Historical TV shows — whether they’re set in the distant past or 20th century — have been an incredibly popular genre since the advent of television. Period dramas and comedies give viewers a glimpse into the trials, tragedies, and tribulations of yesteryear, many with incredible attention to detail and historical accuracy. Some historic shows are based on the life of a real person, while others focus on completely original characters. Sometimes these shows are highly dramatized to increase intrigue or tension, and, while that may irk hardcore history buffs, most are content if the changes make the story more compelling.
The best historic dramas walk a fine line between telling a compelling tale and maintaining a sense of authenticity. This often limits what networks and showrunners can do. As a result, they aren’t often favored when compared to more fantastical productions. The staggeringly popular Vikings and uncompromisingly steamy romantic dramas like Bridgerton prove the best period dramas come in all shapes and sizes. That said, recent years have given rise to historical retellings of a particularly high quality, giving fans all they could hope for in these epic tales.
20 Knightfall (2017-2019)
Knightfall premiered in 2017 on the History Channel, one of the best historical TV shows set in the 14th century. It follows the Knights of Templar and primarily focuses on their leader, Landry du Lauzon (Tom Cullen), who is a brave warrior that’s struggling to find inspiration to keep leading the Knights of Templar in the face of their failures. When rumors that the Holy Grail is out there somewhere, du Lauzon finds himself feeling inspired again. While mostly a cult favorite, this period drama brought in Star Wars actor Mark Hamill for added geek credentials.
19 The Chosen (2017- )
- Streaming now on Prime Video
Although Jesus Christ is no doubt the main feature of this free-to-watch show, it’s the disciples and other characters that truly make this series shine. Viewers are exposed to events like the healing of Mary Magdalene, the calling of the apostles, and Jesus’s other miracles, but they are all shown through the eyes of Nicodemus, Peter, Matthew, and other supporting cast members. Seeing these New Testament events unfold in front of not just the main cast, but side characters put a different yet inspiring spin on Jesus’s narrative, making it one of the best historical TV shows based on Biblical events.
18 The Terror (2018-2019)
The Terror is a historical horror anthology series that plays up the disturbing circumstances and supernatural rumors surrounding real-world events. The show does an excellent job merging these two widely different genres. The first season recounts John Franklin’s doomed expedition to find the supposed Northwest Passage in the arctic, and the second sees a community of Japanese prisoners stalked by a supernatural being during their confinement in an American internment camp during the Second World War. The Terror may not appeal to those with rigid regard for historical accuracy, but it’ll appeal to viewers who can’t resist a macabre story.
17 Spartacus (2010-2013)
Spartacus is one of the best historical TV shows of the early 2010s, airing from 2010 through 2013 for a total of three seasons on Starz. The series is set during the first century BCE and follows the life of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who led a slave uprising and rebellion against the Romans during his life in the early 70s BCE. The series is an action-packed show that is perfect for people who were into the movies 300 and Gladiator and wished that there had been more to them. While the show only lasted for three seasons, it also picked up a miniseries and won two Saturn Awards.
16 Poldark (2015-2019)
- Streaming now on Prime Video
Poldark is one of the best historical TV shows that began airing in 2015 as part of PBS’ Masterpiece line of shows. The series is set in the late 18th century in England and is based on a novel series by the same name. This series stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, a man who everyone he knew believed to be dead prior to his return home from fighting in the American Revolution. The love of his life has gotten engaged, and his father is dead, his property having been sold and more or less abandoned. The series follows the man’s struggles with returning home and back to his previous life. The thoroughly underrated historical TV series was especially popular in Britain, winning one BAFTA Award.
15 The Great (2020-)
Hulu’s The Great doesn’t place much emphasis on historical accuracy, going so far as to label itself as an “anti-historical” historical comedy-drama. A very loose retelling of the life of Russia’s Catherine the Great, it follows the titular character’s ascension into the Russian oligarchy and her plot to kill her husband, Peter III. The marquee characters are hilariously over-the-top in The Great, and its witty, if occasionally disturbing, lampooning of decades-old Russian nobility. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult both shine in their roles, and the series has three seasons with Emmy and Golden Globe nominations under its belt.
14 The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)
The Last Kingdom is a historical series that began airing in 2015 and is based on The Saxon Stories novels by Bernard Cornwell. One of the best historical TV shows, this began airing on BBC America before Netflix acquired the rights and solely produced episodes since then. The series is set in the late 9th century, following a man named Uhtred who was born as a Saxon but has spent his life raised by Vikings. As conflicts arise, Uhtred is forced to choose between the people who raised him and the people to who he is connected by blood. The movie remains one of the most popular on TV, even though it isn’t an award contender.
13 The Tudors (2007-2010)
- Streaming now on Showtime
The Tudors aired from 2007 through 2010 for a total of four seasons. This series, which originally aired for Showtime, is available to stream on a few different streaming services and is worth binge-watching for anyone that wants to see a scandalous, dramatic take on the early days of King Henry VIII’s reign. King Henry VIII is known for having had a total of six wives while he was ruler, many of whom met some unfortunate ends. The story mostly follows his rule and his relationships with Katharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. The series picked up Emmy nominations, but never took home an award from the organization.
12 The Borgias (2011-2013)
- Streaming now on Showtime
If there’s one reason to watch this series, it’s Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo de Borgia/Pope Alexander VI. The series, as the title would imply, focuses on the notorious Borgia family and their rise to power and infamy during Renaissance-era Italy. If Irons’s brilliant and despicable portrayal of the scandalous pontiff wasn’t enough to grab the audience’s attention, its plot is absolutely seething and slithering with greed, intimidation, treachery, and sacrilegious scandal. Even though it’s one of the most inaccurate historical TV series, the true crime and political thriller elements of The Borgias narrative more than make up for it, as proved its the three Emmy Awards over as many seasons.
11 Call The Midwife (2012- )
Call the Midwife is a BBC period drama that is set in the 1950s and 1960s. Although many of the super-popular historic shows that IMDb users just can’t get enough of are set way farther back in history, the fact that this series is set in the mid-20th century doesn’t make it any less fun to watch. The series is based on a series of novels by Jennifer Worth and follows a young midwife named Jenny who recently left her home to work in London’s Nonnatus House as a midwife. This series began airing in 2012 and currently has 11 seasons, and while it never won awards at the Emmys, it has won several awards from other organizations.
10 Deadwood (2004-2006)
Rivaling Firefly in its status among shows that were canceled too soon, Deadwood, which aired on HBO from 2004 to 2006, tells the tale of the titular town after its establishment in the 1870s. Considered to be a territory separate from the United States, Deadwood was a lawless refuge for all sorts of vagrants and villains. Led by actors Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane, Deadwood uses its historical basis as a jumping-off point to tell larger-than-life tales about some of the Old West’s most prominent figures such as Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane. Thirteen years after its cancelation, Deadwood: The Movie continued the originals story. Deadwood won one Golden Glove and an Emmy as one of the best historical TV shows.
9 Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)
Boardwalk Empire aired from 2010 through 2014 and is set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition Era. Steve Buscemi stars in this series as Nucky Thompson, a sly politician who runs Atlantic City with the help of the mobsters that are working in the seedy underbelly of the city. This crime drama follows Nucky’s rise to prominence as a politician in Atlantic City through the 1920s until the early 1930s when Prohibition came to a close. The main character of this series is loosely based on Enoch L. Johnson, a real-life politician from Atlantic City in this era. The series won three Emmys and two Golden Globes Awards.
8 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017-2023)
- Streaming now on Prime Video
Released in 2017, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel told the story of a young Jewish-American housewife who sets out in 1958 New York City to make her name as a comedian. Rachel Brosnahan has won a Golden Globe and Emmy for her performance as Miriam “Midge” Maisel, the title character. With Alex Borstein as her manager and Tony Shalhoub as her father, the cast is top-notch, and the humor is on target. The fifth and final season airs in 2023, and it remains one of the best historical TV shows in history with five Emmy wins heading into the final season.
