Being a TV junkie, it’s a normal occurrence for me to binge watch entire seasons in a week or two. I came across a series on Amazon Video (where you can watch TV shows and movies for free with a prime student trial) called Indian Summers. The series’ first season premiered in March, so there is one full season already out. After watching the trailer, getting a Downtown Abbey and Gossip Girl feel, I decided I had to watch it. If you are one for drama and/or history shows you need to check this one out! It follows both Indian and British characters in the 1930s when the British still had control over India. More specifically, it follows mainly the Viceroy of India’s secretary and the people surrounding him.
The Characters
If you are anything like me and obsessed with the Harry Potter movies, you will appreciate that Julie Walters, the actress who played Molly Weasley, is one of the main characters. She is an amazing actress and her character, Cynthia Coffin, is the manipulative manager of the Simla Club, a place where all the white British subjects socialize and party. The plot spins around the characters who are a part of the club and the local people who work for them. I love that this show has strong women like Cynthia Coffin, Leena Prasad a half-caste school teacher, and Alice Whelan, a woman strong enough to leave her life behind in order to make herself happy. I honestly have no complaints with the acting, and I thought the characters were very moving with their individual stories and plots.
History and Social Issues
The show’s first season is set in the town of Simla, near the Himalaya Mountains, where the Indian Civil Service migrates for the summers. There is an obvious seperation from the local people and the British people that occupy the area. Most of the British characters are very racist and treat the locals horribly. The show is appealing, not only because of the drama, but because of the social issues of the era it uncovers. There are problems with half-castes (people with mixed Indian and European parentage) and their struggle to fit in with society, the British people oppressing the Indians, and religious beliefs causing rifts in relationships. It shows various views from all sorts of characters and the discrimination that some receive.
Relationships You Can Ship
With social issues and a class system within the different societies, there are obviously some Pride and Prejudice romances going on. I’m a sucker for romance, so this show is perfect for me because a portion of the drama revolves around the relationships formed that are “forbidden.” You will be able to sympathize with the characters, by laughing and crying throughout their roller-coaster lives.
I cannot wait to see all of the second season of this series! Towards the end, the plot shifts more politically and starts to really uncover the idea of self-rule in India. I am so excited to see where this series goes, and I hope all of you check it out and love it as much as I do.