Unsinkable drama

The last hours of the Titanic were a perfect tragedy. No wonder we’re still obsessed

What with the centenary coming up next month, it was hard to imagine anything that could make the Titanic loom larger in the popular consciousness. But that was before Julian Fellowes’s new series, to be broadcast this month. It’s the lot: period detail, a snobbish countess, class resentment and a darkish-blue iceberg. Each and every episode ends with the sea coming in. And all those important details get a mention. I’ve only seen two episodes but it’s already touched on the number of lifeboats, the absence of binoculars, other ships’ ice warnings, iron versus steel rivets, exit opportunities for first class versus steerage passengers, the speed and the bad ship California that didn’t respond to distress flares. If you think Downton Abbey gave the nitpickers a field day, wait till you see the Titanic obsessives getting to grips with this.