The Best Period Dramas to Watch for a Much-Needed Escape
The Best Period Dramas to Watch for a Much-Needed Escape
The costumes! The history! The sumptuous storylines! Simply put, there is so much to love about a period drama, in both TV series and movie form. With the push of a button, these historical dramas act as instant portals into other eras.
The only question is: Where do you want to time-travel first? Each of these shows explores a different era in history, through the lenses of kings, queens, and everyday people. The Spanish Princess on Starz ventures into the early days of King Henry VIII's notorious rule, through the eyes of his first wife (and first love). The movie Belle looks at what life was like for a young Black woman in a wealthy family in Regency-era England; Bridgerton is a more fantastical take on the same era. And The New World rewrites the myth of the founding of the Jamestown Colony, making it a thought-provoking Thanksgiving Day movie pick.
Based on classic novels like Little Women and real-life events like the Duchess of Richmond's doomed ball, the possibilities for period dramas are endless. Some, like Downton Abbey, are completely fictional—but speak truths about far-off eras. And, there are options like Outlander, that offer sweeping romances. We've also included Spanish-language picks, since period dramas are hardly limited by geographic region. Here are some of our favorite period dramas streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and beyond.
<i>Bridgerton</i>
Based on Julia Quinn's historical romance novels, Bridgerton is Shonda Rhimes's first show for Netflix—and the dreamiest period piece on this list. Bridgerton's creators admitted, while speaking to the press, that the Regency-era series wasn't fully historically accurate. Still, with its lush sets and intricate costumes, Bridgerton is definitely a portal to the past. In season 1, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) brokers a deal with Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) to pretend to be engaged during courting season. Then they actually fall for each other.
<i>The Spanish Princess</i>
Henry VII is known as the king who married six women—and in doing so, broke from the Catholic Church and altered the course of history. The Spanish Princess provides a radically different glimpse of the infamous monarch, seen through the eyes of his first wife (and truest love): Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope), who originally was sent to England from Spain to marry his brother.
<i>Sanditon</i>
If Jane Austen movie adaptations are your idea of comfort binge-watching, then Sanditon, a sumptuous show based on Austen's final (and incomplete) novel, is for you. Sanditon takes place in a burgeoning seaside resort town, where lives converge—and one very swoonworthy romantic lead is born (looking at you, Theo James). Sanditon also is notable for featuring the only Black character in Austen's work: Georgiana Lambe is a West Indian heiress played by Crystal Clarke.
<i>Lovecraft Country</i>
Chicago, 1955. Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) has returned from the Korean War, and faces a homeland askew. Based on Matt Ruff's novel of the same name, Lovecraft Country is a prescient voyage through the U.S. where the dangers of racism are as pressing, if not more so, as the dangers of Lovecraftian monsters. Watch if you like your period pieces to come with a dash of sci-fi.
<i>Outlander</i>
All period pieces are a form of time travel–bringing you back to another era. Outlander is set apart in that it features literal time travel: Claire Frasier (Caitriona Balfe) touches enchanted stones in Scotland, and is transported back to the 18th century. So begins an adventure—and romance—that is unforgettable, and worth planning a trip to Scotland for. Prepare an Outlander-themed feast to go along with your binge-watch.
<i>Harlots</i>
What did it take to be a financially independent woman in the 18th century? Watch Harlots, a show that explores the options available to women in the past, to find out. This witty show centers on a group of madams and sex workers, who find—in their work, catering to wealthy clients—a kind of freedom.
<i>The Crown</i>
Thanks to this sumptuous Netflix show, the English royal family is rendered accessible. Slated to be six seasons, the show follows the course of Queen Elizabeth's life, from her early 20s to the '90s. The Crown casts a new light on historical events, and gives interiority to monarchs. The question is: Does Queen Elizabeth herself watch the show?
<i>Belgravia</i>
Looking for a manageable period binge-watch? Belgravia, a six-part show from the creator of Downton Abbey, is your best bet. The miniseries begins at a real-life ball, held on the eve of a pivotal battle, and unfolds during England's Victorian Era. Watch a clip at OprahMag.com.
