress can you imagine what i look like in that oh my god can you imagine me with really short curly hair with a dress on with tassels? Yes, I can. With my figure. No, but didn't they used to wear like binding things

to bind down your bust a bit so that you were like completely sort of straight and flat like that? What, are they going to bind down my hips? No, but you'd look lovely. Don't say that. You're in the most gorgeous little mini skirt that I love which has got all little silver frosting on it. Do you like it?

And I think you look gorgeous. Thank you very much. Absolutely gorgeous. I thought of you putting on this skirt and boot. Well I thought of Stacey really. Oh definitely but also the nice little silver net. I like it very much. I just thought you know what it's not overly Christmas Nah but it's giving me Christmas vibes.

You know we're verging into it aren't we? We are. Another period drama that I absolutely loved and I know I've mentioned it before, Wolf Hall. I've mentioned it before, and I shall mention it again. It's slow, the lighting, the candlelight. You can feel the cold. You can feel the pressure of it all. And I think we should do series two next week.

Oh, my God, can we? Because I've not seen any of Wolf Hall, and I'm going to watch it because you told me to now. I don't know if you're going to think it's really boring. Oh, I bet I want. I bet I'd love it. I hope, I think it's you're either going to go, I absolutely bloody love it. Yeah. It's been a lovely

I just love it. Or you'll go I can't watch it, it's too boring. Oh my god, I can't wait to find out if I find it too slow or if I like it. I saw on the internet about, was it Anne Boleyn having her head cut off in the beginning? And they were describing how much it was the same as what originally happened. And I was fascinated.

I was going to say it's a spoiler, but if we don't know which of the wives died, beheaded, divorced, died, beheaded. I don't know. There's the tune that there's... There's no spot. Divorced, beheaded, died. But which one is which? Divorced, beheaded, survived. But which one is it? Because we know the range of it. But which one is which? Divorced, beheaded, survived. But which one is it? Because we know the range of it. But which one is which one? We should all know that information and we don't.

We know Anne Boleyn's the most famous. You've got Catherine Parr. You've got Catherine of Aragon. Jane Seymour. Jane Seymour. What is the other two? Terrible, isn't it? It's terrible.

We don't know. Anne of Cleves. Anne of Cleves. Anne Boleyn. We've got one more. Anne of Cleves, Anne Boleyn. We've got one more. Anne of Cleves, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Catherine of Aragon. Catherine Parr. Yes, I said that.

One more. Catherine Howard. Catherine Howard. I've still only got six. There's one missing. What we need to do... Oh, no, there is six. They only had six.

Oh, my God. I was just going to say that I've only got six. And then I was going to say, do you know what we need to do? We need to listen to the musical. Because that'll tell them we need to listen to the musical six. Six. Why did I think that Henry VIII and Seven Wives... I don't know, but I'm at six, seven, eights here.

I'm going to write two and eight with the numbers. I'm sitting here like this going, I've only got six. What we need to do is listen to the musical six. That's fine. Like I say, it's a complicated thing. But I don't think it's a spoiler that Anne Boleyn had her off. Oh, my God. Off with her head and all that.

I love the Tower of London, you know. And all of that, going there. Yeah, me too. Walking around thinking, actually think, the stuff that's gone on. Imagine what went on. But you go up and you see the two little princes. Yeah.

All that. Have you taken the kids there lately? No, I've never taken the kids there. I think you should. I think you should absolutely love it. It's brilliant. You see all the jewels and then you go up the little tiny... Petrified. Mine were petrified.

Were they? Because it's eerie. Yeah. Oh, it's great. Can you just imagine the stuff? I mean, just being taken there and being put in a cell. It's incredible, isn't it? That it's still there, though.

Yeah. Like, right in the middle as well. You've got, like, life going on and it's there. It's there. They still do the keys, changing of the guard. They still do all the keys at night. There's a thing you can go. And don't they say that if all of the crows leave...

