Belgravia has been compared to Downton Abbey (Image: ITV)
Julian Fellowes and period dramas appear to be utterly inseparable.
From the mastermind behind Downton Abbey, Gosford Park, The English Game, and The Gilded Age comes yet another fictionalised historical drama – Belgravia.
Set in the 19th century, Belgravia launches at a genuine historical event – the Duchess of Richmond’s ball in June 1815, which took place just two days before the Battle of Waterloo.
Revolving around the captivating lives of the Trenchard and Bellasis families, the series swiftly ventures into classic period drama territory, brimming with scandals, intrigue, romance, class politics – the works.
Directed by John Alexander and penned by Julian Fellowes, Belgravia is adapted from his namesake 2016 novel and brings together the same production team responsible for Downton Abbey.
The series is based on a best-selling book (Image: Carnival film & television limited)
Firmly established as the undisputed king of the period drama, comparisons to Fellowes’ enormously successful Downton Abbey are unavoidable.
Speaking to Town and Country, Fellowes addressed this directly: “I think [Belgravia] it’s darker than Downton. The servants are working people; they’re doing their jobs because those are the jobs that were available. It’s not sentimental. It’s a sharper world.”
The limited series made its UK debut on ITV on March 15, 2020, before arriving in the United States on April 12, 2020, via Epix.
A second, follow-up series entitled Belgravia: The Next Chapter was quickly commissioned and confirmed in September 2022. Written and developed by Helen Edmundson, the programme launched in January 2024 on ITV.
The series is streaming on Amazon (Image: Carnival film & television limited)
Alice Eve, Ella Purnell, Tamsin Greig, Richard Goulding, and Emily Reid are accompanied by Tom Wilkinson, Harriet Walter, Philip Glenister, and Tara Fitzgerald to complete Belgravia’s accomplished ensemble.
Critics held divided opinions about the programme, with one noting: “Belgravia has all the touchstones of a bodice-ripper. Great romance and thrilling revenge. And the usual coterie of leaching and sneering in-laws.”
While another wrote: “Though billed as a showcase for state-of-the-art costume drama, the six-part bonnet-fest feels more like a one-stop shop for all the worst excesses and boredoms of a genre that has outlived its usefulness.”
Another review said: “Belgravia is gorgeously appointed, it’s romantic enough, it’s grounded in the manners of a far more delicate time when everyone stood six-feet apart lest they bump hands.”
And one critic added: “Belgravia errs on the wrong side of that divide, but it is so well-appointed that it is never less than beautiful to watch, just like “Downton.”
For some, the finery will win out over refinement.”
Audience reviews leaned firmly towards the positive, with one viewer saying: “Incredible show! Nothing was obvious, it kept the audience in suspense until the very last minute. Loved the complexity of the characters, the authenticity of the costumes and overall atmosphere. Highly recommend!”
While another added: “Wonderful series!! The storyline is gripping from the very first episode. There is no woke political ideology that spoils so many films and series these days. Brilliant, authentic acting and casting in the excellent period production. So many movies and series try and fail to promote female empowerment; however, Belgravia delivers this message superbly.”