There’s a good reason that the ISFP is known as the adventurer. They bring a sense of ion, charm, and curiosity to everything that they do, though they also have a tendency to be a bit overly competitive. They thus seem like a natural fit for the period drama, many of which seek to immerse the viewer in a previous period, with all of the pleasures and perils that entails.
Of course, not all period dramas are made equal, and there are some that seem designed to appeal to the adventurer and others that are sure to be a turn-off.
Love: Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
Set in Australia during the 1920s, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries focuses on the titular character, a private detective who leads a very glamorous sort of life. A great deal of the series charm and appeal stems from the positively infectious appeal of Essie Davis.
Once she’s on the screen, it’s impossible to look away and her charm, combined with the way that she seems to own any room in which she enters, is sure to appeal to the adventurous ISFP.
Hate: Wolf Hall
Based on the popular and well-received novel by Hilary Mantel, this series focuses on Thomas Cromwell as he navigates the dangerous, deadly world of Henry VIII’s court. In particular, it focuses on Cromwell’s part in securing Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, as well as his key role in orchestrating her downfall and execution.
It’s a rather clinical series, with a measured pace and a focus on the duplicity of court life that is bound to leave the ISFP feeling cold.
Love: The Durrells in Corfu
The Durrells in Corfu, based on a series of autobiographical stories by Gerald Durrell, focuses on a British family that decides to go and live on the Greek island of Corfu.
The several seasons depict the family’s attempts to make their lives work on this island which, though paradisiacal in many ways, also has its problems, most notably its poverty and the ever-present conflicts between the native Greeks and the British expatriates.
Hate: The Borgias
The Borgias focuses on the titular dynasty as they attempt to forge their power and dominance in Italy and in Europe. Given that it’s a series produced for and shown on Showtime, there is quite a lot of sex and violence, and that is unlikely to appeal to the ISFP.
More than that, though, there’s a fundamental cynicism to the series, a sense that everyone, regardless of their expressed beliefs, is really out for their own benefit, and they don’t really care who they hurt or kill to achieve their ends.
Love: Victoria and Abdul
Judi Dench is one of the finest actresses working today, and films like this show why she remains so popular. Victoria and Abdul focus on the strong friendship that exists between the titular characters, who obviously come from quite different worlds.
The ISFP will particularly enjoy the way that Victoria steadfastly defends Abdul against the many people in her court who don’t approve of their friendship and actively scheme to bring about his fall from grace.
Hate: The Crown
There’s no question that The Crown has become a tremendous success, and a lot of that has to do with the meticulous detail with which the series recreates the significant events of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
However, it has to be said that the series can be a bit slow at times, and there are many moments that the characters spend reflecting on their lives and their roles as royals. As a result, it’s very likely that the ISFP will soon find themselves growing bored.
Love: Downton Abbey
Downton Abbey is a truly delightful period drama. Focusing on the lives, fortunes, and loves of the Crawley family and their host of servants, there are a number of characters that will appeal to the ISFP sensibility.
The adventurous ISFP will feel particularly drawn to the character of Sybil, the youngest Crawley daughter. She, perhaps more than any other character, manages to capture the energy and vitality of youth and the leap into the modern world that is one of the central foci of the show.
Hate: Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte’s famous novel is, of course, a classic piece of British literature, and so it is hardly surprising that it has spawned a number of screen adaptations, including this famous version starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon.
There’s a certain element of bitterness and darkness at the heart of this film as there is in the novel and it’s very unlikely that the ISFP will find themselves drawn to any of the characters or to the story itself.
Love: Emma
Charming is one of the words that are almost always used to describe this adaptation of the Jane Austen novel of the same name. Then again, Austen is one of those authors whose work was and remains charming, and this is true of almost all of the adaptations of her books.
In this case, much of the film’s infectious likability is due to the performance of its star, Gwyneth Paltrow, who brings all of her considerable charms, and then some, to this role.
Hate: The Last Kingdom
While the adventurer might enjoy this look back into one of the more tumultuous periods of history, they will soon find themselves growing more than a bit weary with the series’ main character, who is neither charming nor particularly sensitive to the feelings of others.