Edwardians on Screen: From Downton Abbey to Parade's End

Edwardians on Screen examines one of the most popular and influential trends in contemporary television: the representation on screen of the early years of the twentieth century, leading up to and including the First World War. From mainstream popular period dramas such as Downton Abbey, to more 'academic', critically-acclaimed productions such as Tom Stoppard’s recent BBC adaptation of Parade’s End, the small screen has revealed an ongoing fascination with the period over the last ten years. This study explores why the Edwardian era has become so popular with television audiences, and what kind of resonance the first years of the twentieth century have for the first years of our own. The book also explores what these programmes can tell us about the state of what the author terms 'post-post heritage' drama today.