Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters

— a podcast where we talk about historical drama series and films. Biopics, Adaptations, and Costume Dramas—stories that give us a window to the past, and a mirror of the present. Makers, writers and other guests join us in the conversation about what’s new in historical drama and what’s worth watching. Hosted by real-life sisters Michon and Taquiena Boston who binge on historical drama.

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  • Michon is a writer (New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, Washington CityPaper) and media impact producer who works with documentary and narrative films to raise awareness and inspire action on the critical concerns of our times. She is also a cultural historian, and walking tour guide who brings the history of DC’s jazz age and literary history to life. Michon is the author of “Iola’s Letter: The Memphis Crusade of Ida B. Wells,” a play about the anti-lynching newspaper woman and activist, Ida B. Wells. She is writing a play inspired by “The Three Musketeers” author Alexandre Dumas’s food writings. While a student at Oberlin College she received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to research the history of Black women who attended Oberlin in the 19th and 20th centuries.

 

Meet The Boston Sisters

Michon and Taquiena Boston are real-life sisters who grew up surrounded by history in Washington, DC, where their parents introduced them to movies and took them to museums as entertainment.

 

  • Taquiena Boston, a culture change strategist and coach, has earned theater degrees from Howard University and the University of Michigan. In addition to streaming and binge watching historical drama, Taquiena enjoys travel -- especially by train -- museums, fashion, reading food history and cookbooks, and cooking. Her interests and adventures are influenced by watching films about history and historical dramas, including a train ride she made from Paris to Venice on the refurbished Orient Express. She saved for the trip as a special birthday gift after seeing the film, “Murder on the Orient Express.”

Michon Boston Michon Boston

Ep. 44 - A Culinary Journey with JULIA and Janet Cam

JULIA, based on the life of the "French Chef" star and cookbook author Julia Child, is back for a 2nd season on Max. Also back on the podcast is wine expert and restaurant strategist Janet Cam, co-founder of Washington, DC's storied Le Pavillon restaurant, the first nouvelle cuisine restaurant of its kind in the U.S. We talk about the challenges for Julia Child to recreate classic French dishes in the U.S., women in the culinary industry, and Julia and Janet's journeys and adventures through wine and food in the domestically and abroad.

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Ep. 43 - Separate and Elite Society in THE GILDED AGE

Carla L. Peterson is back! The author of the 2011 book “Black Gotham” that inspired the Scott family in HBO’s THE GILDED AGE joins us for a conversation on “taste” as a value reflected in the lives of 19th century Black middle class communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn. We also talk about the separate and elite lives of 19th century New York “old money,” “new money,” and the Black elite and how they’re interpreted for the 2nd season of THE GILDED AGE.

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Ep. 42 - “By Request” THE GREAT: Comedy & Joy of Food

Episode 42 features THE GREAT “by request” by podcast subscriber MARSHA WEINER and a conversation with SAM DIXON, food stylist for THE GREAT’s 2nd and 3rd seasons for a behind-the-scenes look at food in the satirical comic series about the rise of Catherine the Great.

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Ep. 41 - WORLD ON FIRE Sparks a New MASTERPIECE Season

Another exciting new season for PBS MASTERPIECE!  Executive producer SUSANNE SIMPSON returns to the podcast to talk about the 2nd season of the World War II drama WORLD ON FIRE and other historical dramas new and continuing in 2023-24 on the award-winning PBS drama series.

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Ep. 40 - THE WAY WE WERE - Romance & Politics 50 Years Later

In episode 40 we’re talking with Robert Hofler, author of The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the release of THE WAY WE WERE, Hofler’s book is the definitive account of how THE WAY WE WERE changed the rules of moviemaking and redefined the Hollywood romance genre.

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Ep. 39 - OPPENHEIMER - Paradox of a “Humanist Scientist”

In episode 39, we talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist Kai Bird about the Christopher Nolan film OPPENHEIMER, based on the 2005 book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer co-authored by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.

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Ep. 38 - Sanditon Sisterhood’s Victory for Fandom

The Sanditon Sisterhood #SaveSanditon campaign helped renew SANDITON for 2 additional seasons after it was canceled in its 1st season by ITV in the UK before its U.S. premiere on PBS MASTERPIECE in 2020. The How did they do it? We talk with Juliet Creese and Moni Sengupta, part of the Sanditon Sisterhood Strategy Group about their experiences, the friendships that came out of the fandom campaign, and if fans got the Jane Austen ending they were hoping for?

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Ep. 37 - From Page to Screen

The Boston Sisters talk about five books they’re reading that have been adapted from page to screen, including dramatic film, musicals, and series. The book list includes fiction and nonfiction film and series premieres scheduled this fall, during the holidays, and anticipated dates in 2024, along with titles available for streaming now.

