15 brilliant period dramas to watch on Netflix
Warning: they might give unrealistic expectations of romance...
Last updated 17th Jan 2021
If this lockdown is giving us one thing, it's time — time to catch up on all the TV we've missed. Period dramas are the ultimate form of escapist comfort viewing and, luckily for us, Netflix is currently streaming some of our favourites, from the Sunday night BBC adaptations you missed a few years back to lavish, Oscar-nominated features.
One of the most recent additions is Pride & Prejudice, the gorgeous adaptation of the Austen classic starring Keira Knightley as one of literature's greatest characters.
But Lizzie is far from the only corset-clad heroine. From new-favourites like The Crown to old classics, there's no shortage of amazing period dramas to stream of Netflix. And that's before you hunker down with eight episodes of Bridgerton. Plan your viewing session with our guide to the best, but be warned: the below content may give you unrealistic expectations of romance...
The King
Everyone's favourite actor, Timothée Chalamet, plays the wayward Prince Hal who must turn from carouser to warrior king as he faces hostilities from both inside and outside his castle walls in the battle for England.
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Is there a hunky, outdoorsy, rugged-looking role on this earth yet that Richard Madden hasn't absolutely owned? In this BBC adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's racy novel (so racy in fact that it was trialled for obscenity in the UK and banned in America when it was originally published), Madden plays everyone's favourite sexy gardener, Oliver Mellors to Holliday Grainger's Lady Chatterley. Safe to say you should prepare yourself for some seriously non-PG scenes...
Pride and Prejudice
The 2005 take on Jane Austen's best-loved novel, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, is all well and good, but it's a truth universally acknowledged that this brilliant six-part BBC adaptation will always be the definitive on-screen version. Still best known for the scene in which a soggy Mr. Darcy emerges from a lake - which you definitely won't find in the original text - it's the series that made Colin Firth a national treasure (and gained him a mention in Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary and a role in the eventual films). Lake-dipping aside, screenwriter Andrew Davies lets the novel's sparkling dialogue speak for itself, making this a total joy for dedicated Austenites and for more recent initiates.
Poldark
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past five years (in which case, we salute you) you'll doubtless be familiar with one particular image of potential Bond Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, which may or may not involve scything. From the melodramatic twists and turns of the plot to the gratuitous shots of Turner brooding against the backdrop of the Cornish coast, Poldark is the ultimate period drama guilty pleasure (your mum probably agrees...)
Lady J
Throw together an attractive widow, an assumed libertine (with a Marquis title, nonetheless) and put them in 18th century France and what do you get? Our new Netflix originals obsession, of course! But Lady J doesn't follow the traditional trajectory of period drama romance - instead our protagonist finds herself scorned by her lover and goes about seeking her revenge with the help of two prostitutes. In case you hadn't already worked it out: this is your ultimate binge watch for a girls night in...
The Crown
Netflix's deep-dive into the personal conflicts, political intrigues and public controversies of Queen Elizabeth II's reign is the streaming service's most expensive original drama to date. Luckily, every penny of The Crown's rumoured £100 million budget appears to have paid off. Claire Foy in the first 2 seasons followed by Olivia Colman in the 3rd and 4th series gives a brilliant, sympathetic performance as Elizabeth, nailing the plummy vowels and poise of the monarch without descending into caricature - but it's Vanessa Kirby's Princess Margaret (and her controversial romance with a divorcé) that will have you gripped.
Outlaw King
Chris Pine plays 14th-century Scottish king, Robert the Bruce, who claims the crown and leads a fierce uprising to win back the country's independence from English rule.
12 Years A Slave
In this Academy Award-winning film telling the true story of Solomon Northup, a freeborn black man is kidnapped in New York and sold into slavery in the South.
Alias Grace
Based on the award-winning novel by Margaret Atwood, which is based on a true story, this drama tells the story of a poor Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Canada who is accused and convicted of the murder of her employer and his housekeeper. She is sentenced to life in prison, where a psychiatrist must decide if she can be pardoned for reasons of insanity.
Anne With An E
Based on Anne of Green Gables, follow the drama of a plucky orphan whose passions run deep in her unlikely home with a spinster and her soft-spoken bachelor brother.
Pride & Prejudice
More Austen. More Keira. The actress was nominated for an Oscar for her wonderful performance as the iconic Elizabeth. She's rarely been better.
Bridgerton
63 million people have already watched the streaming giant's sumptuous 8-parter. Are you one of them? If not, get on it.
The Other Boleyn Girl
This is not a subtle film, but it's a lot of fun. Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson play two sisters pursued by Henry VIII. We all know how this one ends...
Mary Queen of Scots
Saoirse Ronan played the ill-fated nemesis to Margot Robbie's Elizabeth I in this stirring historical interpretation from Josie Rourke. The costumes are particularly sumptuous.
Ophelia
Daisy Ridley played the tragic heroine in this reimagining of the Shakespeare play where Hamlet's girlfriend draws the focus. Clive Owen and Naomi Watts co-star.
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