Drama and history are a part of everyone’s daily life. Most of the shows made nowadays are mainly of the genre drama. If we combine the drama and history genres, the show is a historical drama. Adding on to historical drama, some shows are also made of period drama. Theater, history, period drama shows, and movies have gotten a lot of recognition. Period dramas are also able to gain a lot of audiences. Shows like Downton Abbey are an example of period drama.
Many of you must know what Downton Abbey is. But for those who don’t know, Downton Abbey is a historical drama released in 2010 that ran for over five years. The reason for this long-running was the fantastic story and the great love of Downton Abbey. Over the years, Downton Monastery gained a lot of audiences and received immense love.
This is why we will discuss some of the series and shows like downton abbey in this article. So, this article will be fascinating for all the Downton Abbey fans. To know more about such period drama, family drama, and historical drama series, keep reading the article till the end.
31. Mad Men
- Director: Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Scott Hornbacher, Phil Abraham
- Writer: Matthew Weiner
- Cast: Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, January Jones, Christina Hendricks, Bryan Batt, Michael Gladis, Aaron Staton, Rich Sommer, Maggie Siff, John Slattery, Robert Morse
- IMDb Rating:7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
- Platforms Available: AMC
The series, Mad Men is really one-of-a-kind series. Mad Men is a show set in the 1960s in New York. The story is all about the people who work at an ad agency. The series shows them work hard on ads and try to make them good and perfect. The main guy in this series is Don Draper who is a creative guy who’s got some secrets. He’s good at making ads but his personal life is a bit out of line.
The show started on July 19, 2007, and ended on May 17, 2015. The journey of how they come up with ad ideas and how they handle their work and personal stuff makes the series very interesting and worth watching.
30. Reign
- Director: Brad Silberling
- Writer: Laurie McCarthy, Stephanie SenGupta
- Cast: Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs, Toby Regbo, Jenessa Grant, Celina Sinden, Caitlin Stasey, Anna Popplewell
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
- Platforms Available: The CW
The TV show “Reign ” is basically a historical drama full of spectacle, love, and fancy dresses. The story continues with Mary Queen of Scots, who is young and has to deal with royal troubles. She’s in France, getting ready to marry Prince Francis.
The series began on 17 October 2013 and ended on June 16 2017. The story unfolds all the trouble and pretty intense journeys that she had to face ahead. She faces all types of challenges, from politics to romance. The show’s got drama, parties, and lots of secrets. One will be glued to the screen as Mary travels through the tricky world of the royal court and tries to solve all the problems.
29. The Great
- Director: Florence Keith-Roach, Colin Bucksey, Matt Shakman, Geeta V. Patel, Ben Chessell, Amber Templemore-Finlayson, Katie Ellwood, Ally Pankiw,Vanessa Alexander
- Writer: Tony McNamara
- Cast: Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Sacha Dhawan, Charity Wakefield, Gwilym Lee, Adam Godley, Douglas Hodge, Belinda Bromilow, Bayo Gbadamosi, Sebastian de Souza, Florence Keith-Roach, Danusia Samal, Freddie Fox, Grace Molony
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Platforms Available: Hulu
“The Great” Is a really cool series that’s totally worth one’s time. The story and environment is set in the olden days and it follows Catherine, a young gal who becomes the Empress of Russia. This series provides a perfect blend of history and a dash of humor and drama. The series started on May 15, 2020, and is yet to complete.
Catherine is full of courage and determination. She’s never settling for a boring life. She is aiming for greatness and to shock the entire world. She navigates her way through the royal court with her cunning and charming personality. There’s intrigue, funny moments, and some surprises along the way.
28. Belgravia
- Director: John Alexander
- Writer: Julian Fellowes
- Cast: Philip Glenister, Tamsin Greig, Richard Gouldin, Alice Eve
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 75%
- Platforms Available: ITV
Let’s talk about the show Belgravia. The show is like a time machine that catapults us back to the past, where we get to see the story about the lives of the upper crust in the 1800s. The story is set in a fancy London neighborhood called Belgravia, filled with secrets, drama, and fancy parties. There are two main families, the Trenchards and the Bellasis.
