Ever wonder what it’s like at the actual locations of your favorite shows? Maybe it’s having been through film school, but I can hardly watch a series without picturing being there and trying to determine what it’s like in real life.
So, when I decided to come on my trip to the UK, I planned to visit filming locations of three of my favorite shows: The Tudors, Doctor Who, and Downton Abbey.
I’ll admit, my love of the Showtime/BBC produced series The Tudors has spun off into a fixation (ahem, obsession) with Henry VIII and all things Tudor-related. I won’t bore you with all the historical knowledge I’ve accumulated on the matter, but just so you know, this is Hampton Court Palace, which was Henry VIII’s favorite place to party. (If you want to nerd out about Tudor history, email me!)
I will say, if you like soap-opera-ish sexy drama you should totally get into The Tudors.
This is the Battersea Power Station in London, featured in one of my favorite episodes of Doctor Who as the manufacturing plant for Cybermen. I couldn’t resist also venturing to Cardiff, Wales, in search of where the Doctor sometimes alights on the rift in space-time.
Doctor Who is one of the greatest shows ever. 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the show’s creation by the BBC, so it’s a really good time to check it out if you’re not familiar with it. It’s a time-travel, sci-fi series, that tells of the adventures of a time-lord called the Doctor and his companions. My favorite Doctor is David Tennant, so start with the modern Series 2, if you want to check him out. Another popular Doctor was Tom Baker, who played the role in the 1970s – definitely watch this if you want to laugh at the “special effects” of the time period. Priceless.
Eek!!! Cyberman!!!!
Highclere Castle, located in the county of Newbury, is the home of the Grantham family depicted on Downton Abbey. Also a soap opera, really (but quite a good one), the show begins not long after the turn of the 20th century, and depicts what life is like on an English country estate, for the lords and ladies, and the workers they employ.
Okay, do you like these shows, or have I just proved what a giant nerd I am? Personally, I find the reserved nature of British drama to be really successful at creating suspense and intrigue. Let me know what you think!
