Escape into Period Pieces

Latest Episodes:

Beyond The Secret Garden: The Life of Frances Hodgson Burnett May 03, 2026

Show notes

It's time for another Author Spotlight episode! This time on Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) best known for her children's novels: The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and Little Fauntleroy.

In today's episode dive into her life and see the legacy her work has left behind. Hopefully this will get you to pick up one of her novels or watch one of the films based on her work!

Stay tuned at the end of the episode for future episode plans and what Stephanie is currently watching and enjoying :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Come to Stephanie's Zoom Lecture this month! (May 13th @ 7PM)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REFERENCES:

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Biography: Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter and Jean Shirley (1992)

Louisa May Alcott

The Buccaneers Season 2

The Gilded Age (HBO Max)

Death by Lightning (Netflix)

Regency Rumors (Channel on YouTube)

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Fauntleroy (1921) film starring Mary Pickford

A Little Princess

1939 Little Princess film starring Shirley Temple

1995 A Little Princess film

A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

Jo & Laurie by Stohl and de la Cruz

Alyssa Colman's The Gilded Girl and The Tarnished Garden

The Secret Garden

1993 and 2020 films

1987 Secret Garden Hallmark Hall of Fame film

The Forsytes

The Other Bennet Sister (Britbox)

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Way Home (Hallmark Channel)

The Law According to Lidia Poet (Netflix)

Stay tuned next time for the episode on ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL SEASON 6!

Let Stephanie know which author you'd like her to discuss next?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Happy Spring!!

Wuthering Heights (2026) w/ Brian Hicks Apr 19, 2026

Show notes

It's finally time... The podcast is discussing another 2026 release with the highly controversial "Wuthering Heights" directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Margot Robbie and Jacobi Elordi that came out on Valentine's Day.

Sound bite from the episode: "So that was a thing we watched..."

In this episode the podcast welcomes back returning guest, Dr. Brian Hicks who specializes in Bronte literature. Brian and Stephanie give their uncensored review of the film and discuss how much it differs from the book, the parts that were uncomfortable and made no sense, as well as what they would like to see in a Wuthering Heights film. Brian also pitches at least three different film concepts.

Beware of book and film spoilers and enjoy hearing two people rant after just watching the film a few hours before recording!

References:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

"Wuthering Heights" (2026)

Zoolander (Will Ferrell)

Saltburn

Fellow Travelers (2023) mini-series

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Till next time!

Current Watches: Dodger, Buccaneers Season 2, Bookish, Midwife Updates & More! Apr 05, 2026

Show notes

Join Stephanie today as she discusses recent shows she's watched so far in 2026 from season 2 of The Artful Dodger and The Buccaneers as well as PBS shows like Bookish and Call the Midwife. But that's not all! She also chats about more current watches and future things to check out!

Today's episode does get spoilery for a few different things, so be sure to check out the time stamps below to not get spoiled (unless you want to be).

Avoid the spoilers time stamps!

4:56 The Buccaneers Season 2
22:26 The Artful Dodger Season 2
33:20 Bookish
41:10 Call the Midwife
47:59 Rapid Fire: Watch or Skip?
51:50 Currently Watching
56:50 Next Up on the Watchlist

References:

The Buccaneers (Apple TV)

The Artful Dodger (Disney+/Hulu)

Bridgerton

Rational Romantics (podcast)

Little House on the Prairie

Bookish

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman

Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson

Call the Midwife

The Choral (2025)

Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (Netflix)

Schmigadoon! (Apple TV)

Miracle: The Boys of '80

Sandokan

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Forsytes

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

The Other Bennet Sister (2026)

Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Fackham Hall

Grantchester

The Law According to Lidia Poet

The Way Home

Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Till next time!

Northanger Abbey (2007) w/ Swoon-Worthy's Carly Mar 22, 2026

Show notes

Venture into Jane Austen's coming of age, and satire on all things gothic with today's episode on the 2007 adaptation of Northanger Abbey starring Felicity Jones, JJ Field, and Carey Mulligan.

Stephanie welcomes podcast host Carly from Swoon-Worthy and perioddramastyle on Instagram to chat about one of her favorite comfort films. Get ready to discuss all things Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen and a few references to recent period dramas like Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights as well as a look to future Jane Austen adaptations coming out later this year.

Remember to check out Carly over on Instagram: @swoonworthypodcast and @perioddramastyle as well as listening to Swoon-Worthy on all platforms where you find podcasts.

Thank you so much for joining the podcast this episode, Carly!

To watch Northanger Abbey (2007): PBS app, Britbox, and available for rent and for purchase. Always remember to check out your local library!