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Ep. 36 - CHEVALIER

Professor of French and French Studies Julian Ledford brings to life the historical Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-George who is dramatized in the film CHEVALIER by Kelvin Harrison Junior in the title role.

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Ep. 35 - Pearl Mackie Reimagines Honour in TOM JONES

In Ep. 35 we’re talking with actress Pearl Mackie about the PBS MASTERPIECE mini series TOM JONES. Pearl Mackie plays Honour Newton, the worldly-wise trusted lady’s maid of Sophia Western (Sophie Wilde) in a 4-part reimagining of Henry Fielding’s comic novel, The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling, published in 1749.

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Ep. 34 - THE HEAD OF JOAQUÍN MURRIETA — How The West Was Lost

Documentary filmmaker JOHN VALADEZ joins us for a conversation about THE HEAD OF JOAQUÍN MURRIETA, the Amazon Prime Western series that shares the same title as Valadez’s 2017 PBS documentary. In his film Valadez believes he has the actual head of Joaquín Murrieta, the legendary Mexican outlaw who blazed a trail of revenge across California until he was caught and decapitated in 1853.

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Ep. 33 - SANDITON Wrap Up! (Part 2) Georgiana Lambe and “Mother Energy”

The Boston Sisters welcome back SHARON D. JOHNSON, script and story consultant for MASTERPIECE and SANDITON. In part 2 of a 2-part conversation, we focus on Georgiana Lambe, her search for her mother, and the relationships she’s made in Sanditon to protect her inheritance, reputation and find true love. SANDITON is based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel.

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Ep. 32 - SANDITON Wrap Up! (Part 1) Marriage, Love, and Friendship

The Boston Sisters welcome back SHARON D. JOHNSON, script and story consultant for MASTERPIECE and SANDITON. In part 1 of a 2-part conversation, we focus on the themes of Marriage, Love, and Friendship between new and familiar characters over the past 3 seasons of SANDITON series based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel.

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Ep. 31 - VIKINGS: VALHALLA Beyond the Known Viking World

A “watchers guide” to Viking dramas starting with VIKINGS: VALHALLA now in its second season on Netflix. Alex Chisnall, host of the popular business podcast “Screw It Just Do It” is our guest and guide. Alex, who is close to Viking history in the UK and shares our enthusiasm for history. He not only got us curious about VIKINGS: VALHALLA, and other Viking-themed dramas but also helped launch “Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters” podcast.

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Ep. 30 - VIKINGS: VALHALLA Fires Up Viking History

A “watchers guide” to Viking dramas starting with VIKINGS: VALHALLA now in its second season on Netflix. Alex Chisnall, host of the popular business podcast “Screw It Just Do It” is our guest and guide. Alex, who is close to Viking history in the UK and shares our enthusiasm for history. He not only got us curious about VIKINGS: VALHALLA, and other Viking-themed dramas but also helped launch “Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters” podcast.

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Ep. 29 - Beale Street Roots in ELVIS

A conversation with Carla L. Peterson, author of the 2011 book “Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in 19th Century New York City.” Professor Peterson’s book served as a resource for the creation of the characters, story, and the Black community in HBO’s THE GILDED AGE.

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Ep. 28 - BLACK GOTHAM in THE GILDED AGE

A conversation with Carla L. Peterson, author of the 2011 book “Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in 19th Century New York City.” Professor Peterson’s book served as a resource for the creation of the characters, story, and the Black community in HBO’s THE GILDED AGE.

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Michon Boston Michon Boston

Ep. 27 - Ben Vanstone: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

Episode 27 features a conversation with BEN VANSTONE, showrunner and writer for ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL about the making of the series currently in its 3rd season on the PBS drama series MASTERPIECE. ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL is the recent adaptation of the books written by veterinarian James Alfred Wight (who wrote under the pen name James Herriot) about a trio of veterinarian surgeons in the Yorkshire Dales in the late 1930s.

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Ep. 26 - Meet The Boston Sisters Part 2

In episode 26 Michon and Taquiena look back on the highlights and a-ha’s of the first year of “Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters.” Included are historical dramas The Boston Sisters look forward to watching and talking about in 2023.

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Ep. 25 - BELLE by Request

In episode 25 The Boston Sisters feature Amma Asante’s film BELLE by listener request, and a conversation with London-based figurative painter Glory Samjolly, founder of the social media platform Black Aristocrat Art. Glory brings her insights on depictions of Black women and men of the aristocracy in historical European art.

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Historical Drama with The Boston Sisters is brought to you by the Michon Boston Group Ltd. The views and opinions expressed on Historical Drama with the Boston Sisters are those of the speakers and do not represent the positions or views of the Michon Boston Group, its clients, or affiliates.