The Story of the Costume Drama
We checked 8 streaming services in India on 04 Jun 2026 at 15:32 IST
About
ITV3 investigates how the costume drama genre has evolved over the decades - from The Forsyte Saga to Upstairs, Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited to Lost in Austen. Get closer to the drama with interviews with the stars and the people behind-the-camera, from the writers to the location managers.
Cast
Seasons
Episodes
Miniseries
The Greatest Stories Ever Told
An overview of the genre, from its beginnings with swashbuckling series The Adventures of Robin Hood to classic period dramas such as The Forsyte Saga, Upstairs, Downstairs and Brideshead Revisited. This episode traces the changes the genre has undergone in its 50-year history and speaks to stars including Susan Hampshire, Timothy West, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Anthony Andrews, Alex Kingston and Art Malik.
The Stars
Costume dramas ignited young performers' careers and benefited from the glow of established stars. Alex Kingston's Moll Flanders led her to ER, and Keira Knightley's Lara in Doctor Zhivago got Hollywood calling. Conversely, Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall and Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe defied typecasting in My Boy Jack.
Affairs of the Heart
The "bodice rippers" of the 1990s helped costume dramas shed their staid reputation as quickly as characters doffed their period garb. Colin Firth's wet-shirt scene in Pride and Prejudice and the romps of Moll Flanders epitomized a slew of saucy literary adaptations. Earlier dramas like Edward the King exposed royal infidelities.
Picture Perfect
The pursuit of high production values drove costume dramas out of the studio and into real castles and countryside. Castle Howard attracted tourists after appearing in Brideshead Revisited, rugged Cornwall lent local color to action-packed Poldark, and a Lithuanian river became a Renaissance-era Thames for Helen Mirren's Elizabeth I.
A Call to Arms
Costume dramas spawned an army of dashing heroes in uniform, but not all fought with the aplomb of Sean Bean's Sharpe or Ioan Gruffudd's Horatio Hornblower. The Monocled Mutineer opened a controversial chapter of World War I and A Piece of Cake's flying stunts rewrote the Battle of Britain.
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Watch The Story of the Costume Drama Online Free — All Episodes in HD
Looking for a place to watch The Story of the Costume Drama online for free? You've landed on the right page. The Story of the Costume Drama is a talked-about English documentary series from 2008 that you can stream right now on Bowood.TV in high quality, no signup required.
About The Story of the Costume Drama
ITV3 investigates how the costume drama genre has evolved over the decades - from The Forsyte Saga to Upstairs, Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited to Lost in Austen. Get closer to the drama with interviews with the stars and the people behind-the-camera, from the writers to the location managers. Across 1 season and 5 episodes, originally airing on ITV3.
The Story of the Costume Drama Cast and Characters
The cast features Keeley Hawes (as Herself - Narrator). Their performances are a major reason The Story of the Costume Drama has built such a passionate audience.
Where to Watch The Story of the Costume Drama Online
Bowood.TV lets you stream The Story of the Costume Drama online free, instantly, in HD. There's nothing to install — open the page, hit play, done. Works perfectly on Jio, Airtel, Vi networks across India and on slow mobile data thanks to our adaptive video pipeline.
▶ Watch The Story of the Costume Drama NowWhy People Are Watching The Story of the Costume Drama
The Story of the Costume Drama flies under the radar but it deserves your attention. What makes it work is a tone and style that's hard to find elsewhere. If you enjoy English storytelling that doesn't follow the same tired beats, this is the kind of show you'll end up recommending to friends.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Story of the Costume Drama
Where can I watch The Story of the Costume Drama online for free?
You can watch The Story of the Costume Drama online free on Bowood.TV. Just open the page and hit play — no signup, no subscription, full HD streaming on phone, tablet, or desktop.
How many episodes does The Story of the Costume Drama have?
The Story of the Costume Drama has 5 episodes across 1 season. All episodes are available to stream right here on Bowood.TV.
Is The Story of the Costume Drama good? What's the rating?
The Story of the Costume Drama holds a 0.0/10 rating based on 0 reviews — a niche pick worth checking out.
Who is in the cast of The Story of the Costume Drama?
The main cast includes Keeley Hawes.
Is The Story of the Costume Drama available in English?
Yes — The Story of the Costume Drama was originally produced in English and that's the version you'll stream here on Bowood.TV.
When was The Story of the Costume Drama released?
The Story of the Costume Drama first aired in 2008.
Do I need an account to watch The Story of the Costume Drama on Bowood.TV?
No. Bowood.TV is free and you can watch The Story of the Costume Drama without creating an account. Sign-up is optional — only useful if you want a personal Watchlist or to comment on episodes.
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If you enjoyed The Story of the Costume Drama, check out Spring of the Blade, Burning Flames, The Only Girl You Haven't Seen, Word of Honor, and My Merman Brother.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch The Story of the Costume Drama for free?
You can watch The Story of the Costume Drama online for free on Bowood.TV. All 5 episodes across 1 season are available to stream in HD without a subscription, signup, or paywall. Just open the show page and press play.
How many seasons and episodes does The Story of the Costume Drama have?
The Story of the Costume Drama currently has 1 season and a total of 5 episodes. The series status is "Ended", so the episode count may grow as new seasons are released. You can browse the full episode list on Bowood.TV and continue watching from where you left off.
What is The Story of the Costume Drama about?
ITV3 investigates how the costume drama genre has evolved over the decades - from The Forsyte Saga to Upstairs, Downstairs, Brideshead Revisited to Lost in Austen. Get closer to the drama with interviews with the stars and the people behind-the-camera, from the writers to the location managers. It belongs to the Documentary genre.
In which language is The Story of the Costume Drama originally available?
The Story of the Costume Drama was originally produced in English. On Bowood.TV the show is available in its original English audio, which is the most authentic way to experience the dialogue, music, and performances. Check the player options on the watch page for available subtitle tracks.
When was The Story of the Costume Drama first released?
The Story of the Costume Drama first premiered on January 1, 2008 (2008). The series has since concluded its run.
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