The first episode was released on 15 March 2020 and sixth episode on 19 April 2020. “Belgravia” comes from the same creator as Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes. Imagine the same charm, but in a different setting and time period.
27. Pride and Prejudice
- Director: Simon Langton
- Writer: Andrew Davies
- Cast: Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth
- IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
- Platforms Available: BBC One, Netflix
The ‘Pride and Prejudice’ has its own charm. It’s a classic show that takes us back to old-time England. The story follows the lives and drama of the Bennett family, especially the witty Elizabeth and the prideful Mr. Darcy. The story continues with family dramas, matchmaking, and plenty of romantic twists. The show began on 24 September 1995 and ended on 29 October 1995.
The shows provide us a peek into the lives of people from different classes. In ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ we get a scenario of the nobility and the middle class. The series is set in a time when social rules and manners were principal.
26. Outlander
- Director: Ronald D. Moore
- Writer: Ronald D. Moore
- Cast: Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan
- IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Outlander is the first series in the list of shows, like Downton Abbey. Outlander is a drama series which is made of various genres. The genres include drama, historical fiction, adventure, romance, and fantasy.
Consisting of so many genres, the series is a completely packed entertainer. The show is based on a novel of the same name, which Diana Gabaldon wrote. It started on August 9, 2014, and has been running till now. Until now, Outlander has completed 75 episodes and six seasons.
Talking about the story, the series is about a woman and a world war. In the series, the woman is a nurse by profession. Although the series was set up in 1945, the nurse is mysteriously thrown back in time to 1743, when the first world war occurred. As world war i is going on, her life is in great danger.
25. The Halcyon
- Director: Charlotte Jones
- Writer: Jack Lothian, Martha Hillier
- Cast: Annabelle Apsion, Mark Benton, Edward Bluemel, Alex Boxall
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 60%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu
Next, we have The Halcyon on the list. The Halcyon is a drama series released on January 2, 2017. The series ran till February 20, making it to 8 episodes. Although the series had only 1 season, it was able to gain a lot of audiences and received immense love and
Coming onto the series’ story, the plot is set up in 1940, when world war ii is going on. The Halcyon is about a hotel which is situated in London. The hotel is helping the people stuck amid the war.
24. The Crown
- Director: Peter Morgan
- Writer: Peter Morgan
- Cast: Charles Dance, Josh O’Connor, Gillian Anderson, Emma Corrin, Stephen Boxer, Emerald Fennell
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
The next in the shows like downton abbey is The Crown. The CCrown is a tv series made in the genre of historical events. As soon as the show was released, it received many positive reviews from the audience.
The Crown was released on November 4, 2016, and is running today. The show’s running for more than five years proves how amazing the show is. Till now, it has completed a total of 40 episodes and four seasons.
The story of The Crown focuses on the life of Queen Elizabeth ii, a renowned royal family princess. In the series Queen Elizabeth ii is shown in her young princess days. She slowly develops a relationship with Sir Winston Churchill, a legendary prime minister. While British history is in decline, a new era is emerging.
23. The Durrells
- Director: Steve Barron
- Writer: Simon Nye
- Cast: Keeley Hawes, Milo Parker, Josh O’Connor, Daisy Waterstone
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Another great family drama, period drama, and comedy-drama series related to shows like downton abbey are The Durrells. The Durrells, also known as The Durrells in Corfu, is a comedy-drama series that was a great hit.
The show Durrells is based on an autobiographical book named Corfu trilogy written by Gerald Durrell. So basically, the novel is about Durrell’s life, written ten by Durrell himself.
The series started on April 3, 2016, and ran till May 12, 2019. In three years, it completed 26 episodes and four seasons.
As the series is based on an autobiographical novel, it tells the story of Gerald Durrell. The story shows his family settling in Corfu in 1993 when his father died unexpectedly. He with his mother lived at the place till 1939.
22. Upstairs, downstairs
- Director: Heidi Thomas
- Writer: Heidi Thomas, Steve Thompson, Debbie O’Malley
- Cast: Eileen Atkins, Claire Foy, Keeley Hawes, Neil Jackson, Ellie Kendrick, Art Malik
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 81%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
Next, the series that we have is Upstairs Downstairs. This drama series is a British society television drama that started on December 26, 2010, and lasted until March 25, 2012. During these two years, the show completed nine episodes in its two series each. In 2012 the Sertwotwotwoes finale premiered.
