Period dramas are true escapism - not just to a world of new characters and situations, but to a totally different time, from the days of courts and gowns to world wars - and Netflix has plenty of phenomenal series to escape with. Some of these are well-known (although you may not be aware that they are available on the streaming service) while others are slightly less famous, but still absolutely worth the watch.
Whether you want something from centuries past or more recent decades, there's something here for everyone. And while Netflix is also home to plenty of phenomenal period drama films, this list focuses on the series instead, so that you can escape into a binge-watch of multiple episodes, or even seasons.
10 The Crown
This may be one of the best-known series on this list, and if you are a fan of the period piece, chances are you've already caught up! However, for those who have yet to give it a try, The Crown is a phenomenal look at the history of the Queen of England. From the early days of her marriage, the show charts the politics around the British Monarchy and the historical events that define her reign. The actors change with the seasons, as time takes some fairly big leaps forward, but that works perfectly to capture a longer period of time while still moving events along at a good pace.
9 Call The Midwife
Call the Midwife takes place in London, in the 1950s. Post World War II, things are getting back to normal, but the midwives of the East End are fighting their own war against poverty, and trying to help the women and children of the poorest parts of London.
While this may sound a bit grim, Call the Midwife does a phenomenal job of balancing the cases that the midwives deal with and their personal lives and loves. Romance and fun have their place here, as well as some of the more dramatic moments that come from the subject matter.
8 Alias Grace
Fans of Handmaid's Tale and author Margaret Atwood may have missed out on the fact that The Handmaid's Tale is not the only recent series adapted from one of Atwood's novels. Alias Grace was a 2017 miniseries based on the book of the same name, set in the 1800s. The story revolves around the titular character, a young woman who is being tried for murder. Expect the same kind of social commentary and female focus of Handmaid's Tale, but with a very different setting.
7 Outlander
Outlander manages to combine all the best elements of period drama with a little bit of fantasy and time travel, making it easy to see why this series has become quite so popular. The first seasons of the show take place primarily in the Highlands in the mid 1700s, as a nurse is accidentally transported back in time. As Outlander continues, it leaves Scotland, but the romance of the highlands stays with it - as does the central romance between Claire and Jamie Fraser. This is definitely a show where the love story is central, but it also covers many important historical events, and has a lot of action and adventure thrown in for good measure.
6 Anne With An E
Another book adaptation, Anne With An E is the latest take on the famous Anne of Green Gables. This version of the story is a little less twee and adorable than some that have come before, and spends some more time on Anne's backstory, as well as introducing a few new characters to cover some of the social issues of the day. Because of that, it may be a bit darker than some fans expect, but that just makes it an incredible and unique take on the redheaded orphan girl.
5 The Tudors
As you would expect from the title, The Tudors is focused on the rule of King Henry VIII and his many wives, and is a fantastic look at this period of history. It's also got a surprisingly star-studded cast, and fans will be able to recognize a-listers like Game of Thrones' Natalie Dormer and the DCEU's Henry Cavill.
If this series piques your interest, it's worth noting that Netflix also has The Other Boleyn Girl, a film adaptation of a Phillippa Gregory novel that is equally star-studded and deals with many of the same characters.
4 Peaky Blinders
For something that is a little less jewels-and-gowns centric, and more appealing to those who want their history with an extra scoop of violence, Peaky Blinders is a phenomenal choice. Set in 1918 England, just after the First World War, the show looks at the Peaky Blinders gang, and the politics and violence that drives them.
3 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
This Australian series is perfect for anyone who has a soft spot for the flapper girls of the roaring twenties... and of course, for a good murder mystery! Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries follows the titular Miss Fisher, a female sleuth who is always impeccably dressed and more than ready to solve the murders that always seem to fall in the laps of detectives in murder-mystery worlds. Part of the appeal of the series has to be the incredible costumes, but that's far from the only reason to watch. Miss Fisher herself has a kind of period-appropriate sass that will endear her to modern audiences, and the mysteries themselves are jolly good fun.
2 Grand Hotel
This Spanish drama is set in a hotel (unsurprisingly, given the title) in the early 1900s, where a young man is looking for his sister, who has mysteriously disappeared. Grand Hotel (or Gran Hotel) has all kinds of intrigue with a bit of a soap opera flair to it, and the time period just makes it all the more intriguing.
1 Land Girls
Finally, Land Girls is a fantastic British series about the women working in farms during the Second World War. Part of the Women's Land Army, they were nicknamed Land Girls, and took on the men's jobs while all the men were away fighting - a change that had a huge impact when it came to the ability of women to work after the war ended. Loves and losses are a big part of the show (which is common for series set in this time period), but it's the charming characters themselves that truly make it what it is.
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