As promised for @bammsie’s Austen Tea Party, I compiled a list of my Top 10 Period Drama/Movie Heroes … because it is a universally acknowledged truth that one must discuss handsome guys at a tea party. Of course, Mr. Darcy rules them all. Or maybe not?

23
87

    10. Lt. William Bush (Horatio Hornblower) = The best platonic friend you could want at sea. Comes with a dry sense of humour.

    (though um, he can’t swim).

    8
    2

      While I agree that Lt Bush is a fine figure of a man, Horacio Hornblower jumping into the water to inspect the ships hull for damage is a highlight of the series.

      3
      1

        It was a difficult decision indeed. They go together, those two. I think jumping off the Cliff of Non-Doom was the highlight for me, and thus Lt Bush made it to the list.

        3
        1

      Comment was deleted

      0
      0

    9. Sir Percival Blakeney (The Scarlet Pimpernel) = Double identity hero. Lazy chaebol and dashing errand boy of the French Revolution. Dripping with wit and charm. (I prefer the 1934 film; A&E series is also fun).

    12
    3

      Comment was deleted

      0
      0

      They’re both very good versions. Not sure who I like better, Leslie Howard or Richard E Grant as the Scarlet Pimpernel 😆

      6
      1

        My first was Anthony Andrews opposite Jane Seymour. As a child I didn’t comprehend the challenges of projecting masculinity and bravery under a foppish veil.

        6
        0

      YESSSSSS THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL.

      Ok, I’m composed. I LOVE this list!

      5
      0

    8. Mr. Henry Tilney (Northanger Abbey) = Can dance, can be funny.

    Can kiss.

    12
    1

    7. Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre) = The dark horse. Bad boy with a past and a temper.

    7
    0

    6. Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables) = The boy next door and everybody’s crush at school.

    Grows up to be quite the gentleman:

    15
    3

      5. Will Buxton (Return to Cranford) = Just a really nice guy with a difficult father.

      (Nothing to do with the fact that he’s played by Tom Hiddleston, nope).

      9
      2

        4. Captain Wentworth (Persuasion): Perfection. He will wait for as long as it takes for his loved one to come to him.

        Sea captain with a musical ear to boot.

        11
        2

          3. Mr. Roger Hamley (Wives and Daughters) = The awkward bookish guy who doesn’t know he’s really handsome… and cannot take a hint when someone likes him. Tragic.

          10
          9

            2. Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) = The Proud Man. He’s tolerable I suppose; quite enough to make generations of women swoon. His lake swim in the 90s went VHS-viral.

            And his love confession in the 2000s unleashed a host of memes and GIFS.

            12
            0

            I’m sure by now you could guess who ranks first on my list…

            5
            0

            1. Mr. Thornton (North and South) = Misunderstood Cold Hero, like Darcy – but this is a self-made man who started out poor. His rough speech and no-nonsense attitude didn’t earn him many friends, but those who knew him could see his worth.

            Fans dropped dead when he smiled.

            12
            0

            THE END

            9
            0

            Did I tell you that I once saw Richard Armitage in real life without his shirt on?

            *okay, so he was on the stage and I was in the audience – but still, that counts *

            15
            0

            @cloggie No, you didn’t. How did you survive?
            Mr. Thornton doesn’t even need a shirtless scene to make him rank number 1. 😉

            7
            0

            ROGERRRRR!!! I love you!

            He rode 7 miles to bring her wasps’ nest, and you don’t do that for nothin’.

            Also, Molly is one of my favorite heroines ever, I love her to pieces..

            4
            0

            @bammsie I love Molly too! I was practically making a list of favourite heroines in my head while preparing this post.

            2
            0

            @wishfultoki

            She’s just. the best gal in every way. Kind, honest, sweet, but will not take your stupidity.

            1
            0

          @cloggie WHAT? **dies of jealousy••

          5
          0

        Oop, hello! I love you, too!

        3
        0

      I LOVE this series!!

      4
      0

      My son… 💖

      3
      0

    Oh! This is exactly the kind of discussion we need!
    *squeee!*

    I need a proper fan fort all of this excitement… <3

    6
    1

    Mr. TOO SEXY FOR DRY SHIRTS, Sir Percival Blakeney, Mr. Rochester& Mr. Gilbert Blythe are the only four I’m familiar with from the books and movies. Sad. I see my classical literature/movies knowlege is throughly lacking. I was always the more Tintin & Haddock types – adventure all the way, in any format. Nevertheless, it was such a pleasure to meet all these fine men. *fans self*

    9
    2

      Oh, not many people know the Scarlet Pimpernel! (Or I haven’t bumped into them).
      There are other heroes, but they weren’t that interesting… sorry Edward (Sense and Sensibility) and Mr. Knightley (Emma).
      I hope you will follow up on this introduction to Mr. Thornton – North and South is only 4 episodes long, and worth every minute of it. 🙂

      7
      4

        This is marvelous and obviously, I’m WAY behind in my watching series. Where can I find North and South?