If the ravens go... If the ravens... Bye. It's going to crumble. Oh, my. We've got someone like that at EastEnders. What is it? His name's Jeff and he's a chippy.

And I always say if Jeff leaves, the place will crumble. And that shout out to Jeff. Oh, my God. Frosty. I love that. I love it. Yeah. I say, everyone's sort of, you know, he's unassuming and he goes around and he fixes

the wallpaper or he does a bit of paint or whatever. And I say, you don't of, you know, he's unassuming and he goes around and he fixes his wallpaper or he does a bit of paint or whatever. And I say, you don't understand how important he is. He's the glue to this show. And if he were to go, the place would be over. Yeah. That's how I feel. Shall we do Wolf Hall next week? Yes, definitely.

Wolf Hall and Brassac. Sounds good to me. Yeah. Shall we listen? Yes. Come on. What have you listen? Yes, come on. What have you got for us, listeners? Come on, what have you got? Have you watched Downton Abbey?

I love everything about it. I binged all the series and both films twice during lockdown. The first time I had COVID and I was really delirious and I really didn't know the difference between the programme and reality. I would dream I was in Downton and felt it was real when I woke up. My best friend Amanda and I went to High Clear Castle this summer where it's filmed and it's just as you see it in the programme. We just couldn't believe we were there. She kept gliding down the stairs pretending she was Lady Mary and I just wanted to go and run the household downstairs. If you haven't watched it, you have to and we're so excited for the film next year.

I've never seen any of Downton Abbey. It came out and it didn't pass me by but I didn't get into it right when it first started and so I've since then just not got into it at all. Well, I was trying to find here, I was listening to you. So Mark works with a lovely man, Damien, I believe his name is. I'm going to get all this wrong now. I'm sure it's Damo.

But his children, his twins, were in Downton Abbey. And they've grown up all the way through. So they're child actors. But, you know, they've grown all the way through it now. And I think they're still friends because I saw Hugh and them. I think there was a premiere of something and they got invited. So I think they really are kind of a close-knit lot that stick together.

And I think the children throughout their whole, you know, time of being on it absolutely loved it. Have you seen any of it? No. I think I would enjoy it. The other period drama that I do believe is, now, definitely period, is Call the Midwife. Oh, yes.

And Call the Midwife is on a lot in our house. Eliza loves it. Eliza absolutely loves it. And Joanie's just started to watch it. Oh, my God, that's so sweet. She's on Series 1, Episode 3. Oh, my gosh, that's really sweet. It is sweet.

And there are lots of life lessons in it. Yeah. And it's quite gentle. So, you know, I don't mind. And it is a really lovely drama, actually. And that's a period drama that we forget about sometimes. I remember years and years ago, right, when I was filming Nativity 2,

I was working with Pam Ferris. So jealous, by the way. You don't understand. But Pam Ferris... Listen to me. Why are you jealous of that? What? Because you're in Nativity.

But why? It was exhausting. It's like our favourite. Is it? We love Nativity 1 and 2. Oh. Three can go away. Yeah, I've not seen three.

But 1 and 2 are brilliant. Well, it's really Christmassy, isn't it? It is brilliant. It brings back good memories. I like that. I just remember it was really Christmassy. But I remember working with Pam Ferris right at the time and she said, oh yeah, I've just finished doing this thing.

It's set in the 40s and 50s. Is it the 50s? And she said, it's all about how women, you know, properly gave birth and how they used to give birth during that time. And the way she talked about it, she said, I have no idea how it's going to do, but that's what we've just finished doing. And the thing that she was talking about, Call the Midwife. That's amazing, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm like, oh my God, it was Call the Midwife she was talking about. I've got a lovely director of EastEnders who has gone on to do that now. Sarah Esdell, shout out to her. She's a lovely, lovely director. She works on Call the Midwife a lot now. But Pam Ferris was Marlark him. Oh, yes!

