Mary and I just finished watching a television series called Manor House. This 3-part, 6-hour PBS series aired in 2002 and is now available on DVD.
Manor House ranks as one of the best TV shows I have ever had the pleasure to watch. This was reality television at its very best, putting Survivor and Big Brother to shame (well, they are pretty shameful to begin with.)
Basically, nineteen volunteers from the modern world move into Manderston (an authentic Edwardian palace in the Scottish Borders), and set the wayback machine for 1905 England. A family of five and a staff of 14 re-create life as it was for thew new rich and their servants during the period in British social history before the First World War. Both the family and the staff worked diligently to be authentic, experiencing the ups and downs, and trials and tribulations that must have been common nearly 100 years ago.
The series had it alll. I found myself empathizing with many of the characters, both the servants who worked incredibly long hours toiling for a master who most were not allowed to even acknowledge, and the family, some of whom felt imprisoned in the guilded cage they were placed in. It was a time where everyone "had their place" in the social structure, and it was unthinkable to stray from their position. The series had a great deal of tension on many levels, especially when the authentic french chef was involved. And some moments were downright funny.
The Manor House site tells the story, presents interviews with the volunteers, discusses Edwardian life, and even has a "Are you a snob?" test. Great stuff and recommended viewing.
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