<i>Call the Midwife</i>
As opposed to many period pieces, which focus on royalty or wealthy families, Call the Midwife is about the everyday heroes of mid-century Britain: The nurses, midwives and nuns who helped deliver babies. You'll cheer along during their victories, and cry during the tragedies—we guarantee it.
<i>Poldark</i>
Some people watch Poldark for the history. Most people, though, watch Poldark for Captain Ross Poldark himself, a brooding hero played by Aidan Turner. Returning to England after fighting in the Revolutionary War, Poldark finds himself caught between worlds.
<i>Downton Abbey</i>
Downton Abbey is the period piece that needs no introduction. Spanning from 1912 to 1926, the show captures the busy, bursting activity of Downton Abbey, the Crawley family's aristocratic house in the English countryside. The show pays equal attention to the "upstairs" and "downstairs" set, a.k.a. the Crawley family and the people who keep their home running. The recent Downton Abbey movie wrapped up their storylines—but there may be a sequel.
<i>Forstye Saga</i>
Based on the Nobel Prize-winning work of John Galsworthy, this 10-part series follows England's wealthy Forstye family from the 1870s to the 1920s. It's a high-brow show with soap opera-worthy plots.
<i>Cable Girls</i>
In 1920s Spain, four women are on the vanguard of the workforce: Working for Spain's brand-new telephone service. Cable Girls is a gripping drama with many a-cliffhanger, and it's also a fascinating picture of women and economic mobility over the ages.
<i>North and South</i>
The four-part BBC drama North and South came out in 2004, and its story of love between classes continues to echo in other period pieces today. Watch for the legendary kiss (dubbed "The Kiss" by fans), considered one of TV's most swoon-worthy scenes.
<i>Elizabeth</i>
After watching The Crown, which explores the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, head back to the first Queen Elizabeth with this riveting movie. Cate Blanchett plays the monarch at the tumultuous early years of her reign, as she's trying to hold onto power amid a succession crisis.
<i>The Age of Innocence</i>
Based on the eponymous Edith Wharton novel, The Age of Innocence is a story of one man, caught between love and what he considers to be his duty. Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) checks all of the boxes of an upper-crust man in New York during the Gilded Age: He works in his father's business and he's engaged to the "right" woman. Then, Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer) comes into his life, and makes him question everything.
<i>The Knick</i>
After watching Lenox Hill on Netflix, a reality show that captures the toil of modern medicine, watch The Knick for a taste of what being a doctor was like in the year 1900. The two-season show is set at the Knickerbocker Hospital in Manhattan, where Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen) is a brilliant, but troubled, surgeon.
<i>Anne With an E</i>
After she's orphaned, Anne (Amybeth McNulty) is sent to live with her family on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In this remote but picturesque location, people are sustained by a close-knit community. Based on Anne of Green Gables, this heartwarming drama about childhood will make you feel all the feels.
<i>The New World</i>
Get ready to rewrite whatever myths you subliminally picked up on in Disney's Pocahontas. The New World is the retelling of the Jamestown colony. Q’orianka Kilcher plays Pocahontas; Colin Farrell, a settler who threatens her way of life.
<i>Belle</i>
Belle tells the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, born to a British admiral and a Black slave. After being orphaned, Dido, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, grows up in 1770s England. Belle explores how race functioned in the era in which so many beloved period pieces are set
<i>Stage Beauty</i>
Maria (Claire Danes) is a costume designer, and longs to be an actor in a time when only men were permitted to act. Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup) is renowned for playing Shakespeare's heroines. In this hidden gem of a movie, two ambitious people come together in love and art.
<i>Pride and Prejudice</i>
Jane Austen's 1813 novel about two people who obstruct their own path to love never seems to get old. The 2005 adaptation, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFayden as the story's central couple, is especially moving. Watch it enough times, and you'll want to run through the British countryside.
<i>The Favourite</i>
And now, for a queen-centric movie unlike any that have come before it. This irreverent, Oscar-nominated movie looks at the real (and really chaotic) court of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), in which women compete to be named the queen's "favorite."
<i>Les Miserables</i>
Don't expect to hear the people sing in this dramatic adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel, about an uprising that took place before the French Revolution. The unfairly imprisoned Jean Valjean is played by Dominic West; his foe, Javert, by David Oyelowo.
Where will you time travel to next?