Without a doubt, the historical drama genre was changed forever on September 26, 2010. That date in time marked the premiere of Downton Abbey on the Public Broadcasting Networks, or PBS for short. This critically acclaimed show lasted for six seasons and quickly mesmerized an ever-growing audience by giving an insight into what life was like for the noble and distinguished Crawley family.

Traversing many of the social and political events that took place during the beginning of the 20th century, viewers not only learned how to become prim and proper from characters like the noble Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley, and his wife, the nurturing Cora Crawley but were also warmly embraced by the romantic happenings of their daughters, Lady Mary, Lady Sybil, and Edith. Taking inspiration from a previous British production that highlighted the socioeconomic class structures during this time called Upstairs, Downstairs from 1971 that aired on ITV, this gripping drama also gave an equal spotlight to all the different domestic workers that helped run the estate.
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Winning numerous Golden Globes and Primetime Emmys during its stellar five-year run, the PBS drama had so much success because it came packaged with a consistent, clean image. The bare knuckles grit of that era is covered by the overflowing grace of aristocratic behavior. The back alley debauchery that secretly flowed within classical England seems to be cloaked by the show’s many elegant debutante balls. While the fixed perspective of Downton Abbey provided a much-needed fantasy away from reality, it could be argued that the same narrow view ended up detouring the story’s overall direction and actions of the characters. Written by Daniel Reynolds and Heather M. Brown, a new period piece on Prime Video is looking to seize on this missed opportunity.

Related: The 20 Best Period-Piece Movies of All Time, Ranked

No Honor Among Thieves

Prime Video

Set in the Victorian era and with just two episodes released thus far, the beginning of A True Mismatch will leave viewers on the edge of their seats. Night is fast approaching. A supervisor named Mr. Thompson says goodbye to his workers as they depart from a manufacturing mill. Eventually, walking home alone, he is overtaken by a giant hooded figure who stalks him like prey and bludgeons him to death. Mixing in details that would more closely connect to crime dramas like BBC’s Peaky Blinders, which stars Cillian Murphy in the leading role, this introductory scene already promises quite the departure from the classical themes usually involved in this subgenre.

With very promising careers ahead of them, Daniel Reynolds and Nina Gray step into the shoes of the two socially divided main characters, Harry Shaw and Alice Godfrey. Coming from a poor but tight-knit clan, Harry and the rest of his family will do anything they can to not be homeless. His mother, Mary, works at another part of the mill where her boss psychologically and physically abuses her. Harry, along with his younger brother Paul, have resorted to becoming working-class pickpockets. This career choice has forced them to make some uneasy working relationships with fellow street-level criminals, Warren, Willie, and Clayton.

Class Structure Unites and Divides

Prime Video

On the other hand, Alice Godfrey is a woman of high social ranking and status who wishes to honor her mother’s adventurous legacy by having a more active life than the sheltered one she is living right now. Unbeknownst to these ideas, her cold father wants nothing more than for her to become something that is traditionally useful in life. Through a dire event that takes place in the same exact alleyway where Mr. Thompson was murdered, Harry and Alice end up meeting by chance for the first time. While hints of a budding romance are in the air, this incident also sets off a harrowing and dangerous chain of events that change both of their lives. Plenty of twists and turns in these beginning chapters alone satisfy those looking for a more dangerous Downton.

Filming in historical locations in and around Paisley, Scotland, the visual accuracy is not the only helping hand towards A True Mismatch being a success. The cast and crew’s combined experience and eagerness to give their all can be viewed in every scene. Daniel Reynolds not only plays Harry but is also one of the writers of the show alongside Heather M. Brown, who has a decade of experience in the Scottish film industry. She’s made award-winning shorts like the Authentic and major studio funded, Over Again.

The Cast Steal the Show

Prime Video

Some of the names in A True Mismatch include the aforementioned Nina Grey, Joanna Harte, Billy James, Holly Woodhouse, Ibrahim Bakhait, Robert Hackney, and last but not least, Stephen Corral. While this is Ms. Grey’s first role, she is sure to turn heads with her commitment to the character. Among other parts, Ms. Harte had a role in a Starz series called Outlander, while Ms. Woodhouse was in Prime Video’s Good Omens and Apple TV+’s Tetris. Mr. Hackney starred in Prime Video’s Detachment Refuge, which centered around a zombie lockdown, and Mr. James was featured in Ian’s Gone Postal, a fictional podcast about a philosophical mail carrier in a decaying mining town. Mr. Bakhait most recently was seen in a science fiction short called Bound, which was made in 2022. Mostly opting for more villainous roles, Mr. Corral portrayed Peter Smith in the 2021 Netflix crime documentary, The Puppet Master: Hunting The Ultimate Conman.

Related: True Crime Documentaries We’re Looking Forward to in 2023

Not only have Anythink Films and Castle Gate Productions helped to make this show a reality, but many fans are currently showing support for A True Mismatch through a campaign towards the production of the third episode that is now hosted on a crowdsourcing website called Indiegogo. Since the series is just starting, now is a great time to jump into this ambitious historical thriller. But whatever you do, don’t wind up in a dark and lonely alley. You might end up just like Mr. Thompson.