References:

Northanger Abbey

Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey (2007)

Swoon-Worthy Podcast

1994 Little Women

The Secret Garden

1996 Emma

Clueless

Andrew Davies

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Persuasion

Wuthering Heights

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

Felicity Jones

JJ Field

Austenland

Carey Mulligan

Awesomely Austen editions

Mansfield Park

Note: Colin Firth and Peter Firth are not related

Becoming Jane

Doctor Who

Netflix's Frankenstein

Stranger Things

Netflix's Pride & Prejudice (coming in 2026)

New Sense & Sensibility from Focus Features (coming in 2026)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Till next time!

Bridgerton Season 4 Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

Rejoin Mayfair and the ton in today's episode on Bridgerton season 4 as Stephanie does a deep dive review into the latest season surrounding "second brother" Benedict Bridgerton and maid Sophie Baek as well as the rest of the subplots of the season. If you love a Cinderella story, and the tropes of love at first sight and forbidden love then this season will be perfect for you!

Watch the season in full now on Netflix to not get spoiled during this episode! Thank you to everyone who submitted their thoughts as they were fun to react to in this episode. Also, thanks for your patience with the release of this highly anticipated episode!

(See season 1 episodes for overall Bridgerton thoughts; linked below on Spotify.)

References:

Bridgerton (season 4)

Julia Quinn

Queen Charlotte (Netflix)

Jane Austen

Pride & Prejudice

The Empress (Netflix)

Victoria (TV series)

Like Water for Chocolate (HBO Max)

The Buccaneers

The Artful Dodger

Cinderella

Podcast: Rational Romantics

Downton Abbey

The Gilded Age

Miss Scarlet (and the Duke)

Sandition (currently available on the PBS app)

The Forsytes (PBS)

My Lady Jane (Prime Video)

Northanger Abbey (2007)

Tune in next time for my episode on Northanger Abbey with podcast host Carly from Swoonworthy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Till next time!

Frankenstein (2025) w/ Pileigh Shahinian Feb 22, 2026

Show notes

Escape into the gothic world of Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein that came out on Netflix in the fall of 2025 with Stephanie and returning guest Pileigh Shahinian who requested to discuss this film on the podcast!

Del Toro takes a new approach to Mary Shelley's novel that creates an ongoing conversation with the original source text. Check out the film before the Oscars as it is up for NINE awards. Listen to Stephanie and Pileigh discuss their predictions on what the movie will win, consider if the film is too long, and debate the Netflix vs. theaters new "trend"; plus talk about the film. Buckle up for some gore and two English teachers really putting on their analytical brains and nerding out.

References:

Netflix's Frankenstein (2025)

Guillermo del Toro

Pileigh's Poetry Collection is available now: Nostalgia Itches Like a Bug Bite--Buy it on Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon!

Go follow Pileigh over on Instagram: @sincerelypileigh

Alexandre Desplat (score)

Oscars: March 15, 2026

Regency Rumors YT video: "Is Frankenstein Proof Netflix is Dumbing Down its Content?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5stEKE-tmf4

Oscar Issac

The Nativity Story (2006)

The Promise (2016)

Moon knight

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (Broadway)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley

Frankenweenie

Young Frankenstein

The Great Gatsby

Jacob Elordi

Adaptation: Frankenstein vs. Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights (2026)

Percy Jackson TV series (Disney+)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Stay well!

That Thing You Do! Feb 08, 2026

Show notes

Escape into 1964 and watch the success of the fictional band The Wonders (or is it the Oneders) as Stephanie discusses the 1996 film That Thing You Do! This film is one of Stephanie's all-time favorites, so get ready to hear her nerd out in this solo episode as she discusses how many times the iconic song gets played as well as a review of the film and deep dive into behind the scenes stories!

That Thing You Do! is available for purchase and to rent. Don't forget to also check your local library for the DVD or Blu-ray.

Note: This is episode 3 not 4.

REFERENCES:

The Favorites by Layne Fargo (great audiobook)

Miracle (2004)

School of Rock

Bandstand: The Musical

That Thing You Do!

Steven Tyler--Aerosmith

Theatrical vs. Extended versions

Playtone Records

Tom Hanks

The Beatles

The Monkees

2020 Reunion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5iQambZAfk&t=3s

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for listening and consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Stay safe and warm!

Stranger Things w/ Drea Mayer Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

Return to the upside down in today's episode as Stephanie and returning guest Drea Mayer break down everything Stranger Things from their overall love of the show to the various plot holes of season 5 and their thoughts on the series finale. Is this show a "period piece?" You will just have to tune in to find out. Also in this episode, a PSA to go to your local movie theater and Stephanie finds it a safe place to share one of her nightmares.

Thank you to everyone who submitted their thoughts on the show as you might get a shout out in today's episode! Buckle up for the longest episode of season 3 so far, but bound to be a lot of fun nerding out as usual!

