18 Shows Like ‘Bridgerton’ to Watch in Honor of Season 3
If you've been mulling over Bridgerton season three theories or binge-watching old episodes of the show, trust me, you’re not the only one.
Ever since Netflix announced that Bridgerton season three is coming soon, I’ve been craving more juicy scandals and piping-hot gossip from Lady Whistledown. And of course, I’m already itching to see how Colin and Penelope's love story will play out.
The first half of season three is set to premiere on May 16, followed by the second half on June 13. Therefore, I’m going to need more shows like Bridgerton to occupy my time. I carefully selected the below titles because they’re equally as binge-worthy as the Netflix series. Not only do they feature stunning costumes, but they also deliver Lady Whistledown-worthy drama.
From historical dramas to mysterious period pieces, keep reading for 18 shows like Bridgerton.
The Top Ten Shows on Netflix Right This Second
Historical dramas
1. The Buccaneers
Cast: Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Christina Hendricks
Number of seasons: 1
The plot is reminiscent of Bridgerton, following a group of American women who travel to London for the 1870 debutant season. Their goal? To secure posh English husbands who will inevitably increase their social status. The question is: Will British society accept them?
Shortly after its debut, the historical drama received a nomination for Outstanding New Series at the GLAAD Media Awards.
2. The Crown
Netflix
Cast: Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby, Eileen Atkins
Number of seasons: 5
Like Bridgerton, this Netflix drama tells stories of high society. However, The Crown takes place almost a century later and follows the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. Pretty much all of my favorite royals make an appearance, including Princess Di.
Not only has the series won ten Primetime Emmy Awards, but it’s also received eight Golden Globe Awards. (NBD.) In my honest review of the fifth season, I wrote, “If there’s one key takeaway, it’s that The Crown season five seems to focus on female power. Despite the nasty rumors and gossip columns calling her ‘old,’ Queen Elizabeth handles her position with total grace and even inserts her quippy personality during tense moments—a true-to-life trait that is dearly missed.”
3. The Tudors
SHOWTIME
Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Sam Neill, Callum Blue
Number of seasons: 4
Chock full of scandalous storylines over its four seasons, this series provides all the lustful drama you loved about Bridgerton. The Tudors will take you through a handful of King Henry VIII’s scandalous marriages (six in total).
4. Harlots
Hulu
Cast: Samantha Morton, Lesley Manville, Jessica Brown Findlay
Number of seasons: 3
A shocking crop of familiar faces, including Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones’s Theon Greyjoy), Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings) and Jessica Brown Findlay (Lady Sybil on Downton Abbey), isn’t even the best part about this juicy tale of competing brothels in 18th-century London. Oh, and did I mention it was created by a team of women?
According to Stephanie Maida (PureWow’s senior commerce editor), “I was instantly hooked on Harlots, which, despite its subject matter addressing the serious struggles of women at the time, could run the gamut from hilarious to emotionally fraught from one scene to another. There's plenty of drama, but for the most part I though it was a strongly feminist story and full of moments of triumph. Plus, the clothes and atmospheric period sets are phenomenal.”
5. Beecham House
PBS
Cast: Tom Bateman, Lesley Nicol, Lara Dutta, Leo Suter
Number of seasons: 1
The series follows John Beecham, a former soldier of the East India Company, who arrives in Delhi in 1800 determined to make a new life for himself. Carrying with him a secret, he hopes it will never be revealed.
6. Victoria
PBS
Cast: Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, Peter Bowles, Catherine Flemming
Number of seasons: 3
The series tells the story of Queen Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who took the throne of England at the age of 18. The early years of her glorious 63-year reign unfold alongside exquisite costume and set decoration as I watch her fruitful yet ill-fated romance with the young Prince Albert. This one’s good if you’re looking for more of a straightforward description of events.
7. Reign
CBS
Cast: Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs, Toby Regbo
Number of seasons: 4
Reign’s portrayal of teenage queen, Mary, Queen of Scots, brings sex, drama and politics into one wildly dramatic series (hence why I love it). The teenage queen is sent to France in order to marry Prince Francis and secure Scotland’s strategic alliance, but opulent sh*t hits the jewel-encrusted fan when the show’s writers skew toward the absurd with witches, forgotten plotlines and some ghost husbands.
Oh, and did I mention the series won the 2014 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama?
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8. Versailles
Cast: George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos, Tygh Runyan
Number of seasons: 3
If you love Bridgerton for its juicy scandals and steamy intimate scenes, then you’ll love Versailles. The historical drama follows Louis XIV, the ambitious king of France, as he attempts to renovate the Palace of Versailles, turning it into the most massive palace in the world. But of course, it’s no easy task.
