SHOWCASE: Victorian Movies and TV Shows - History, Mystery and a Little Romance

This is the first installment of the Showcase of Victorian Movies and TV Shows.

Over the years, there has been an abundance of movies, miniseries and TV shows that have been set in England during the Victorian era. Original fiction as well as the works of Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, the Bronte sisters, and Elizabeth Gaskell have all been presented on the large and small screen. So what shows can you seek out for your Victorian inspiration?

Today, we’ll discuss the BBC’s 2004 miniseries, “North and South,” starring Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe. A four-part series, with each episode lasting about 1 hour.

Based on the novel by Elizabet Gaskell, this is the story of Margaret Hale, a gently-bred parson’s daughter from the pastoral South of England who is uprooted and moved to “dark Satanic mills” of industrial Milton in the North, where she meets the stern, outwardly cold cotton-mill owner John Thornton. Their clash of wills produces sparks that soon turn into a conflagration.

Excellent performances by all involved – Richard Armitage’s swoon-worthy portrayal of the tall, dark and brooding Thornton inspired so much fervent admiration that the sheer number of messages reputedly crashed the BBC’s message-board.

Margaret’s first glimpse of John Thornton impresses her, but his later actions inspire her scorn and disgust.

John Thornton watches over the operations in his cotton mill

Margaret’s impulsive effort to protect Thornton from a mob leads him to make a premature declaration of love, which she rejects.

Margaret refuses John's impetuous proposal of marriage — Margaret refuses John’s impetuous proposal of marriage

Thornton is hurt, but he bends his own high principles in order to protect Margaret from being dragged into a scandalous situation. When she finds out what he’s done, she’s grateful but still won’t reveal the secret that is not hers to divulge. Their next meeting is tense.

John and Margaret meet, but she has secrets she can't tell him — John and Margaret meet, but she has secrets she can’t tell him

Margaret leaves Milton to live with family friends in London. She says farewell to John, giving him her father’s Plato, a book he promises to cherish.

"I wish you well, Mr. Thornton." — “I wish you well, Mr. Thornton.”

Only a miracle could unite John and Margaret now. You’ll have to watch the whole series to find out how the miracle happens!