29 best period dramas on Netflix
Period dramas on Netflix are like our on-screen versions of comfort eating – they give us that warm, cosy feeling inside, perfect as a little escape from the current status quo. And who doesn't want a good dose of comfort at all times? We're hankering for days gone by, and period dramas are the perfect way to bask in the golden age.
Maybe it's the corsets? The crowns? The ballgowns? Or even the strapping suitors in black-tie?! Whatever the reason, sometimes a dose of high society drama is exactly what we need for a bit of escapism.
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And Bridgerton's fourth season, which has shifted the focus of the show onto the bohemian second son, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), is also a must-watch if you've been living under a rock and haven't seen it yet. But if you're craving another historical story, don't worry – there are plenty of perfect period dramas to enjoy on Netflix.
Firstly, there is the movie Elisa and Marcela, which is a must-watch story about forbidden love. Then there's The Wonder, which has Florence Pugh in it – you know it's going to be good! Maybe you want something a little, ahem… steamy? Then catch Lady Chatterley’s Lover, because Emma Corrin will have temperatures soaring.
Then there's the absolute classic Little Women, which brought the tale of the March sisters' journey to womanhood to the big screen by Florence, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen and Saoirse Ronan.
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Plus, we can't forget the dramatised lives of the royal family in The Crown. For something darker, try Alias Grace. Adapted from the award-winning novel by Margaret Atwood and based on real events, it tells the story of a psychiatrist in 19th century Canada who must decide whether murderer Grace Marks should be pardoned due to insanity. This is gripping stuff.
So, to step back in time, check out our 25 best period dramas on Netflix – both films and television shows – that are perfect for a spot of nostalgia.
Atsushi-Nishijima / NetflixTV: All The Light You Cannot See
Based on Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller, the series tells the story of Marie-Laure, a blind French teenager, and Werner, a German soldier, as they navigate the dangers of World War Two.
© 2025 Netflix, Inc.TV: The Leopard
An adaptation of Giuseppe Di Lampedusa's masterpiece of European political fiction. Set in 19th-century Sicily, The Leopard looks closely at the shifting tides of power and tradition during a time of political upheaval.
Giulia Parmigiani/NetflixTV: The Decameron
This dark comedy follows what happens when a group of young nobles flee a Black Plague epidemic in Florence, holing up in a Tuscan villa. Starring Derry Girls' Saoirse Ronan-Jackson and Sex Education star Tanya Reynolds, the series sees the power struggles and tensions that rise when humans are stuck in a confined space.
PHIL BRAY/NETFLIXTV: The Queen's Gambit
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, this coming of age Cold War-era series showcases chess prodigy Beth Harmon's battle with addictions and trauma as she plays to become the best chess player in the world. Based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis, it's riveting stuff, plus the costume choices are 10/10.
FILM: Lady J
In the mood for something French? Lady J has been compared to Dangerous Liaisons, the story that inspired the legendary Cruel Intentions. It's full to the brim with sex and revenge – following the story of wealthy widow Mademoiselle de Joncquières' (Alice Isaaz) romance with a lustful marquis, which takes an unwelcome turn. We then see her devise a scheme to get revenge with the help of a younger woman.
QUIM VIVESFILM: Elisa and Marcela
Natalia de Molina and Greta Fernández star in the Spanish romance drama Elisa and Marcela. Set in 1885, the lead protagonists' strong friendship develops into a forbidden love that they are forced to keep hidden. No longer wanting to keep their romance under wraps, Elisa adopts a male identity in 1901 to marry the woman she is madly in love with.
NetflixTV: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
We all know and love Bridgerton, right? And while we wait for the third instalment of the period drama, why not watch the spin-off based on the life and journey of Queen Charlotte? From the young queen's marriage to King George of England to how she utilised her power to transform into the pinnacle of high society.
Beth Dubber/NetflixFILM: The Most Hated Woman in America
Melissa Leo stars as Madalyn Murray O'Hair in the movie The Most Hated Woman in America, which follows the journey of America's most outspoken atheist, and the founder of American Atheists, a non-profit organisation in the United States dedicated to defending the civil liberties of atheists and advocating complete separation of church and state.
Courtesy of NetflixFILM: Bulbbul
Set in the 1880s, Bulbbul is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language supernatural thriller that centres on a child bride and her journey from innocence to strength while hiding painful secrets from her past while supernatural murders of men plague her village.