        3
        1

          Hmm, to watch legally l think you may have to buy the DVD, or maybe it’s on Netflix?
          *cough* I found episode 1 here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fc26y

          5
          3

            Thanks for ruining my life @wishfultoki 😁😁

            So I had to see what’s the fuss about Mr Thornton and Richard Armitage – I mean him being No.1 in your list and that picture you posted and the vid link – if a beanie went through such trouble, I should return the courtesy, right? ….. Four hours later, I think my head is light from the swooning that I did in the last five minutes of the series (I may or may not watched that scene more than it’s considered healthy) and now I have to read the book so there goes my productive weekend of cleaning the house 😂😂

            4
            0

            *rubs her hands in glee* “Success!”

            @suriyana-shah you’re very welcome. Welcome to the Mr. Thornton fanclub! Those final 5 minutes are deadly 😂

            3
            0

            @wishfultoki that last 5 minutes – I probably died and gone to heaven! O.M.G. That look he gave her while she was giving her business proposal spiel – was just 😍😍😍😍 how can he look at her so tenderly and with so much love??? And she couldn’t even look at him properly (who can blame her, if it was me, I would probably just throw myself at him, shameless yes) And how kdrama is their chance (i.e. fateful) meeting? Ahh… I’m a rambling bumbling mess and it’s all your fault 😂

            But I suppose this earns me a legit spot in the Thornton fanclub 💕💕

            3
            0

        Haha – we did the Scarlet Pimpernel for a play in school. When I was in fifth or sixth grade, I think. An easy version of it. ^^; That may explain why I know it. [I was in the choir! ^^]
        O.O got it. I did think Mr. Thornton is particularly handsome. An excellent case for watching the series! ^^;

        3
        0

        Mr Knightley is one of my personal favorites 💖

        4
        0

        Now you’ve made want to rewatch ALL.OF.THESE!!!

        2
        0

      Mr. TOO SEXY FOR DRY SHIRTS

      BWAH! You gave me my first guffaw of my morning.

      5
      1

    This is a solid list.

    5
    1

      I am pleased it meets your approval. 🙂 Would you care to add any I may have missed? It has been a while since I watched period dramas…

      3
      1

        Richard Armitrage as Sir Guy of Giburne in the BBC series Robin Hood is also a good one. While technically a “bad” guy, he deserves some love.

        1
        0

    This was great! I loved your list, makes me want to rewatch so many great mini series and movies. I would have to add Colonel Brandon (Sense & Sensibility) to the list.

    8
    1

    OMG. I LOVE THIS POST. BLESS

    3
    1

      Aside from the men you got, I’d add Mr. Knightley (Emma) to the list. I mean, if he can scold you and be disappointed in you, and still love you in the process, the man must be cray. In love. Hahahaha.

      *inserts Brent Bailey’s Knightley eyerolling*

      3
      2

        Hahaha I didn’t like Emma (the character) much so I had forgotten about those interesting quirks you mention… a hero whose eyes roll when the heroine is stupid? Yes, please!

        3
        1

          Hahahaha. True! Knightley is the older-brother-who-scolds-you type, like he will not pull his punches when he knows Emma did something wrong. So Emma had tons of character development because of him. I think that’s why Emma came to like him too.

          1
          1

        Oh, me! Me! I agree with this! Except Jonny Lee Miller is my bias here!

        1
        1

    I love this post. Bless you, witty.

    Thornton and Darcy taking #1 and #2 is awesome. 🙂

    (It makes me cackle to think that he’s cold and misunderstood considering he was such a dork in the book.)

    2
    1

      The books are always better. My friends hate me because we can never watch P&P or LOTR without me going “That wasn’t in the book” 😉

      6
      2

        Pwahahaha, can you watch movies with me, then? I’m the same way!

        Obviously, that stressed me out come The Hobbit movies. Those were awful in terms of accuracy.

        3
        1

          Do not get me started on The Hobbit trilogy. I went to the CINEMA to watch the first film with my friends and they almost kicked me out because I was grumbling “not in the book” too much 😂😂 By the time the third film rolled by I had convinced myself that this was not Tolkien’s Hobbit, and thus enjoyed it more.

          1
          3

            And I was OK. with the first one. It had a lot of inaccuracies, but I was able to forgive it.

            And then the second and third ones rolled around and I had to stop myself from yelling, “WHY ORCS? THERE ARE NO ORCS IN HERE. WHERE DID THIS STUPID LOVE TRIANGLE COME FROM kdnxKASIEDBCKSKA”

            2
            0

            Ah yes, sorry, it was the second one that I watched in the cinema… evil Thranduil, barrel-battle, romance (askdakshd???), white orc subplot and playing hide-and-seek with a dragon were almost too much for me. Spiders were cool though.
            # FEAST!
            # we are hard to please

            1
            0

            “Spiders are cool, though.”

