People love a good period drama. The most recent mega-successful example of the genre is Downton Abbey, which has captivated British and American audiences alike.
However, Downton Abbey is far from the only period drama worth watching. And, since it's only available on Netflix in Canada, Australia, and Japan, you'll probably want to know what other period dramas are available.
Here's our list of the best period dramas available to watch on Netflix right now.
The Duchess is a 2008 drama about English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire. Keira Knightley takes on the lead role. She is ably supported by Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell, Charlotte Rampling and Dominic Cooper.
The plot takes you on a journey through the Duchess's loving marriage, the sexual double standards of the time, and the mistreatment of women in the 18th century.
The Crown is one of the best originals on Netflix. 10 amazing Netflix originals. You've Probably Never Heard Of 10 Awesome Netflix Originals You've Probably Never Heard Of. Along with headline shows like House of Cards and Stranger Things, there are countless Netflix. Originals that may have happened to you. Read more . It tells the story of the life of the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The first season begins in 1947 when Elizabeth marries Prince Philip and ends with Princess Margaret's engagement to Peter Townsend in 1955.
As the series progresses, the modern day comes into focus, making it less of a period drama. The fourth season features the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979.
And in case you're interested, Queen Elizabeth has seen the show. Reportedly, she enjoyed it, but found some aspects to be "too dramatized."
For the fourth show on our list, we leave European shores and head to 17th-century colonial Mexico. Juana Inés was one of the most important figures of both the Spanish Golden Age and of classic Mexican literature. She was a nun, scholar, poet, and philosopher who won plaudits for fighting against the entrenched dominance of men in the religious and scientific worlds.
This seven-part series is filmed in Spanish, so be sure to turn on subtitles or learn Spanish using these free apps The 8 Best Language Learning Apps That Really Work The 8 Best Language Learning Apps That Really Work Do you want to learn a language? free language? These are the best free language learning apps that will have you speaking a new language before you know it. Read more.
Let's stay in the Americas. When Calls the Heart tells the story of Elizabeth Thatcher, a young Canadian woman who leaves high society to become the only teacher in a small coal mining village on the west coast of the country.
The series begins in 1910, and there are five seasons for you to enjoy, along with three Christmas specials. Erin Krakow takes on the title role, with Daniel Lissing as the main supporting actor.
The British royal family lends itself perfectly to period dramas, and The Tudors is the second show on the list to use them for inspiration.
This show takes you back to 16th century England and the reign of Henry VIII. Each of the four series covers an important aspect of the king's life. His fallout with the Pope, his marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Reformation riots and the siege of Boulogne enjoy wide coverage..
The Tudors received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama Series in 2007.
The 1800s were a unique time in Britain. The century began with the industrial revolution that spread across the north of the country and ended with Queen Victoria leading the largest empire in the history of the world.
North and South takes place in the middle of the century, around the time of the Great Exhibition of 1851. The show is based on the 1855 book of the same name by Elizabeth Gaskell.
The plot follows Margaret Hale, a wealthy Southerner who moves to the industrial North. Stories about class and gender are a recurring theme, as is Britain's increasingly dominant role in the world.
Are you getting sick of the shows in Britain? So we go to Turkey. Magnificent Century is about Suleiman the Magnificent, a 16th century Ottoman sultan.
His reign of 46 years saw the pinnacle of the Ottoman Empire. He built an empire larger than Alexander the Great, stretching from modern Vienna to the Sahara Desert in the south and the Persian Gulf in the east..
Magnificent Century ran for four seasons before ending in 2013. But now it's available to watch on Netflix.
We will continue the list in Victorian Britain. The Paradise is located in the country's first department store in 1875. It uses Émile Zola's novel Au Bonheur des Dames as its inspiration.
In many ways, it's a traditional rags-to-riches story. A Scottish woman named Denise Lovett arrives at the store and is considered a rising star by her owner, John Moray.
The story follows her battles with her co-workers, her fascination with the luxury of modern life, and her feud with the store's benefactor's daughter who wants to marry Moray.
The series lasted two seasons and 16 episodes..
Peaky Blinders offers a more forceful story than some of the other dramas on this list. Set in the post-World War I era, it follows the lives of a notorious Birmingham street gang in the US.
With its atmospheric cinematography and unique visual style, the show has won numerous awards. Cillian Murphy plays the main role.
So far, there have been four series. Three more series have been confirmed by the BBC, and the show will culminate when the first air raid siren of World War II goes off in the city.
To the Ends of the Earth is a three-part series from the BBC. It is based on William Golding's trilogy of novels of the same name. The series uses British ships carrying immigrants to Australia in the early 19th century as inspiration.
Released in 2005, it received critical acclaim at the time. It was one of Benedict Cumberbatch's first leading roles and provided him with a springboard to international stardom.
The BBC describes the series as "Filled with dirt, discovery, dancing, love, spiritual awakenings and radical changes.."
Call Me Francis chronicles the rise of Pope Francis as a religious leader during Argentina's Dirty War between 1974 and 1983. The war caused 30,000 people to disappear, most of whom were never resettled.
The series begins with the future Pope living as a Jesuit in his hometown and ends with him negotiating agreements between the government and the armed uprising..
Call Me Francis consists of only one season and four episodes. And it's in Spanish, so once again, you'll probably need to use subtitles.
For those who don't know, the Hatfields and McCoys were two feuding families in the West Virginia region during the mid to late 19th century.
The three-part American television series traces their fights, arguments, and court battles. It was produced by The History Channel, marking the network's first foray into the world of scripted dramas.
Hatfields and McCoys won three Emmy Awards after their release in 2012.
Period dramas are more popular than ever. In this article, we've only scratched the surface of what's available on Netflix. If you want to do your own research, try using Netflix secret codes. The code for “Period Pieces” is 12123.
And if you've enjoyed our period drama recommendations, be sure to check out some of the other genres we've covered above. To get started, read our list of the best British crime dramas 10 British Crime Dramas You Must Watch on Netflix 10 British Crime Dramas You Must Watch on Netflix Crime is universal. However, crime drama, specifically its attitude and tone, differs depending on where you live. With that in mind, here are 10 British crime dramas every American should watch on Netflix. Read More and Best Nordic Dramas Top 8 Nordic Dramas To Watch On Netflix And Amazon Prime Top 8 Nordic Dramas To Watch On Netflix And Amazon Prime Here are the best Nordic dramas and Nordic-style dramas you can watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime right now. Read more . Enjoy!
