When it comes to period drama leading men, a certain archetype probably comes to mind. He’s handsome (of course), emotionally repressed, and either a careless rake or a grumpy loner with secrets. It’s not the only character profile, but let’s be honest: it’s a lot of them.
Recently, though, I’ve begun noticing a mini-trend, a trend-let, if you will. Some of my favorite period dramas are introducing leading men who are the polar opposite. They’re sweet, respectful, and even sensitive, with a soft side that isn’t reserved solely for their love interests. To them, I say: more please!
Soft Doesn’t Mean Boring
On TV, the poster child for softer period drama leading men is probably Larry Russell of HBO’s The Gilded Age. Somehow, this son of ruthless robber-baron social-climbers is a sunshiney sweetheart. His introduction to his future love interest (the literal girl next door/across the street) sees him rescue her dog. He promises to be a good friend to her, no matter how much their parental figures quarrel. And he listens, serving as her confidant while giving her the respect of confiding in her, too.
Still, the show gives him plenty of drama. He is a naive idealist in a brutally competitive world. At times, it’s classic rich-boy drama: he wants to be an architect instead of take over the railroad business!). At others, it’s almost painful how naive he is: he swears love to his older paramour and doesn’t bother hiding their affair, leaving her as the one exposed to social side-eye and heartache. And he is very, very slow to realize his feelings for Marian are more than friendly. Turns out, it’s possible to have dramatic tension without the brooding!
Even Bridgerton dips its toe into the “gentle men” pool, albeit with a supporting character. One of the highlights of Season 3 was Victor Alli’s John Stirling, a soft-spoken introvert with a romantic heart. His quiet nature puts him at odds with the louder extroverts around him and nearly trips up his courting of Francesca. Again — not a conflict-free storyline! But it’s impossible to not fall a little in love with him. He’s a breath of fresh air, compared to the angst all around him. Likewise, Benedict’s playful, laid-back personality is one of the biggest reasons I’m excited for Season 4. Yes, we know he’ll get an “angst upgrade” for his lead season, but it’s still a very different approach to period drama leading men compared with “rakes” Simon and Anthony or “trying on new personalities for size” Colin.
A Different Kind of Historical Romance Fantasy
We fans of historical romance know that our love for the genre walks a tightrope. We love stories of epic love and self-realization set against strict social rules, while also acknowledging that the real-life eras were periods of inequality, sexism, racism, homophobia, and repression — far from the inclusive values romance today strives for.
Perhaps that’s why I especially love soft period drama leading men: because they are the “fantasy.” We know what gender dynamics were like at the time. Heck, we know what gender dynamics are like right now. So there’s real appeal to period drama leading men who are sweet, not domineering; supportive, not sexist; compassionate, not self-centered.
Take our Gilded Age golden retriever, Larry. One episode inserts him into the real-life story of opening the Brooklyn Bridge. In the show, as in reality, architect Washington Roebling is secretly ill and his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, is directing much of the construction behind the scenes. Larry is appalled that her work will go unrecognized due to the era’s sexism. At the opening-night celebration, he calls for a toast to her and acknowledges her work — something most men of the time probably wouldn’t have done.
Or take Alexander Blake, the new male lead on Miss Scarlet. I found myself more impressed by this new character than I ever expected! His predecessor, William (aka “the Duke”) was gruff and grumpy, with a soft side mostly just for longtime friend/love interest Eliza. Blake is a different story altogether. He’s reserved and cautious, with a penchant for long silences to get the answers he needs. But the show points out that his mistrust of Eliza has nothing to do with her being a woman; he’s just wary of PIs in general.
Blake also opens up a secretarial office staffed with highly competent women. It’s not a one-off, either: he trusts them with important work, acknowledges their value, and is savvy enough to notice when they’re overworking themselves. His respect for women he isn’t attracted to is part of his charm in the end.
Broadening the Appeal
We live in an era where, frankly, I don’t envy showrunners and actors. Real, nuanced discussions tend to get lost in the shuffle of slapping clickbait labels on everything and refusing to apply a bit of media literacy. It’s tempting to just make everything and everyone “soft” and “unproblematic” to avoid being the next outrage campaign main character — but that misses the point, both of storytelling and of “soft” characters themselves.
The idea of soft period drama leading men isn’t about reducing conflict or “replacing” other character archetypes. It’s about crafting a different route for conflict, and more characters who break the mold even in small ways.
A sense of same-ness in any genre can exhaust even the most devoted fans. Conversely, more types of characters, relationships, and plots can open doors for more and more people to feel invested in the genre. It’s also nice, in a time where toxic masculinity content is big business, to see sensitive, gentle men portrayed as romantic leading men. As far as I’m concerned, there’s room for everyone in the period drama world — so the more, the merrier!
Lovely article! Francesca/John was a highlight of Bridgerton s3 for me, and I’m loving Eliza/Blake on Miss Scarlet s5.