9. The Borgias
SHowtime
Cast: Jeremy Irons, Fran?ois Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Joanne Whalley
Number of seasons: 3
Irons is a force to be reckoned with as the newly crowned pope in this brilliant period drama. The Borgias, which is set in Renaissance-era Italy, revolves around Rodrigo Borgia and his family as they rise to power and become corrupt in the process. Expect plenty of scenic sights and stunning period costumes.
Epix
10. Belgravia
Cast: Philip Glenister, Tamsin Greig, Richard Goulding, Paul Ritter
Number of seasons: 1
Consider it a cross between Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, complete with juicy scandals. The series follows the Trenchard family as they navigate high society during the 1840s.
11. The Spanish Princess
Starz
Cast: Sai Bennett, Alicia Borrachero, Andrew Buchan, Laura Carmichael
Number of seasons: 2
What do you get when you mix a teenage princess, 16th-century love letters and plenty of royal scandal? The story of Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain, who goes to England to meet her future husband Arthur. However, when Arthur suddenly dies, Catherine isn’t welcomed into English society, and her next choice, King Henry VII, is the dad of the guy she really loves.
Ed Miller /Company Pictures
12. The White Queen
Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, James Frain, Amanda Hale
Number of seasons: 1
Based on Philippa Gregory’s book of the same name, The White Queen follows three women—Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville—who will stop at nothing to gain power and take the throne in 15th-century England.
Dramadies
13. Gossip Girl
The CW
Cast: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick
Number of seasons: 6
This early 2000s CW drama gives viewers a look “into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite.” Gossip Girl is Bridgeton, if Bridgerton were set in New York City and featured narration from a writer voiced by Kristen Bell rather than Julie Andrews.
14. Derry Girls
Netflix
Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlet
Number of seasons: 3
Bridgerton star, Nicola Coughlan, also stars in this comedy set in Northern Ireland in the '90s. The ladies of Derry Girls are a group of teenagers who are navigating their way through Catholic high school. Messy and loud and absolutely hilarious, Erin, Orla, Clare and Michelle are among the most lovable main characters I've seen in a while.
Maida raved about the comedy-drama series, saying “I don't think I've ever ugly laughed so hard at a TV show than I did while watching Derry Girls. The slapstick humor is the main draw (and it comes at a mile a minute), but it's also such a touching and lighthearted testament to friendship amidst difficult times. (It's set against The Troubles in Northern Ireland.) Even though I was in high school a decade after the show was set, it felt so relatable and made me nostalgic for those days being goofy with my BFFs.”
15. Dickinson
Apple TV+
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Toby Huss, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov
Number of seasons: 3
Dickinson details the early years of poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) from a comedic perspective, shining a new light on America’s most famous introvert. The comedic series may be a bit more exaggerated and over the top than Bridgerton but it’s just as entertaining.
Mystery Dramas
Netflix
16. Cable Girls
Cast: Ana Fernández, Nadia de Santiago, Blanca Suárez, Maggie Civantos
Number of seasons: 5
Obsessed with the elaborate period costumes in Bridgerton? Allow me to introduce another compelling series that features some of the most memorable fashion moments from the 1920s. This inspiring series follows a group of women who work together at a telephone company in Spain—and there's no shortage of drama.
17. Scandal
ABC
Cast: Kerry Washington, Guillermo Diaz, Darby Stanchfield
Number of seasons: 7
Like Bridgerton, Scandal was also created by drama series mastermind, Shonda Rhimes, so I had to include it in this list. The series follows Olivia Pope, a crisis-management expert who eradicates problems (or scandals) that occur among government officials. And with the help of her team (aka the Gladiators), Pope handles each situation with ease and proves that no mess is too dirty.
According to Philip Mutz (PureWow's VP of news and entertainment), “Scandal is such a fun show and one of my favorites from Shonda Rhimes. Olivia Pope is fashion icon and I still get excited every time she says, ‘Consider it handled.’”
18. Tiny Pretty Things
NEtflix
Cast: Brennan Clost, Barton Cowperthwaite, Bayardo De Murguia, Damon J. Gillespie
Number of seasons: 1
Based on the namesake book by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, TPT tells the story of three dancers who are enrolled at an elite ballet school. The problem? They all want to be prima ballerina. The similarities to Bridgerton? The drama and sex.
Mutz confirmed that it’s worth the watch, saying, “Tiny Pretty Things may have only lasted one season but it’s peak drama. I’m talking a thriller plus tons of fabulous dancing (not quite Bridgerton ballroom dancing, but still). And Lauren Holly gives a devilishly fun performance.”
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