I am not a fan of reality shows as a whole but I do make exceptions for that special brand of British documentaries where modern-day Brits try to live, work and eat like their ancestors. Shows like Manor House, 1900 House, Victorian Farm, and The Supersizer’s Go Victorian. If you think modern British cuisine leaves a lot to be desired you should check out the boiled calf’s head in that show.

 

Given my enjoyment of these show’s I was surprised to learn recently that I missed what sounds like a doozy: Victorian Pharmacy.

It is the same premise as many of the other shows but instead of a family trying to live the day to day life of a past time, this show focuses solely on recreating a Victorian Pharmacy. And instead of throwing a “typical” modern family into the past, this show features a historian, a chemist, and a pharmacist. This turns the show into part Mythbusters and part History Channel. In a time when cocaine, opium, and arsenic were common ingredients in medicine they have to walk a fine line between historical accuracy and running afoul of the law.

The show first aired on the BBC in July 2010. You can watch all four episodes on TVO but here is the trailer in the meantime.