References:

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Call the Midwife

Downton Abbey

Stranger Things documentary (Netflix)

Back to the Future

The Way Home (Netflix/Hallmark)

John Hughes

Inside Out 2

Stranger Things: Rebel Robin (book)

Black Widow

The First Shadow (The Stranger Things Play)

Grantchester

Bridgerton (new season Jan 29th)

The Buccanneers

The Gilded Age (HBO)

Game of Thrones

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games)

Miracle (2004)

Netflix's Wayward

The Pitt

ANOTHER REC: "Dark" on Netflix (German speaking) This is the one Stephanie was trying to reference.

Behind Your Touch K-Drama (Netflix)

The Artful Dodger (new season Feb 10th)

Agatha Christie's The Seven Dials (Netflix)

Queen Charlotte

The Count of Monte Cristo (PBS Passport March 1st)

The Forsytes

Next time: That Thing You Do! (1996)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and please consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Stay safe and warm!

Let's Time Travel! Jan 11, 2026

Show notes

Happy New Year and welcome to SEASON 3! Would you like to turn back the clock because you don't feel ready for a new year? Then how about you time travel with Stephanie in this episode?

In today's episode, Stephanie expands what we think about when we think about "period pieces" by including some time travel TV shows and films (and a few books). They could also be some good recommendations for someone who is unsure if they would like historically set content. Hopefully you'll find something new to watch after listening to today's episode :)

References:

Great or Nothing by McCullough, Tung Richmond, Sharpe, Spotswood

Little Women (2019)

Call the Midwife

Doctor Who

A Biltmore Christmas

Providence Falls

The Way Home

Lost in Austen

An American in Austen

BBC Atlantis

HBO's The Nevers

Pride & Prejudice 1995

Austenland

Northanger Abbey 2007

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

Love Across Time

The Spirit of Christmas

Inkwell Threads

Ghosts (UK, US)

All 6 Ghosts TV Shows article referenced: https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/ghosts-international-adaptations-compared-differences/

School Spirits (Season 3 premiering Jan 28th)

From Time to Time

The Secrets of Sulphur Springs

House of Anubis

The Librarians

The Librarians: The Next Chapter

Warehouse 13

The Legends of Tomorrow

Midnight at the Pera Place

Britbox--Is it worth the subscription?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and please consider subscribing!

Send your thoughts on Stranger Things via

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Support your local library and PBS station!

Till next time!

End of Year Wrap Up (2025) Dec 28, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to the last episode of the year and the last episode of season 2! Can you believe it? Join Stephanie as she gets retrospective and reflects on everything that was accomplished in season 2, discuss some TV shows and movies Stephanie watched, but didn't get a chance to talk about this season, and a look ahead to season 3 goals as well as 2026 releases! Lastly, the episode ends with some awards for season 2.

Editing Note: The Way Home season 4 will be its last and currently does not have a premiere date according to Hallmark. IMDB’s date is incorrect :(

Thank you to everyone who joined this season. The podcast could not function without you :)

References:

"The Empress" (Netflix)

"The Lady's Companion" (Netflix)

Grantchester

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

Queen Charlotte (Netflix)

Bridgerton

Jane Austen

Hamilton

Victoria (PBS/BBC) now on Netflix

Eternity

Bandstand the Musical

Hallmark channel/Hallmark+

Providence Falls (Hallmark)

Outlander

The Way Home (Hallmark)

American Girl Caroline

Sherlock & Daughter

The Artful Dodger

Under the Greenwood Tree (Prime Video; novel by Thomas Hardy)

House of Guinness (Netflix)

Merrily We Roll Along

Ms. Fisher's Modern Mysteries

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

The Law According to Lidia Poet

Fetch the Smelling Salts podcast (Lidia Poet episode)

Ida regenye (The Courtship on Prime Video) or The Romance of Ida

Sliver Skates (Netflix)

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

A Night Divided by Jennifer A Nielsen

Midnight at the Pera Place (Netflix)

The New Force (Swedish) also on Netflix

The Leopard (Netflix)

Cable Girls (Netflix)

Shogun (Hulu)

All Creatures Great & Small

Wuthering Heights (2026)

The Forsytes

The Count of Monte Cristo

Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Sense & Sensibility (2026)

Netflix Pride & Prejudice mini-series

The Other Bennet Sister

The Choral

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for listening and Happy New Year!

Please consider subscribing!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

Email: escape.into.period.pieces.podcast@gmail.com

Merch (2 places!):

Search: Escape into Period Pieces on Spreadshirt.com

Spreadshop: https://escape-into-period-pieces.myspreadshop.com/

Remember to support your local library and PBS station!

See you for season 3!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected