Summary

• Historical TV series like Vikings and Band of Brothers bring history to life with epic storytelling and attention to detail.
• The Crown and Bridgerton offer a modern take on period dramas, blending historical events with drama and romance for a new generation of viewers.
• Shows like Outlander and Rome provide a mix of historical accuracy and fictional storytelling, creating compelling narratives rooted in the past.

The best historical TV series — whether they're set in the distant past or 20th century — remain an incredibly popular genre, with a seemingly limitless range of stories to tell. Period dramas and comedies give viewers a glimpse into the trials, tragedies, and tribulations of the past, many with incredible attention to detail and historical accuracy. Some historical TV series 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 historical TV series walks 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 historical TV series 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.

25 Outlander (2014- )

Set In 1743

Based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander tells the story of a World War II nurse named Claire, who is accidentally transported back to the Scottish Highlands in 1743. While there, Claire meets Jamie Fraser, and the two fall in love after they have to marry to save Claire from the dastardly Black Jack Randall.

The series covers multiple time periods, with various characters traveling through time over the years, and with Claire and Jamie's story taking them through Scotland, , the West Indies, and the colonies of North America. It's far from a purely accurate series, of course, but it is hugely popular for its intense storylines.

The Starz original series has been incredibly popular and successful with seven seasons, and an eighth ordered to finish the story. The series has picked up multiple Emmy and Golden Globes nominations but has yet to win. However, it has been successful at the Saturn Awards with several wins over the years.

24 Marco Polo (2014–2016)

Set In The 13th Century

Running from 2014 to 2016, Marco Polo was an early Netflix original historical TV series about the title character's early years in the court of Kublai Khan. Starring Lorenzo Richelmy, the show also features MCU star Benedict Wong (Wong) as Khan and Joan Chen (Twin Peaks) as his favored wife, Empress Chabi.

The series lasted for two seasons and 20 episodes, plus one special episode that aired in between the two seasons. The show wasn't canceled because it didn't find an audience, but because it was so expensive to produce at the time. It received mixed reviews for the first season, but the second was critically acclaimed and picked up a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for its music.

Showrunner John Fusco made an effort to retain a large measure of accuracy. Fusco actually traveled the same routes as Marco Polo and studied his will in his research for the series. It is, however, nearly impossible to maintain complete historical accuracy, and the show did face some criticism from historians for changes made to the timeline. Despite that, it also received praise for attempting to accurately depict Mongol culture.

23 Britannia (2017–2021)

Set In 43 AD

One of the best historical TV series on Prime Video when it comes to original shows is Brittania. This is not a straight historical retelling but instead mixes some fantasy elements into the real-life history of the Roman invasion of Great Britain. There are several historical figures in the Prime Video series, but there are also druids and demons that play as much of a role. The series could best be described as historical fantasy instead of history-inspired.

Critics referenced the show as "brilliantly bonkers" for its effort to combine real history with fantasy. It's a departure from other shows that strive so hard for accuracy, and it works in the show's favor. Brittania is also a great historical TV series for anyone who wants to see something with a little more of a female focus compared to other shows in the genre, with well-written female leads and great characters through its three seasons.

22 The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

Set In The 1950s

The Queen's Gambit might not be a drama from centuries ago, but it is still one of the best historical TV series on Netflix, taking place in the 1950s. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Elizabeth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy who sets out to become an elite player in a mostly male-dominated competition. She also has to deal with drug and alcohol addiction that threatens to destroy her chances of ri and becoming as great as she could be.

The Netflix historical series was a huge success. During the first month of the show's release, it was Netflix's top program in more than 60 countries around the world. It also went on to win 11 Emmy Awards of 18 nominations while sitting at 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

The miniseries is based on the book written by Walter Tevis in the 80s.

Of course, it has to be noted that the bulk of the draw for the audience here is Taylor-Joy. The series was released on Netflix the same year as Emma and The New Mutants, and each of those projects showed the actress in completely different lights, allowing the audience to see how versatile she is. Her talent helped to make the show a runaway success.

21 Alias Grace (2017)

Set In 1843

Alias Grace is ​​​​​​one of the few Netflix shows to rank at almost 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an equally impressive high 88% audience score. It's rare to see critics and audience in so close agreement on a modern TV drama.

Set during the mid-1800s, the drama focuses on some of the more difficult aspects of a woman's life at the time instead of focusing on the sisterhood or the romance of something like Little Women. The miniseries gives a different perspective on the same era. The pedigree was there from the start, as the series was based on the novel by Margaret Atwood (author of The Handmaid's Tale).

Sarah Gadon stars as Grace Marks, a woman accused of murder and held for 15 years, even after her co-conspirator was hanged. Much like Atwood's more popular adaptation, this is an equally biting social commentary and has an incredible cast, led by Gadon's electric performance as Grace.

20 Knightfall (2017-2019)

Set In The 14th Century

Knightfall premiered in 2017 on the History Channel and is one of the best historical TV series set in the 14th century. There certainly aren't many television shows set during the time period that aren't actually made up of historians just recounting facts with reenactments accompanying their narration.

It follows the Knights of Templar and primarily focuses on their leader, Landry du Lauzon (Tom Cullen), who is a brave warrior who'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.

Knightfall is not particularly historically accurate when it comes to its quest, but that's intentional, according to the show's historical consultant Dan Jones. Jones told BBC History Magazine that the show's take on the Holy Grail would have also been considered a myth at the time, but the idea and the Knights Templar have become linked in modern fiction.

19 The Chosen (2017- )

Set In The 1st Century Galilee

Historical shows rooted in religious texts can be difficult for some to watch, but this adaptation of Biblical stories has become incredibly popular since its 2017 premiere. The show was initially crowdfunded on an independent streaming platform before being licensed to other networks and getting further distribution from Lionsgate.

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.

What's made the show work for audiences beyond religion is the speculative nature of some of the storylines that attempt to fill in historical gaps outside of Biblical stories. 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 ing cast . Seeing these events unfold in front of not just the main cast, but side characters put a different spin on Jesus's narrative, making it one of the best historical TV series based on Biblical events.

18 The Terror (2018-)

Set In The 19th Century

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, and that fusion is the root of the show's appeal. It's fascinating to think about the what-ifs of real history, no matter how fantastical they may be.

The first season recounts John Franklin's doomed expedition to find the supposed Northwest age 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. Some believed the series would end after years without any word on cancelation or renewal. In early 2024, however, the show was renewed for a surprise season 3.

17 Spartacus (2010-2013)

Set In The 1st Century BC

Spartacus is one of the best historical TV series 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 had a prequel miniseries and won two Saturn Awards. The stunt team was also nominated for a handful of awards, and their work in the series is a particular highlight. There is also a sequel series in development, despite the show having come to an end over 10 years ago.

16 Poldark (2015-2019)

Set In The 18th Century

Poldark is one of the best historical TV series that began airing in 2015 as part of PBS' Masterpiece line of shows. While it is rooted in history, the series also gears toward the more romantic, getting comparisons from critics to historical romance novels, setting its love story against the backdrop of the end of the American Revolutionary War.

The series is set in the late 18th century in Cornwall and is based on a novel series by the same name. This series stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, a man whom 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.