The Globe and Mail
For many people, the phrase “period drama series” brings to mind sumptuous gowns, posh accents, romantic pining and furtive glances across gilded ballrooms.
That description is certainly true of Regency-era phenomenon Bridgerton, which launches Season 4 on Jan. 29. But the past decade has seen an explosion in drama series that are set in the past, meaning there are excellent period dramas to suit every taste.
Avid TV watchers with a penchant for old-timey escapism will be well-acquainted with award-winning period blockbusters such as Shogun, The Crown and Downton Abbey. The hidden gems listed below haven’t gotten as much attention but are well worth a watch.
If you like Bridgerton (or Queen Charlotte), you’ll love these regency romance reads
Some opt for realism, while others play with setting and language to create something that looks antique but feels contemporary. Each series transports the viewer to another world.
Here are 12 period dramas to check out, arranged according to what they do best:
For cheeky satire:
1. The Great (2020-2023)
Elle Fanning (right) plays Catherine the Great in The Great alongside Nicholas Hoult.Ollie Upton/HULU
It’s no surprise that this satire set in 1700s Russia works so well – Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult are two of Hollywood’s most appealing performers, and their spicy chemistry sells the fraught union of Catherine the Great and Peter III.
Describing itself as an “occasionally true story,” the series focuses on idealistic Catherine’s unhappy marriage to a boorish, violent monarch and her attempts to overthrow him. It’s peppered with edgy humour yet rooted in its stars’ emotional performances. Who says cheeky can’t be poignant too? (Available for purchase on Prime)
For gritty realism:
2. The Knick (2014-2015)
Clive Owen starred in a series set in 1900 at a fictional version of New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital.Mary Cybulski/The Associated Press
Hospital dramas are all the rage right now (see The Pitt, Chicago Med, Best Medicine), but for a look at the brutish beginnings of modern medicine, check out The Knick. Set in 1900 at a fictionalized version of New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital, the two-season series was directed by Stephen Soderbergh and stars Clive Owen and Andre Holland.
Unlike many period dramas, The Knick doesn’t romanticize the past, tackling issues such as addiction, racism and social inequality between harrowing scenes of early medical procedures. In 2021, there was talk of a third season helmed by Barry Jenkins and focusing on Dr. Algernon Edwards (Holland), but it was sadly not to be. (Free with Crave subscription)
For comforting warmth:
3. All Creatures Great and Small (2020-present)
Rachel Shenton, left, was Helen Alderson and Nicholas Ralph played James Herriott in a comfort drama set in 1930s and 40s England, revolving around three country veterinarians.Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / PBS
This cozy drama, set in Northern England during the 1930s and ’40s, revolves around the lives of three country veterinarians. (It’s based on a popular series of books written in the 1970s and a long-running BBC adaptation that followed.)
Many of the show’s funny and touching moments stem from the vets’ interaction with animals, but it’s the wonderful human characters you crave spending time with: cantankerous Siegfried, patient James, charming Tristan and caring Mrs. Hall, to name a few. It’s well-acted, well-written comfort food in series form. (Free on PBS or with a PBS|Masterpiece subscription)
For romance and female friendship:
4. The Buccaneers (2023-present)
The Buccaneers, adapted from an unfinished Edith Wharton novel, premiered last June on Apple TV+.Apple/Supplied
Bridgerton fans will enjoy spending time with The Buccaneers: Five young American heiresses sent to find husbands and titles in 1870s London. An adaptation of an unfinished Edith Wharton novel of the same name, the show shares some of Bridgerton’s DNA: Diverse casting, contemporary music and a lively reimagining of the oppressive social norms of the day.
The women bristle against the expectations loaded upon them, choosing female friendship and revelry over duty and etiquette. None of it is too serious, but the romantic entanglements and soapy storylines are good fun. (Free with Apple TV subscription)
For a journey into darkness:
5. The Alienist (2018-2020)
Dakota Fanning plays a police secretary in The Alienist, based on a bestselling book by Caleb Carr set in 1890s New York.Kata Vermes/The Associated Press
Serial killers are often seen as a 20th-century phenomenon, but The Alienist reaches back into 1890s New York to explore the emergence of forensic and psychological profiling. Based on a bestselling book by Caleb Carr, the show follows a secret team of three investigators assembled by the NYPD: a criminal psychologist or “alienist” (Daniel Bruhl), a New York Times illustrator (Luke Evans) and a police secretary (Dakota Fanning).
The trio hunts a serial killer targeting young male prostitutes while navigating police corruption and gender discrimination. It’s a murder mystery and fascinating historical fiction rolled into one. (For purchase on Apple TV)
For coming of age with Gen Z flair:
6. Dickinson (2019-2021)
Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson alongside Wiz Khalifa in Dickinson, which had three seasons before its finale.Apple TV
Set in 1840s Massachusetts, Dickinson is another fine series that reimagines its time period through a modern lens. While it might be categorized as more of a “dramedy,” Dickinson packs an emotional punch beyond the Gen Z slang, twerking and incongruous beat drops.
