Writer Janet Mullany is from England, drinks a lot of tea, and likes Jane Austen, reading, and gasping in shock at costumes in historical TV dramas. Her household near Washington DC includes a badly-behaved cat about whom she frequently boasts.
PBS
I don’t know about you but I’m becoming accustomed to the very episodic nature of World On Fire — the series demands your attention and it’s easy to miss details (this is by way of apology for naming a character Ginger Beard in this recap because I did
PBS
As the second episode of World on Fire begins, we're one month into the war and our characters continue to grapple with love and loss, and make irrevocable decisions. Watch the seires' opening titles closely — in this episode the images we see in quick succession include a
PBS
The problem with World on Fire — and it isn’t really a problem — is that we know what’s going to happen. The Second World War has been covered many times in documentaries, notably the BBC documentary series World at War, which served as an inspiration to writer Peter Bowker
Books
Though its finale aired several weeks ago, we're all still talking about Sanditon - what worked and what didn’t, and the fact that a second season seems more and more unlikely, despite the efforts of diehard fans. Was the TV series showrunner Andrew Davies’ homage to author Jane
Movies
Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. These are the opening words of Jane Austen’s
History
Mrs. Griffiths was a very well-behaved, genteel kind of woman, who supported herself by receiving such great girls and young ladies as wanted either masters for finishing their education or a home for beginning their displays. She had several more under her care than the three who were now
Theater
Not to like pantomime, the journalist Leigh Hunt declared, is not to like love: pantomime is a curious blend of continental and British traditions. The raw energy of music hall, the sauciness of Victorian burlesque, the crazy chase of the harlequinade, the acrobatic power of John Rich, the archetypal plots
Culture
“Jane Austen? Didn’t she just write six novels? What do you talk about?” This comment—quoted with a satirical inflection that Jane Austen would have appreciated—was made by Liz Philosophos Cooper, President of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) at the organization’s 2019 Annual General
Drama
The first episode of Dublin Murders aired this week on premium cable network Starz, and we're all really hoping the series will be as good as this beginning. Just to be clear, I am a great admirer of author Tana French’s writing, and I think I was
History
Are you still picking the candy wrappers (or possibly even leftover candy) from their hiding places and wondering whether you should do something about the decaying pumpkin outside your house? And are you wondering whether you’d have these problems if you were a Brit? Halloween is catching on in
History
When we first meet Ned Despard (played by Vincent Regan) in the final season of Poldark, he's in prison and has written to his old friend Ross, with whom he served in the British Army in the American War of Independence, for help. Ross, always one for the
History
Think Game of Thrones. Instead of the Iron Throne, we have the throne of England up for grabs, three candidates, and a lot of bloodshed. England just before the Norman conquest is just that—it doesn’t include Wales or Scotland yet, and was technically only conquered by Vikings a