The series is based on another British tv show of the same name, basically upstairs downstairs, telecasted from 1971 to 1975.
Upstairs downstairs follows the life of Sir Hallam Holland and his wife, Lady Agnes. The following events were when Holland and his wife returned to England in 1930 and o through fascism and social divides.
21. The Queen’s Gambit
- Director: Scott Frank, Allan Scott
- Writer: Scott Frank
- Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram, Isla Johnston, Christiane Seidel, Rebecca Root
- IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Following shows like downton abbey are The Queen’s Gambit. The show is made in the genre of period dramas and coming of age. The show originated in the United States, with English as the original language of the release.
The Queen’s Gambit is based on an American novel of the same name written by Walter Tevis. The show started on October 20, 2020.
The show is set up in the era of the cold war. It revolves around a girl named Beth Harmon, who is an orphan but quests to become the best chess player in the world. This girl’s life is examined through a critical lens in the series.
20. Thorne
- Director: Stephen Hopkins, Benjamin Ross
- Writer: Dudi Appleton, Jim Keeble
- Cast: David Morrissey, Eddie Marsan, Aidan Gillen, O-T Fagbenle, Lorraine Ashbourne
- IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Thorne is an example of such a show where American audiences were instantly attracted to the show as soon as it got released. The Thorne is very similar to Downton Abbey as it is also made in the crime drama genre, and police procedural is also included.
The show is based on the novels written by Mark Billingham. It started on October 10, 2016, and lasted until November 14, 2016, with six episodes. Though this series ran just one season, it was a great success.
In the series, four women have been attacked, of which three are found dead while the fourth manages to survive. Police are investigating the case, and the alive lady must be able to identify the murderer except because she cannot speak because of the locked-in syndrome.
19. Vanity Fair
- Director: James Strong
- Writer: Gwyneth Hughes
- Cast: Olivia Cooke, Claudia Jessie, Tom Bateman, Johnny Flynn, Charlie Rowe, Simon Russell Beale
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Another fantastic series like downton abbey is Vanity Fair. The show is made in the genre of historical and period drama. It is based on a novel of the same name written by William Makepeace.
The show was released on September 2, 218, and lasted until October 7, 2018. The number of episodes during this duration was 7.
The show is about Becky Sharp, an ambitious young woman who tries her best to find her way out of poverty. Her main dream is to reach the heights of English society.
18. Miss Fisher’s murder mysteries
- Director: James Strong
- Writer: Gwyneth Hughes
- Cast: Olivia Cooke, Claudia Jessie, Tom Bateman, Johnny Flynn, Charlie Rowe, Simon Russell Beale
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Now coming onto the next series, miss fisher’s murder mysteries is on the list. As the name suggests, the show is mysterious. But other than mystery, the show also has various genres.
The other genres include crime, costume drama, period drama, and historical mystery. So the show is a complete-packed entertainer for the audience.
The show is about Miss Fisher, who is a lady detective. It follows her adventures as she enters the jazz clubs in the late 1920s.
17. Grantchester
- Director: Daisy Coulam
- Writer: Daisy Coulam
- Cast: James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie, Tessa Peake-Jones, Al Weaver, Tom Brittney
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Next, we have Grantchester in shows like Downton Abbey. The show is made in the genre of mystery and period drama. It is based on The Grantchester Mysteries, a series of crime fiction books by James Runcie.
It started on October 6, 2014, and is still going on. Now, it has completed seven seasons and 45 episodes.
The series concerns Reverend Sidney Chambers, who joins and teams up with Inspector Geordie Keating. The main aim of teaming up is to investigate and solve the mysterious crimes in the village of Grantchester.
16. Victoria
- Director: Daisy Goodwin
- Writer: Daisy Goodwin
- Cast: Jenna Coleman, Adrian Schiller, Tommy Knight
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
For those of you who are fascinated by the life of Queen Victoria, a fantastic series named Victoria is made for you. The series is based on historical events.
As the name suggests, the series is about Queen Victoria’s life and the ups and downs she has to go through. It started on August 28, 2016, and ended on May 12, 2019. During this time, it completed 25 episodes and three seasons.