            😂 ME.

            1
            0

        @wishfultoki, I’m jumping in here because I’ll never get another chance to say this re book vs movie, UGH that Kiera Knightley P&P 😠 ! Did they think the Brontes wrote the book???

        2
        2

          @bbstlIKR? “You have bewitched me body and soul and I love, love youuu” (or something like that). It took me a while to get used to that version. I still cannot stomach the way Elizabeth speaks to her mother- for all her obnoxious ways Lizzie was never rude to her in the books… so it’s the 1995 version for me anyday.

          2
          2

          I love Bronte as much as Austen, but don’t mix the two up, filmmakers!!

          2
          1

    I was like “psh! of course it’s Darcy who else cou–oh. Oh.OH!!!”
    I still think, thiiiiiink, I’d leave Darcy as #1, but Mr. Thornton…*fans herself*
    This is such a wonderful list <3 made me wanna rewatch North & South!!

    4
    2

      I’ve just watched the first episode…
      Tomorrow I’ll try to watch the second.

      This just might be the antidote I needed since My Ajusshi will be over soon…

      3
      1

        It might be! Did you enjoy the 1st ep?

        1
        1

          Yes! Very much!
          I had forgotten many details that I wasn’t bothered by any changes that were made. The casting is excellent and the production values are what we all have come to expect from the BBC.
          We could watch it together if you want…?
          <3 <3 <3

          P.S. I found my fan now, so I am prepared… ^^

          2
          8

            …details so I wasn’t…
            sheesh

            0
            0

            Let’s!!
            I’m gonna start ep 1, then! ^^
            *looks for her fan as well*

            2
            0

            I’ll join you two. Rewatching episode 1 now. *grabs fan*

            2
            0

            @natzillagorilla, @wishfultoki,

            Yay !! 💗

            2
            0

            @rukia @wishfultoki
            I’d forgotten the violent way in which they introduced Mr. Thornton! I was taken aback a bit, but it obviously works perfectly to set Margaret’s distaste for him right away.
            I agree with you, Rukia, this is what is expected of the BBC and I absolutely love it!
            Also, Mr. Thornton’s voice, and accent, and overall face lol <3 <3 <3 I was giggling like a schoolgirl when Margaret was fixing him some tea. The tension!!
            I'm so happy Toki decided to bring this list up <3

            2
            0

            @natzillagorilla, @wishfultoki,
            Yes!!! The tension when their fingers touched!
            Also, what do you think about her parents? Thank goodness Margaret is level headed. sheesh.
            I am looking forward to episode 2 (and probably the rest) tomorrow…
            It is dinnertime here, so I have to wait… ^^

            2
            0

            I’d forgotten it too @natzillagorilla! I actually stopped drinking my tea in shock. It’s amazing how much character journey is packed into 4 episodes (I mean, for us beanies who are used to 16 or more episodes LOL).

            3
            0

            @rukia it’s difficult with these two because they’re so perfectly molded into what they’re supposed to be…I find even Margaret annoying at times when I know it’s not her fault! I’ll watch 2nd ep tonight (which I’m guessing is your tomorrow!) and see if I can sneak in the other 2 tomorrow morning ^^
            @wishfultoki completely agree!! Just one episode in and everyone’s character is already different from when we started haha. It’s quite the talent, I think!

            2
            0

      Same… although my boy is Gilbert. 🙂

      1
      0

    I love Thornton and North & South. As I said in the other thread, I adored Mr. Darcy and Pride & Prejudice since I saw it in ’95 or ’96. After that I had to watch others Jane Austen movies and Emma came along. Yes, Mr. Knightley was also swoon worthy, but no Mr. Darcy. So, for the next 10 years, nothing could beat Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy. Bridget Jones came close and I watched it four (!!!) times in theaters. But it wasn’t Pride & Prejudice. Even the movie version wasn’t as good as the series to me. I didn’t even like it very much when I saw it in theaters, though I learned to like it later.

    And then 2005 came. I was deep in my Bollywood phase and I needed something new to watch. I was desperate. Korean Dramas were still 6 or 7 years away. So, I read some reviews on amazon and someone compared North & South to Pride & Prejudice in terms of quality. This was the first time I bought a DVD for something I didn’t see before. And it wasn’t available in Germany, so it was a UK-DVD-Import.

    I remember starting watching it and thinking it was nice, but no P&P. I was so wrong. By the end I had to stop myself to start from the beginning. But I wasn’t strong enough to resist longer than a few days. Over the years I re-watched it many, many times. I started even the series Spooks, because I new Richard Armitage was joining. And the excitement when he was cast in a lead role in The Hobbit. In the end the trilogy was a bit of a disappointment, but it doesn’t matter.

    Now I am looking forward to his next movie Oceans’s 8. Not just because of him, but I am kind of excited for him.

    3
    0