There you go. She was! Brilliant. Yeah. Oh God. Another great costume drama. There you go. She was. Brilliant. Yeah. Oh, God. Another great costume drama. Another amazing one. I suppose a comedy. I am now squeezing them out. No, but you can have costume dramas and like period things.

And they can still be like comedy. Because it's true. I mean, it was period then when we were watching it, you know. Yeah. All those years ago. So true. I mean, God, when shows like that come along and they just hit you and it's huge.

Yeah, it was amazing. I mean, it just completely started Catherine Zeta-Jones, didn't it? Absolutely. Incredible. Where is she now? And then what about whatever happened to her? What happened? But what about when they redid, you know, Darling Buds of May

and it just didn't work? It didn't work, no. Because you just can't capture that. There was just something so magical about it wasn't there amazing should we have another voice note yeah yeah period dramas i recommend gentleman jack um saran jones can do no wrong in my opinion she plays ann lister it's based on the true stories based on the diaries of ann lister it's written by sally wainwright who did Last Tango in Halifax and Happy Valley, so great calibre of writing.

Saran Jones stars in it, fantastic. Supported by Sophie Rundle, Gemma Whelan, Lydia Leonard, all fantastic British actresses. The costume is amazing. It looks fantastic. It's funny, it's sassy, it's sexy, but it's also a period drama it feels quite modern in the way it's been done

it's only like two or three seasons so it's small you know quite easy to watch but packs a punch so definitely

give it a go lovely I think Gentleman Jack is definitely one to do I'm just getting a bit overwhelmed now because we're in December yes

and we need to start giving it a breath because I do feel And we need to start giving it a breath because I do feel like we need to go back now and watch some Christmas specials. Yes. Because December for me, I just want to watch Christmas specials. Whether you like it or not, I want to watch Gavin and Stacey Christmas specials

before the next one's on. I'm going to have to watch the latest one because the kids haven't really watched that. They're not really interested. Eva likes the first one, the first Christmas special, where, you know, Mick is playing the piano. But she doesn't particularly like the other one. I think I'm going to have to put that one on.

Do you know what we watched the other day? Go on. Daddy's Home 2, which is a film, right? And it's so unsuitable for the children. Daddy's Home 2? Yeah, it's brilliant. Why is it unsuitable for the children? It's really worrying me, that title.

Oh, because it's Will Ferrell and then Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg and it's a film and they meet for Christmas and it's like two families just spending Christmas together but it's kind of just not really suitable.

Well, it is kind of suitable for children but it is kind of, it is, but it is kind of, there are some bits which are kind of not. Where are you going with the joke? Just put it on the other day. Because it's become one of our favourite

Christmas films. Right. And it's kind of quite funny because it's kind of not a Christmas film but is a Christmas film. It's not like a children'sy Christmas film

but we've put it on and it's kind of like one of our Christmas films. Has it got a Christmas tree in it? It's got loads of Christmas trees. Has it got Christmas music in it? Yeah. Right, so it's a Christmas film that I need to watch.

Oh my God, it's so good. Daddy's Home 2. Daddy's Home 2. Shall we have another message about period dramas? Yes. I don't really like period dramas. I find them a bit slow and a bit dull sometimes. But one that I did really enjoy was Victoria with Jenna Coleman. So, yeah, looking at the life of Queen Victoria and her time on the throne.

But I'm really annoyed because I never finished it. So the last series I watched was when Prince Albert was starting to get ill. And then there was nothing after that because I think it was when COVID hit. And I just, I don't think they brought it back maybe they did and I've missed it so if you know that they've finished it then great Do you know what right because you can get that

she was saying that she doesn't really like period dramas and you can kind of go oh god it's got to be something Victorian or it's going to be slow or whatever but Life on Mars is a period drama isn't it and Life on Mars was fab it was so good Now Jenna Coleman started her career But Life on Mars is a period drama, isn't it? And Life on Mars was fab. Yeah. It was so good. Now, Jenna Coleman started her career in Emmerdale.

