10 Period Dramas Objectively Better Than Bridgerton

"Downton Abbey" (2010-2015)

This series chronicles the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th century, capturing the societal changes and dramas affecting both the upper and working classes.

1

"Outlander" (2014-present)

A World War II nurse time-travels to 18th century Scotland, where she falls in love with a Highland warrior, becoming entangled in the Jacobite risings and the complexities of life in a bygone era.

2

"Indian Summers" (2015-2016)

Set in 1932 during the final years of British colonial rule in India, this series depicts the tension, politics, and end of an era in the lush hills of Simla, a summer retreat for British officials.

3

"The Tudors" (2007-2010)

Focusing on the reign of King Henry VIII, this series showcases his notorious political and romantic entanglements, including his marriages and the significant political and religious upheaval of the Tudor period.

4

"Mercy Street" (2016-2017)

Set during the American Civil War, this series follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the conflict, capturing the chaos and complexity of life on the frontlines of medicine in a war-torn environment.

5

"Poldark" (2015-2019)

After returning from the American Revolutionary War, a British soldier finds his family estate in ruins and his love interest engaged to another man, prompting him to rebuild his life in late 18th-century Cornwall.

6

"Harlots" (2017-2019)

In 18th-century London, this drama centers on the rivalry between two madams running competing brothels, exploring the struggles and complexities of women's lives in a time when their opportunities were limited.

7

"The Last Kingdom" (2015-present)

Based on Bernard Cornwell's novels, this series is set in the late 9th century AD, where a Saxon boy is captured and raised by Vikings, later struggling to reclaim his ancestral lands.

8

"Borgia" (2011-2014)

This series portrays the rise of the Borgia family to the pinnacle of the Catholic Church and their struggles to maintain power during the Renaissance, marked by intrigue, murder, and scandal.

9

"Banished" (2015)

Set in 18th-century Australia, this drama revolves around the lives of British convicts and their Royal Navy overseers trying to establish a penal colony in New South Wales, dealing with harsh conditions and moral dilemmas.

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