9 Historical Drama Shows Worth Watching
The historical drama has always been one of my favorite TV genres of shows, and since starting this site several years ago, I’ve watched my fair share of series that fall into the category. Here are nine historical drama shows I’d definitely recommend. Whether you’re searching for something highly accurate and serious or just a more entertaining work of historical fiction, you might find something worth checking out on this list.
John Adams
2008 | HBO Miniseries
7 Episodes
As far as quality is concerned, shows don’t get much better than this miniseries, which focuses on the second president of the United States, John Adams. Each episode of the show centers on a different important part of Adams’ life and episodes don’t feel super connected to one another. The result is a show that feels almost like a collection of outstanding short movies.
Every component of the series is top notch, with the acting being particularly fantastic. If you have any interest in American history, this is certainly the miniseries to watch.
The Last Kingdom (5 Seasons, Completed Series)
2015 – 2022 | BBC TWO & Netflix
46 Episodes
The Last Kingdom is historical fiction set in the late 800s to early 900s that depicts some real English historical events, but with a fictionalized central hero: Uhtred of Bebbanburg. It’s a show that has a similar feel to Vikings but is more consistent in terms of overall quality over the entire course of its run.
The Last Kingdom is an extremely fun, fast-paced, and bingeable show. There are five complete seasons along with a two-hour Netflix-released film to check out, so if you’re a fan of action-oriented historical shows, there’s plenty to watch.
A Small Light
2023 | National Geographic Miniseries
8 Episodes
Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the story of Anne Frank. A Small Light presents a different, more mature perspective of what was transpiring at the time Anne was writing her diary. The show tells the true story of Miep Gies, a woman who helped hide the Frank family during the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam.
Quality-wise, A Small Light is outstanding. Given its subject matter, it’s often far from an easy or fun watch, but it’s still a supremely worthwhile one. I rated it as my favorite show of 2023, and it remains one of the top miniseries I’ve ever seen.
War Sailor
2023 | Netflix Miniseries
3 Episodes
War Sailor was initially released in Norway as a two-and-a-half-hour movie before being acquired by Netflix. It was then re-formatted with an additional half hour of footage and put on the streaming service as three hour-long episodes.
This compelling drama is based on real events and lives of Norwegian civilian sailors forced to serve the Allied war effort in World War II. The story follows two best friends who are a composite of the actual experiences sailors had. War Sailor can easily be watched in one sitting and is an all-around superb show about a part of history many aren’t familiar with.
The Serpent Queen (Season 1)
2022 | Starz
8 Episodes
While I wasn’t a fan of Season 2 of The Serpent Queen, after which the series was cancelled, Season 1 of the show pretty much stands on its own and tells a complete story. Based on a nonfiction book, this first season tells of Catherine de’ Medici’s rise to power in France.
With great acting and storylines filled with political intrigue, The Serpent Queen is both more historically accurate and entertaining than you might expect. If you’re a fan of period dramas that center on royal families, Season 1 of The Serpent Queen is one of the better examples of that type of series.
A Gentleman in Moscow
2024 | Paramount+ Miniseries
8 Episodes
This miniseries concentrates on a fictional Russian aristocrat named Count Alexander Rostov. In 1921, with the Russian Revolution ongoing, Rostov is spared from execution and given a most unusual punishment for being a member of the aristocracy. He’s forced to spend the rest of his days confined in the Hotel Metropol.
Overall, A Gentleman in Moscow falls more into the consistently very good but never great sort of show. Elements of the series are a little darker, but the magical-feeling location of the hotel helps keep the story feeling lighter in tone.
Turn: Washington Spies (4 Seasons, Completed Series)
2014 – 2017 | AMC
40 Episodes
Turn: Washington Spies depicts the true story of the Culper Ring, a network of spies operating under General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. The series has elements of lots of genres, with war, drama, action, and a bit of romance mixed in.
These 40 episodes are well-paced, and this amount of content feels perfect for the story. If anything, the first season of the show is its weakest, so if you’re feeling a little mixed about it after those 10 episodes, stick with it since seasons 2-4 are better. If you’re hunting for a good show about the American Revolutionary War where you can also learn a little something, Turn: Washington Spies is an enjoyable watch.
The Gilded Age (3 Seasons, Ongoing)
2022 – Present | HBO
25 Episodes
The Gilded Age was created by Julian Fellowes, who had first developed Downton Abbey, a series that I also thoroughly enjoyed. Here, our story takes place in the 1880s in New York City. As with Downton Abbey, we follow the wealthy elite as well as a group of servants working for them. Unlike that show though, we primarily follow more than just one household.
While the most recent third season of the show was its weakest, The Gilded Age is still an entertaining extravagant soap opera.
Death By Lightning
2025 | Netflix Miniseries
4 Episodes
Death by Lightning focuses on a period of American politics that’s rarely discussed: The rise to the presidency of the United States by James Garfield and then his time in office. The series shows us what’s going on with Garfield, as well as other political happenings, and also what’s going on in the life of Charles Guiteau, the man who’d ultimately shoot the 20th president.
The series’ greatest strength is its talented cast. Though it falls short of being truly amazing, the show offers an informative and entertaining four hours of TV.