In the series, initially, Victoria belongs to an upper-middle-class family. At 18, she falls in love with Prince Albert, and they both get married to each other, and a beautiful love story is formed.
15. Poldark
- Director: Debbie Horsfield
- Writer: Debbie Horsfield
- Cast: Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Heida Reed, Ruby Bentall, Jack Farthing, Luke Norris
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
The next series similar to that of downton abbey is Poldark. However, Poldark’s historical context focuses more on romance, romantic aspects, and relationship drama.
It was released on March 8, 2015, and lasted four years, ending on August 26, 2019. In four years, the show completed 43 episodes and five seasons.
The series deals with the life adventures of Ross Poldark when he returns to his home after the American war ends. After returning, he restarts his life with new business ventures, making new friends and enemies, and, most notably, finding love when he is not expecting it.
14. Bridgerton
- Director: Chris Van Dusen
- Writer: Chris Van Dusen
- Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Harriet Cains
- IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 82%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
If you loved the Crawley family in the downton abbey, Bridgerton is the next best choice after the downton monastery for viewers. Bridgerton television series is made in regency romance and period drama.
As soon as the series started on December 25, 2022, it gained a lot of love and praise from the audience. As a result, the series is ongoing, with 16 episodes and two seasons already completed.
The Ttwotwotwoe series is set up in the Regency Era of England. The story is about the Bridgerton family, one of the most powerful families like the Crawley family of England. Eight siblings of the Bridgerton family want and attempt to find love.
13. The English Game
- Director: Birgitte Stærmose, Tim Fywell
- Writer: Julian Fellowes, Tony Charles
- Cast: Edward Holcroft, Kevin Guthrie, Charlotte Hope, Niamh Walsh, Craig Parkinson
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 53%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Another series made in a historical context is The English Game. This series originated in the United States, and the original language of the release is English.
The series was released on March 20, 2020, and the number of episodes was 6. The series has gained much recognition in the past few years, so it has received a lot of love from the audience.
Talking about the plot, the series is about two footballers in the 19th century. They both are divided by their personal life and professional life. But their divisions lead to some changes in the game forever.
12. Cable Girls
- Director: Ramón Campos, Gema R. Neira
- Writer: Ramón Campos
- Cast: Blanca Suárez, Maggie Civantos, Nadia de Santiago, Ana María Polvorosa, Ana Fernández García
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
A 100% rated series by rotten tomatoes is Cable Girls. The series is very much similar to downton abbey and is made in the genre of period drama and telenovela.
The series started on April 28, 2017, and ran till July 3, 2020. In three years, the show completed 42 episodes and five seasons.
The series is most famous for its strong female lead character. The show follows the lives of four women working at the National Telephone Company in Madrid. Their stamina is observed in the front as they go through adventures related to love, friendship, and work.
11. The Paradise
- Director: David Drury, Marc Jobst
- Writer: David Drury
- Cast: Joanna Vanderham, Peter Wight, Emun Elliott, Matthew McNulty, David Hayman
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 76%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Coming onto the next series, we have The Paradise on the list. Paradise is made in the genre of drama. It is a complete drama series. So for all the drama lovers out there, this series is created for you.
The series is about an all-black town where the residents there has no other choice but to be reluctant to accept the outsiders. The name of the city is Ruby. Later out of nowhere, some mysterious and bizarre events occur in the town, and a nearby convent is blamed for the same.
10. Mr. Selfridge
- Director: Andrew Davies
- Writer: Andrew Davies
- Cast: Jeremy Pive, Amanda Abbingto, Ron Coo, Grégory Fitouss, Tom Goodman-Hil, Trystan Gravelle
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 69%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
A fantastic period drama series is available for all Downton fans. Mr. Selfridge is one such series that is the best suitable for Downton fans as it is very similar to downton abbey.
The series is based on the life of a man called Harry Selfridge. When Harry comes to the United States, he works in a department store. But slowly and gradually, he uses his personality and sharp mind skills to succeed in business.
9. Call The Midwife
- Director: Heidi Thomas
- Writer: Heidi Thomas
- Cast: Jenny Agutte, Linda Basset, Judy Parfit, Helen George
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 93%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Call The Midwife is the perfect choice if you are fond of personal dramas. The series is based on a book named Memoirs written by Jennifer Worth.
