01 April 2007

History on TV

I should talk about something high-minded like books or historical research or writing. Alas, I am in a pajamas-and-movies sort of mood today. While checking my blog roll, I stumbled on a preview for Showtime's new series, "The Tudors." Here's the preview, set to Evanescence's "Lacrymosa" -- because EMO bands, despite their youth, recognize the dramatic power of Mozart's Requiem!

My husband and I have not had cable for about five years. While this has saved us a couple grand and many hours of aimless tube time, that means I've also missed two of the most important historical series on TV in the last decade, "Deadwood" and "Rome." Television helped inspire my fascination with history (my obsession with "The Young Riders"), so I feel particularly left out of the cable world when new and interesting historical dramas come along.

There is hope, of course. DVDs abound, and Showtime has posted the first two episodes of "The Tudors" on the official website (linked above). Maybe I should play catch-up and spend some of that tube time I've saved up over the years. That's how free time works, right??

My questions for you: what do you think about "Deadwood," "Rome," and "The Tudors"? Inquiring minds without cable TV want to know! What other history dramas on television have sparked your interest, if any? Did they persuade you to rethink or re-imagine a particular period? Did they inspire your writing?