Period dramas take us on a trip through history with stunning costumes and gripping stories.
Shows like Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, and Peaky Blinders have made the genre a huge hit in recent years, keeping viewers hooked from start to finish. Here, I’ve rounded up the 100 best period dramas of the 21st century – the must-watch shows and films you need to see.
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Historical romances set pre-19th century
We’ve got some huge names in the historical romance section. Take a look at these dramas set pre-19th century, including Pride and Prejudice and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Anna Karenina (2012)
The Favourite (2018)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Belle (2013)
Becoming Jane (2007)
A Royal Affair (2012)
Farewell, My Queen (2012)
Effie Gray (2014)
The Duchess (2008)
Catherine Called Birdy (2022)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Cyrano (2021)
The Libertine (2004)
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Tulip Fever (2017)
Immortal Beloved (1994, but counts due to re-release in 2000s)
The Last Duel (2021)
Lady Macbeth (2016)
Victorian & regency era romances
We love a good romance, particularly one set in the Victorian Regency era – with secret glances across candlelit ballrooms, secret letters slipped between gloved hands, and romantic horse rides to see loved ones.
Jane Eyre (2011)
Emma (2020)
Persuasion (2022)
North & South (2004)
Wuthering Heights (2011)
The Young Victoria (2009)
Great Expectations (2012)
Miss Austen Regrets (2008)
Victoria & Abdul (2017)
Bright Star (2009)
Period dramas set during WWI & WWII
These types of period dramas are heart-wrenching, showing the struggles between loved ones amidst chaos and bloodshed.
Atonement (2007)
Suite Française (2014)
Allied (2016)
The Aftermath (2019)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
The English Patient (1996; re-released versions still popular post-2000)
The Exception (2016)
Testament of Youth (2014)
Casablanca (1942; often included in retrospective lists – modern prints available on Prime)
Frantz (2016)
American historical dramas (19th–20th century)
The American historical dramas do it just as well as the British ones. Whether you’re in the mood for Little Women or The Age of Adaline.
Little Women (2019)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Legends of the Fall (1994, reissued often)
The Notebook (2004)
The Longest Ride (2015)
Far from Heaven (2002)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
The Age of Adaline (2015)
Brooklyn (2015)
Water for Elephants (2011)
Global & biographical historical dramas
From royal courts to revolution, global and biographical historical dramas bring real stories and distant eras vividly to life.
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
The Painted Veil (2006)
The Lover (1992; often rewatched in the 2000s)
Becoming Astrid (2018)
Frida (2002)
Collette (2018)
Firelight (1997; resurgence in streaming popularity)
Mao’s Last Dancer (2009)
The White Countess (2005)
Queen Margot (1994; popular again due to restorations)
Forbidden or tragic historical romances
Sometimes the best stories lie in tragedy – in love that defies all, only to be torn apart by fate.
The Piano (1993; critically revived on streaming)
The Reader (2008)
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Antonia’s Line (1995)
Cheri (2009)
The Invisible Woman (2013)
The Light Between Oceans (2016)
My Cousin Rachel (2017)
Lady J (2018)
The Wings of the Dove (1997)
Costume dramas
The best type of historical dramas are those with not just beautifully crafted characters but also stunning costume designs and settings.
Downton Abbey (2019 film)
Mr. Malcolm’s List (2022)
Love & Friendship (2016)
Ammonite (2020)
The Remains of the Day (1993; classic, often revisited)
The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021)
An Education (2009)
Benediction (2021)
The Book Thief (2013)
The White Queen (TV, 2013, film-like)
The Best TV Miniseries
Whether you’re obsessed with the regency glam of Bridgerton, the windswept romance of Poldark, or the high-society drama of The Gilded Age, these are the TV shows to watch.
Sanditon (2019–2023)
Bridgerton (2020– )
War & Peace (BBC, 2016)
Vanity Fair (2018)
Poldark (2015–2019)
The Spanish Princess (2019–2020)
The Gilded Age (2022– )
Anne with an E (2017–2019)
Call the Midwife (2012– )
Outlander (2014– )
Recent Releases, indies, and streaming originals
From Firebrand to Of an Age, these recent releases and indie hits offer fresh stories, big performances, and plenty of drama for your next watchlist.
Firebrand (2023)
One Life (2023)
The Promised Land (2024)
Ophelia (2018)
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Coup de Chance (2023)
Rye Lane (2023)
The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021)
The Colour Room (2021)
Of an Age (2022) – historical, LGBTQ+ period romance