The show started on January 15, 2012, and is going on till now with a completion of 95 episodes and 11 seasons.
The plot follows a group of nurses working in the East End of London in the 1950s. Their adventures and dramas are shown in the show as they handle their daily lives and try to adjust to the changes going on in the world.
8. War and Peace
- Director: Tom Harper
- Writer: Andrew Davies
- Cast: Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton, Jessie Buckley
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
War and Peace is another period drama series, like downton abbey. War and Peace is a television series based on the book named War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. It was started on January 3, 2016, and ran till & February of the same year.
The plot of the series is somewhat different from the primary class lines. The story is set up during the American revolutionary war. Five aristocratic families witness the changes their lives start to go through during the war.
7. Girls from Ipanema
- Director: Caíto Ortiz, Hugo Prata
- Writer: Heather Roth, Patricia Corso
- Cast: Maria Casadevall, Pathy Dejesus, Fernanda Vasconcellos, Mel Lisboa
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
- Platforms Available: Netflix
Female empowerment is the most talked about thing nowadays. Based on the same theme, a fantastic series is available on Netflix. The name of the series is Girls From Ipanema. The name of the most beautiful thing also knows in the series.
The story revolves around Maria Luzia when suddenly her husband disappears. After this, Maria turns her property into a club and becomes a strong and independent woman.
6. Dickinson
- Director: Alena Smith
- Writer: Alena Smith
- Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Toby Huss, Adrian Blake Enscoe, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
- Platforms Available: Apple TV
Dickinson is a television series made in the genre of comedy. Starting on November 1, 2019, and ending on December 24, 2021, Dickinson completed three seasons and 30 episodes.
Setup in the 19th century, in the series Emily Dickinson, a growing writer, expresses her perspective to explain gender, family, and society.
5. Lark Rise to Candleford
- Director: Bill Gallagher
- Writer: Bill Gallagher
- Cast: Sarah Lancashire
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video, BBC One
Lark Rise to Candleford is a 2008 series based on some dramatic events. An adaptation of the Lark Rise to Candleford trilogy by Flora Thompson, the series started on January 13, 2008, and ran till February 13, 2011.
In the plot, a young girl is shown who moves to a local market to start her journey as a postmistress.
4. Wolf Hall
- Director: Peter Kosminsky
- Writer: Peter Straughan
- Cast: Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, Claire Foy, Bernard Hill
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Coming onto the next series, we have Wolf Hall. Wolf Hall is again based on some historical events, just like Downton Abbey. The series is based on two popular novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel.
The series is set up from 1500 to 1535, showing the growth and rise of Thomas Cromwell and King Henry viii.
3. The Forsyte Saga
- Director: Christopher Menaul
- Writer: John Galsworthy, Stephen Mallatratt
- Cast: Damian Lewi, Rupert Grave, Gina McKee, Corin Redgrave
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Another spectacular drama series is The Fortsyte Saga. The series is a television series based on a book of the same name written by John Galsworthy. The series ran from April 7, 2002, and ended on May 25, 2003, completing ten episodes and five seasons.
It follows the lives of three generations from a middle-class family from the 1870s to 1920s in London.
2. Gossip Girls
- Director: Josh Schwartz
- Writer: Josh Schwartz
- Cast: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Fond of looking for love triangles in a story? Then gossip girl is made more of you. The series includes various genres like drama, teen drama, and romance. The series started on September 19, 2007, until December 17, 2012.
The plot focuses on Blair Waldorf and her love triangles. She is a popular student at her school, and her life is going on perfectly until her ex-best friend is admitted into the same school as hers.
1. The Gilded Age
- Director: Michael Engler
- Writer: Julian Fellowes
- Cast: Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton
- IMDb Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 79%
- Platforms Available: Amazon Prime Video
Last but not least, for all the Downton Abbey fans, The Gilded Age is also a perfect choice. The Gilded Age is a historical accuracy series released on January 22, 2022, and has been running since.
The show is based on a girl known as Marian Brook. She is a rural girl who moves to New York after her father’s demise to earn a living. But things get worse for her when she comes across a clan of railroad tycoons.
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