Hailee Steinfeld, recently so fantastic in Sinners, is revelatory as a passionate, sensitive Emily Dickinson who is battling between her creative spirit and her youthful selfishness. The show blossomed into more of an ensemble show in its final season while retaining its biting, joyful heart. (Free with Apple TV subscription)
For a peek into a criminal underworld:
7. Warrior (2019-2023)
Set in the 1870s, period drama Warrior follows a martial arts prodigy from China who comes to San Francisco to find his sister.Crave/Bell Media/Supplied
This action-packed historical crime drama is perfect for Gen Xers who were into martial arts movies as kids. It’s based on an original concept and treatment by Bruce Lee and executive produced by his daughter Shannon Lee. Set in the 1870s, the show follows Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a martial arts prodigy from China who comes to San Francisco to find his sister but ends up sold to a powerful tong – a Chinese-American gang.
Packed with electrifying fight scenes, the show also delves thoughtfully into issues of xenophobia and racism. Warrior’s production backstory is also scrappy; disrupted by the pandemic and the actor’s strike, it faced cancellation twice but eked out three seasons owing to fan outcry. (Free with Crave subscription)
For palace intrigue:
8. The Empress (2022-present)
Melika Foroutan in The Empress, a series set in 1850s Vienna.Netflix
This German-language series digs into the early life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or “Sisi,” a free spirit and legendary beauty who is to this day a beloved figure in Austria. The Empress takes place in 1850s Vienna, when Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau) is still a teenager. She is thrust into a life of etiquette and court politics when Emperor Franz (Philip Froissant) decides to marry her instead of her sister.
Elisabeth soon feels suffocated in her cloistered new life, contending with a manipulative mother-in-law, a scheming brother-in-law and a lady-in-waiting with devious intentions. The chemistry between Elisabeth and Franz sizzles, and the sets and costumes are gorgeous to boot. (Free with Netflix subscription)
For epic battles:
9. The Last Kingdom (2018-2022)
Alexander Dreymon plays Uhtred, a Saxon raised by Vikings, in The Last Kingdom.DESWILLIE/Netflix
Perfect for fans of movies such as 300 or The Northman, The Last Kingdom tells the story of Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon), a Saxon born of nobility whose parents are killed by Viking invaders when he is just 12. Uhtred is raised by Vikings and as a grown man finds himself torn between loyalties.
Set in 9th- and 10th-century England, The Last Kingdom’s cinematography is fabulous, with stunning landscapes and vivid battle scenes. The show was adapted from Bernard Cornwell’s book series, The Saxon Stories, and presents a bit of history along with escapism. Dreymon and Emily Cox, who plays Uhtred’s friend and lover Brida, are compelling leads, delivering clever banter and fierce charisma. (Free with Netflix subscription)
For larceny and bare-knuckled violence:
10. A Thousand Blows (2025-present)
Erin Doherty plays Mary in A Thousand Blows, a character who leads a gang of women thieves.Robert Viglasky/Disney+/Supplied
Set in opium dens, raucous pubs and bare-knuckled boxing rings, this period crime drama depicts the brutality and exploitation of Victorian London’s criminal underworld. All three lead characters are based on real historical figures: veteran boxer Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham), Jamaican immigrant and upstart boxer Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), who leads a gang of women thieves.
With Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight at the helm, A Thousand Blows has the same gritty style as that show. Plots tackle racism, sexism, greed, revenge and the challenge of holding on to one’s humanity when you’re scrabbling for survival. (Free with Disney+ subscription)
For character-driven melodrama:
11. Mildred Pierce (2011)
Kate Winslet and Guy Pearce starred together in the miniseries Mildred Pierce, set in the suburbs during the Depression.
The 1945 Michael Curtiz film Mildred Pierce is hard to beat, with Joan Crawford shredding scenery in the iconic titular role. But the dynamic duo of director Todd Haynes and actress Kate Winslet create something magical in this 2011 miniseries. The Depression-era suburbia sets are note-perfect, and Winslet is believable as a middle-class woman struggling to support her family when her husband leaves.
The core of the film is Mildred’s fraught relationship with her spoiled, disdainful daughter, Veda. Evan Rachel Wood plays Veda as an older teen, and she and Winslet are formidable sparring partners. (Free with Crave subscription)
For romantic yearning and social commentary:
12. Howard’s End (2017)
Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson Howard's End (1992), which preceded the miniseries.
Another miniseries that was preceded by an acclaimed film (the Oscar-winning Merchant-Ivory production of 1992), this adaptation by Kenneth Lonergan takes its time to explore the stifling social conventions of turn-of-the-century England. The Wilcoxes are narrow-minded wealthy capitalists, the Schlegels are intellectual liberals and the Basts are struggling lower-middle class.
Rich in emotion yet not saccharine, Howard’s End dissects class warfare and asks the question: Does love conquer all differences of opinion? It’s also visually pleasing, with a great cast that includes future fan favourites Matthew Macfadyen (Tom in Succession) and Joseph Quinn (Eddie in Stranger Things). (Free with Starz subscription)
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of actor Matthew Macfadyen's surname.