She did. This is what I like to read. Yeah. I like people that move on from soap and do really well. Yeah. Well, there's loads of them. Yeah. Loads of them.

There is, isn't there? Yeah. She's been in loads of stuff, hasn't she? Oh, my God. She's been in loads of stuff oh my god so victoria did look really good actually yeah i can't believe how long ago that was how long ago was 2016 so nine years ago god that's quite a long time i that's what i loved her in sorry i was looking it up the serpent oh no i didn't watch that was it good fantastic she was brilliant was she absolutely amazing because when was that set it's not a period drama is it not is it more Watch that. Was it good? Fantastic. She was brilliant. Was she? Absolutely amazing.

Because when was that set? It's not a period drama. Is it not? Not really. Is it modern day times? Well, 70s. Well, yeah. See, look, what would we consider a period drama now?

Yeah, no, it is. You're right. If people are knocking on and talking about period dramas from the 90s, it's like, what's one? Yeah, it must be like 90s down. That's period drama. Period drama in my eyes, though, is a bustle and a corset, you know, it's that sort of thing.

Shall we have another one? Yeah. Upstairs, Downstairs series, but the later one that had, oh, my name's just gone, Keely Hawes. Keely Hawes, Anne Reid, Adrian Scarborough, Claire Foy, brilliant. I remember the older one growing up, but i would have been too young but i really like the modern remake and then the other one that i was thinking of was the bletchley circle which has got anna maxwell martin in i don't think there's anything she can do wrong she's so good in so many different roles and that was really good and lovely bit of history about the second

world war and women in particular. But yeah, there is so much choice. I don't even know how you would decide what your favourites were. I'd like to watch The Bletchley Circle. Yeah. Because we're right into Anna at the moment. We are, aren't we? We're banging to Maxwell Martin.

I mean, my God, she can do comedy. She can do everything. She does drama. She does theatre. She does the whole lot. But The Bletchley Circle would be really good. I'm guessing that's all about the computer. It's going back to the Turing and all of that. Alan Turing, is it?

I don't know. And Bletchley Park. It must be, yes. I would imagine it would be around the intelligence of the Second World War and the women that had so much to do with it. I think that would be a good one to watch with Eliza. She's doing a bit of World War II in history at the moment. I might bang it on.

Yes. Sounds like a good one. I think I'll check that out as well. I think it would be she's doing a bit of World War 2 in history at the moment I might bang it on yes sounds like a good one I think I'll check that out as well I think it would be good to have a little look at I messaged Anna Maxwell Martin the other day I sent her a voice note

and I said I have to voice note you I've not spoke to you for a good 14 months you know you look at the phone yes and you think I've not spoke to you for ages

is it appropriate yes we're just acquaintances we're not great mates but do you know what I mean yes we've worked together and I sent her a voice note to say,

I think you are absolutely amazing. We watched the drama. You were incredible. And she said, thank you so much. So are you. I said, unbelievable. I'll see you soon. Oh, my God.

That's really nice, isn't it? Because you think, oh, my God, she must get stuff. Of course she will. It doesn't make it, no, but it doesn't make it that you're a winner. But it's in you and you go, I've got to tell a fellow. Yeah. But you always kind of assume that, oh, they're not going to hear or they're not going to listen or it's not going to work.

But, you know, even though she does incredible work and she must get stuff all the time, it doesn't matter because if another actress goes, God, you were amazing in that, every single time you get something like that, it must be amazing. Yeah, it's good. That's so lovely. I had to reach out because she was just superb. So good.

Superb. We love her. We love she was superb. So good. Superb. We love her. We love Anna Maxwell Martin. Love her. Right then, shall we have our very last voice note? Hi, Nat and Jo. It's Rich here from Monmouth. Love your podcast.

