Every once in a while, we need an escape from the highs and lows of modern life, from politics to technology. Sometimes the best way is to put down the small screen and switch to the big screen to a special kind of comfort TV series: the period drama. The historical TV genre is full of must-watch shows that illustrate how people (often white royals) lived through major historical events—or sometimes how they just lived, without electricity, indoor plumbing, or Instagram (some innovations are vastly more important than others).
Lucky for Netflix fans, the streamer has great historical movies and TV shows from around the globe, with fascinating stories that span from ancient Greece to 1970s America, filled with romance, intrigue, action, and beautiful gowns. Though they may not all be historically accurate, they're definitely entertaining. Below, find the best period dramas on Netflix for when you need a break from 2025.
Costume Period Dramas
'The Crown' (2016–2023)
Historical era: Queen Elizabeth II's reign, 1952-2005
Starring: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies, Jonathan Pryce, Vanessa Kirby, Helena Bonham Carter, Josh O'Connor, Dominic West, Emma Corrin, and Elizabeth Debicki
Why watch: This behind-the-scenes look at the British royal family becomes more and more fascinating as it covers the 21st century, before its stunning series finale celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth's legacy.
'The Empress' (2022– )
Historical era: Late 1800s to mid-1900s
Starring: Devrim Lingnau, Philip Froissant, Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, Elisa Schlott, Jördis Triebel, and Almila Bagriacik
Why watch: If you've already binged everything there is on Queen Elizabeth and Catherine the Great, this German series introduces a lesser-known yet still legendary queen: Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Lingnau).
'The Leopard' (2025)
Historical era: 1860s Sicily during the Risorgimento (the Italian unification)
Starring: Kim Rossi Stuart, Benedetta Porcaroli, Deva Cassel, Saul Nanni, Paolo Calabresi, Francesco Colella, Astrid Meloni, and Francesco Di Leva
Why watch: Based on one of Italy's most famous novels, The Leopard hits all the bases of an excellent period drama: romantic intrigue, political upheaval, and so many gorgeous gowns.
Epic Period Dramas
'Black Sails' (2014–2017)
Historical era: Early 1700s, in the "Golden Age of Piracy"
Starring: Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, and Clara Paget
Why watch: This adventure drama, centered on the feared Captain Flint (Stephens) of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, is the closest we'll get to a pirate's life. Time to set sail!
'Kingdom' (2019–2020)
Historical era: the Joseon era, 1600s
Starring: Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doona, Kim Sung-kyu, Kim Hye-jun, and Jun Suk-ho
Why watch: Another fictionalized depiction of a bygone era, this historical K-drama takes the Korean Joseon era and fills it with zombies.
'The Last Kingdom' (2015–2022)
Historical era: 9th-century England
Starring: Alexander Dreymon, Eliza Butterworth, Arnas Fedaravicius, Millie Brady, Emily Cox, Mark Rowley, and Ian Hart
Why watch: A man named Uhtred (Dreymon), born Anglo-Saxon and adopted by the Danes, a.k.a. the Vikings, has to prove himself a great warrior and decide which side he falls on during the formation of England.
'Vikings: Valhalla' (2022–2024)
Historical era: Early 11th century (1000s)
Starring: Sam Corlett, Frida Gustavvson, Leo Suter, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Laura Berlin, Bradley Freegard, and Caroline Henderson
Why watch: This sequel to Vikings shows the Norse warriors near the end of their age, filled with action and intrigue.
'Warrior' (2019–2023)
Historical era: Late 1870s
Starring: Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, and Kieran Bew
Why watch: In this much-hyped martial arts epic (from the mind of Bruce Lee!), a Chinese immigrant (Koji) in San Francisco is pulled into the underground wars between rival gangs, as he searches for his lost sister (Doan).
Historical-Fiction Period Dramas
'All the Light We Cannot See' (2023)
Historical era: 1934-1944 France
Starring: Aria Mia Loberti, Louis Hofmann, Lars Eidinger, Hugh Laurie, Marion Bailey, and Mark Ruffalo
Why watch: The adaptation of Anthony Doerr's 2014 novel shows the fated love story between a blind French teenager (Loberti) and a German soldier (Hofmann) amid WWII.
'Anne with an E' (2017–2019)
Historical era: 1890s Prince Edward Island
Starring: Amybeth McNulty, Geraldine James, R.H. Thomson, Dalila Bela, and Lucas Jade Zumann
Why watch: This adaptation of the novel Anne of Green Gables is a grittier version of the childhood favorite. It has a fervent fanbase who say it was canceled too soon, so it may be time you become a part of the hive, too.
'Peaky Blinders' (2013–2022)
Historical era: post-WWI England
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Helen McCrory, Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, and Finn Cole
Why watch: This gangster noir follows the Shelby family as they fight against other gangs for control of their city (including guest stars like Tom Hardy and Adrien Brody).
'The Queen's Gambit' (2020)
Historical era: 1960s America
Starring: Anna Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Chloe Pirrie, Marcin Dorocinski, Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Moses Ingram, and Harry Melling
Why watch: If you've never seen chess as interesting, Taylor-Joy's depiction of a female prodigy playing in a mostly male competition will change your mind.
Romance Period Dramas
'Bridgerton' (2020– )
Historical era: Early 1800s, Regency London
Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page, Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Adjoa Andoh, and Golda Rosheuvel
Why watch: All the romance, gossip, and intrigue of matchmaking, plus a Regency-era Gossip Girl? Sign us up. The smash hit series adapted from Julia Quinn's popular book series is a must-watch if you're a fan of every romance trope, from enemies to lovers to second chances, as well as incredible Regency-era fashion. (Don't forget to check out the fan-favorite spinoff Queen Charlotte.)
'Cable Girls' (2017–2020)
Historical era: 1920s Madrid, Spain
Starring: Ana Fernández, Nadia de Santiago, Blanca Suárez, and Maggie Civantos
Why watch: In this Spanish-language series, four women join the progressive National Telephone Company as switchboard operators, becoming career women while dealing with the sexism of 1900s Spain.
'The King's Affection' (2021)
Historical era: Joseon dynasty
Starring: Park Eun-bin, Rowoon, Nam Yoon-su, Choi Byung-chan, Bae Yoon-kyoung, and Jung Chae-yeon
Why watch: In this gender-swap K-drama, the hidden twin sister (Park) of the Crown Prince assumes his identity after he's killed. Though she's terrified of being found out, she begins to develop feelings for her teacher (Rowoon).
'Mr. Sunshine' (2018)
Historical era: Late 1800s Hanseong (modern-day Seoul)
Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Yeon-seok, Byun Yo-han, Kim Min-jung, Kim Byeong-cheol, Lee Jeong-eun, and Shin Jeong-geun
Why watch: If you want historical romance, this story of a Korean Marine (Lee) who travels back to his home country and falls in love with an aristocrat's granddaughter (Kim) will have your heart aflutter.
'Outlander' (2014– )
Historical era: 1743-1777 and 1945-1970s
Starring: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacriox, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Tobias Menzies, César Domboy, and Graham McTavish
Why watch: Claire (Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Heughan) have a love that literally overcomes time, where sadistic British soldiers and drastic lifestyle differences aren't enough to keep them apart.
Women-Led Period Dramas
'Call the Midwife' (2012– )
Historical era: late 1950s-1960s East London
Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Stephen McGann, Judy Parfitt, Cliff Parisi, and Helen George
Why watch: This award-winning medical drama follows a tight-knit group of midwives as they deal with heavy issues including poverty, racism, and disease in the post-war era.
'Derry Girls' (2018–2022)
Historical era: early 1990s
Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Jaime-Lee O'Donnell, Siobhán McSweeney, and Dylan Llewellyn
Why watch: This hilarious coming-of-age comedy shows a group of teens growing up and going on absurd adventures during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
'The Law According to Lidia Poët' (2023– )
Historical era: 1880s Italy
Starring: Matilda De Angelis, Eduardo Scarpetta, Pier Luigi Pasino, Sinéad Thornhill, Sara Lazzaro, and Dario Aita
Why watch: This Italian series is the fictional story of Italy's real-life, first-ever female lawyer (De Angelis), as she solves crimes and fights to keep her license (because male egos are fragile in every era).
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