7 Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Downton Abbey remains one of the most successful of the best historical TV shows in British television history. Premiering in 2010 on ITV in the United Kingdom and PBS in the United States. With an all-star British cast, including a standout performance by Dame Maggie Smith, the series is set in a fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey that shows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants. This historical drama brings in several real-world events, but it’s the day-to-day trials and struggles of the endearing character roster that made Downton Abbey such a global phenomenon. There were six seasons and a movie, and it averaged over 10 million viewers for all but its first season (via Forbes).
6 Bridgerton (2020-)
While it hasn’t won anywhere near as many awards as more prestigious of the best historical TV shows, Bridgerton did something few other historical TV shows have managed — creating a period drama that feels modern. With only one Emmy nomination in its two seasons, Bridgerton was a success thanks to its almost viral popularity. The first season of the series, based on the novels by Julia Quinn, broke the record for the most-viewed series in Netflix history with 625 million viewers (via Deadline). The second season broke that record, and despite its lack of awards success, Bridgerton continues to set itself apart as a genre-redefining historical TV show for a new generation of viewers seeking a modern, fresh take on period dramas.
5 Rome (2005-2007)
- Streaming now on HBO Max
Originally airing on HBO in 2005, Rome tracked the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. While the show chronicled the lives of the rich and powerful in Rome, the best part of this historical TV series was when it focused on two common men — Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo — Roman soldiers who witness and influence many historical events. As with many historical epics on HBO, the life of Rome was short, at only two seasons, but it was still a massive success, winning seven Emmy Awards in those two seasons.
4 John Adams (2008)
For fans of the historical musical sensation, Hamilton, it might behoove them to invest their time by revisiting another famous founding father — John Adams. HBO’s popular historical drama regarding America’s first 50 years and the president’s involvement in the nation’s genesis. Although it lacks any of the head-bobbing musical numbers, it has the same amount of political intrigue, drama, and famous figures from American history. What truly sells the series is Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of John Adams himself. This was, at the time, the most successful historical drama ever, winning 14 Emmy Awards and four Golden Globes.
3 The Crown (2016-2023)
The Crown is definitely one of the best-known historical series right now, so it should be no surprise that this show remains one of the most popular. Premiering on Netflix in 2016, The Crown starred Claire Foy as a young Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth II took the throne when she was 25 years old, and this series follows her life as a young member of the royal family back in the 1940s. The show followed her life through the years, recasting as the characters aged, and gives us a glimpse into the way that political rivalries and personal relationships impacted the way of life in the 20th century. It has been a huge success, with 10 Emmy Awards and seven Golden Globes
2 Vikings (2013-2020)
- Streaming now on Prime Video & Hulu
Vikings is a historical drama that began airing on the History Channel in 2013. The sixth and final season premiered in 2020, and Netflix produced a sequel series called Vikings: Valhalla, which matched the original’s success. The series is based on various Norse myths and legends. The show follows a warrior named Ragnar Lothbrok who is known for being one of the bravest Viking warriors of his time. The series follows Lothbrok’s rise from being a simple farmer to being a legendary warrior who many people believe to be a direct descendant of Odin himself. Later seasons of the series feature his family and children, and from beginning to end Vikings shows just how much is possible when bringing history to life on the small screen, rivaling even epic fantasies like Game of Thrones in scale.
1 Band Of Brothers (2001)
A collaboration between Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, Band of Brothers followed Saving Private Ryan in terms of content, setting, and historical material. The series follows the lives of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division, and their involvement and service during WWII. From the time the soldiers first arrive at basic training up until Japan’s surrender in 1945. Within that timeframe, Band of Brothers covers historic and devastating events such as the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and the capture of Eagle’s Nest all through the eyes of the troops. The TV-redefining miniseries won seven Emmys and a Golden Globes Award, and even after over two decades still holds up as an example of quality and craftsmanship which other shows, historic or otherwise, aspire to.