Talking of period dramas, there's one that I remember so distinctly from the late 90s. It was called Barclay Square and it was on BBC One, I think. And it was a story of these three nannies that had been brought together in this very posh street in London, one from, I think, Cornwall, one from Ireland, under various circumstances. And it was such a wonderful tale of mystery, intrigue, lots of comedy as well. It had Victoria Smurfit, I think, lots of comedy as well.

Had Victoria Smurfit, I think probably one of her first TV roles. Hermione Norris, really amazing acting. And just so gutting that they didn't make a series two. I mean, it was a long, long time ago now, so it doesn't feel like they'd ever go back to it. But yeah, I remember it really, really fondly. Oh, well, I have to say there were 10 episodes. I'm just doing a Google search.

10 episodes and you can watch it on Netflix, it's saying. Oh, nice. It's on there. I remember it, but I've never seen it. Yeah. I really felt like that about the bloody soap that was on. Sarah Phelps wrote some of it. And Tony Jordan. I'm sure it was on. Sarah Phelps wrote some of it and Tony Jordan,

I'm sure it was Tony, who used to write Freestenders, but he does Death in Paradise, he does loads of stuff. Tony Jordan. And it was like a soap opera. I'm sure I've spoke about this before. Oh, yes! It was like a soap opera and it was on... Yes! It was half an hour, 40 minutes and it was all about the Dickensian

time. Yeah! I can't remember what it was called. I remember you saying about that. It was half an hour, 40 minutes, and it was all about the Dickensian time. Yeah. I can't remember what it was called. I remember you saying about that. It was called Dickensian. It was called Dickensian. What a knob. But I loved that, and I think that could have run and run and run, and it devastates me that it didn't.

I don't know. We'd have to look it up. But it was really, honestly, I loved it, and it was a soap. Yeah. Set in the Dickens era. It was brilliant. Well, there we have it. Well, that's it for our latest bonus episode.

And thank you so, so much for sending in your voice notes. We couldn't do these episodes without you and we mean it. And we're getting fully, fully, fully geared up now for Christmas. We are getting into it. It's just around the corner. And you all know how much we both love Christmas. So for our next bonus set, we want to hear all about your favourite Christmas telly. What Christmas special do you watch every year?

Or what films do you pop on to get in a Christmassy mood? Everybody's going to say Gavin and Stacey, aren't they? Oh, my God. I'm quite excited actually i'm doing my adr for it tomorrow are you and adr is when say you've been filming and a plane goes over so you don't hear the line or you know your voice sounds a bit funny so the line doesn't prop you go properly you go into the studio before it goes on the telly and you have to sort of just mouth you know you say the words along with your lips moving.

My God, there could be so much of a better way to explain that, couldn't there? And I just literally can't say it. A voiceover whilst looking at the pictures? A voiceover whilst looking at the pictures is far better. I'm doing that tomorrow, so I'm going to get to see some of it. How exciting. I saw a lovely pic of you. They did a picture from back then, didn't they? The four of you and then a picture from now.

Looking brilliant. Costume brilliant. Characterisation brilliant. I'm so excited. Really excited. You let us know what specials you like watching. Please do, yeah. Favourite specials that you watch. Traditions that you have over Christmas. It hasn't got

to be a drama or it could be that you sit down to EastEnders or you're Gavin and Stacey or like me. I'm going to save my tradition for that. I shall save it for the episode because I've got quite a lot of them. Oh, my God. I can't wait to hear. I can't wait to hear.

So send us a voice note on WhatsApp all about your favourite Christmas telly. The number is 033 06784 704. Oh, how brilliant. Thanks again for the voice notes and I shall see you very soon, my friend. See you next week. Bye, lovely. Bye.

Off the Telly is hosted by Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page. The producer is Georgia Keating. The commissioning editor is Rhian Roberts and it's a BBC Studios audio production for BBC Sounds. Hello, this is Marion Keys. And this is Tara Flynn. We host a podcast you might like for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds called Now You're Asking.

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