‘Victorian Slum House’: Reality Programming Without the Guilt
I realize it’s a bit late in the game to be mentioning this, but Tuesday night on PBS has become a must-see TV night for me recently. My enthusiasm is all due to a new educational reality mini-series set in Victorian era London, called Victorian Slum House. You may recall similar programs such as The 1900 House, The 1940’s House, and Regency House Party which aired on PBS channels in past years.
Now the same production company has recruited several ordinary 21st century families and other individuals to experience what life was like for London’s urban poor. Housed in a historically recreated East London tenement, the volunteers attempt to survive tough living and working conditions without any safety nets, similar to what their ancestors endured during the Victorian period. Each episode highlights the social issues and harsh economic realities of a distinct decade beginning in 1860 and ending with 1900.
Many sociological tidbits are disseminated by series presenter Michael Mosely; however, it is the day to day adversities faced by the participants that engage viewers in this living history lesson. Let’s meet the brave residents of the Victorian Slum House:
