We don’t know if it’s the dramatic portrayal of history or the extravagant costumes, but we can’t seem to get enough of period dramas. And thanks to Netflix we can delve deep into history, both fictitious and factual. From Downtown Abbey to The Duchess, here’s what we’ll be bingeing…
Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
One of the most-watched TV dramas in the world, this multi-award winning series got viewers hooked on period dramas. Set in the post-Edwardian era, it follows the wealthy Crawley family and their staff as they live through everything from the sinking of the Titanic to the early days of the Nazi Party.
The Crown (2016-)
The Crown has been a breakout success, with audiences now eagerly awaiting Season 3, which is expected to return sometime in 2019 with a whole new cast. The series tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and her reign which helped shape the second half of the 20th century. And yes, in case you were wondering, the Queen has seen the show.
Victoria (2016-)
Following Queen Victoria from her youth as an 18-year-old, this series shows her early marriage to Prince Albert to the birth of their first child.
The Duchess (2008)
Based on Amanda Foreman’s biography of Georgiana Cavendish, an 18th-century English aristrocrat, this movie details her extraordinary life. With young Georgiana contracted in marriage to William Cavendish in order to produce a male heir, she finds herself starved of real affection, and so begins a complicated affair.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
This 2006 film follows the life of Queen Marie Antoinette in the years leading up to the French Revolution. As the only one of her three sisters left unmarried, she is sent to wed the Dauphin of France, where she continuously defies ritualistic formalities, instead gambling and buying extravagant clothes.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
When the bulk of Mr. Dashwood’s estate is left to his son by his first marriage, his second wife and their three daughters are left in dire circumstances. Due to the girls unstable financial status, their marriageability is affected, with wealthy families disapproving of their situation.
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Based on English novelist Jane Austen’s 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice, this explores the prejudice which occurred between 19th century classes and the potential pride threatening to tear lovers apart.
Outlander (2014-)
When Claire Randall’s husband returns from the Second World War, the couple decides to set off on a second honeymoon. But Claire gets more than she bargained for when falls back in time to end up in 1740s Scotland. There, she meets the love of her (past? present?) life, Jamie Fraser.