© 2022 Netflix, Inc.FILM: The Wonder
Set in The Irish Midlands in 1862, Florence Pugh is incredible as an English nurse Lib Wright who is brought to a remote village to monitor an eleven-year-old girl Anna O'Donnell who is said to have survived for months without consuming any food.
LARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX © 2021FILM: The Dig
The Dig features a brilliant cast including Carey Mulligan, Lily James and Ralph Fiennes. Set in the late thirties, wealthy landowner Edith Pretty hires an amateur archaeologist named Basil Brown to investigate the mounds on her property in England, where they later discover a ship from the Dark Ages.
© 2022 Netflix, Inc.FILM: Lady Chatterley's Lover
Lady Chatterley, played by The Crown star Emma Corrin, discovers more desire and intimacy than ever before after indulging in a heated affair with the gamekeeper on her English estate after falling out of love with her husband.
SCOTT GARFIELD/NETFLIX © 2022FILM: The Pale Blue Eye
Christian Bale plays a veteran detective Augustus Landor who investigates a spate of gruesome murders with the assistance of a young military cadet who would later become the legendary, world-famous author Edgar Allan Poe. The movie also stars a bumper cast of Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Timothy Spall.
Kerry Brown / NetflixFILM: Rebecca
Based on the 1938 novel written by Daphne du Maurier, a young newlywed finds herself battling against the legacy of her husband's first wife after arriving at his imposing family estate on the English coast. Lily James stars.
NICK WALL/NETFLIXFILM: Persuasion
Starring Dakota Johnson, Persuasion follows Anne Elliot, who must choose between putting the past behind her or choosing her heart when it comes to second chances with love with the one who got away years earlier.
© 2019 NetflixFILM: The King
When Young Henry V (played by Timothée Chalamet) becomes King of England in the 15th century in the aftermath of his brother's death, he faces an onslaught of problems, including deceit, war and treachery.
NetflixFILM: Enola Holmes
Starring Millie Bobby Brown as the titular Enola, a smart young girl uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord while searching for her missing mother.
SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIXTV: Hollywood
Starring Samara Weaving, Jeremy Pope, Laura Harrier, and Darren Criss, Hollywood is a miniseries by American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy. It centres on the golden age of filmmaking and aspiring actors hoping to make their dreams come true during Hollywood Golden Age in the post-World War II era.
Marvin MooreTV: Anne With An E
The three seasons of Anne with an E revolve around an orphaned girl mistakenly sent to live with an elderly spinster and her ageing brother after an abusive childhood spent in orphanages.
© 2021 Netflix, Inc.TV: The Empress
The drama series The Empress went down a real treat with Netflix viewers as the rebellious Elisabeth enters a world of tensions and intrigue at the Viennese court after becoming Emperor Franz's unlikely bride.
NetflixTV: Bridgerton
First thing first: if you haven't watched the period piece everyone's talking about, get thee to Netflix immediately. Set in Regency London, the first season of Bridgerton followed Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, as she made her debut in the competitive marriage market. The second season followed Anthony Briderton's romance with Kate Sharma. And the third season follows the blossoming love story between Polin, AKA Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.
NetflixTV: The English Game
One for the sports fans – The English Game is a historical drama tracing the origins of modern football in England and how it went on to become a worldwide sport.
TV: Alias Grace
This gripping limited series is set in 19th-century Canada and is based on Margaret Atwood's award-winning novel. It follows a psychiatrist who debates whether a murderess should be pardoned due to insanity.
TV: Cable Girls
There are six seasons of this Spanish period piece on Netflix for you to binge-watch, you lucky people. Set in 1920s Madrid, Cable Girls is the story of four women newly hired at the National Telephone Company and how all their lives change because of it.
TV: The Crown
If you’ve not had a chance to catch any of Netflix’s most expensive original drama to date - now is the time, people! With a £100 million budget, this is a on-screen spectacle of a drama delving into the personal lives and controversies of the Royal Family.
NetflixThe Queen's Gambit
Set during the Cold War era and starring a redheaded Anya Taylor-Joy, this pacy drama is about orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon and her struggles with addiction as she aims to become the world's best chess player.
NetflixThe Empress
When rebellious Elisabeth falls for Emperor Franz and becomes his unlikely bride, she enters a world of tensions and intrigue at the Viennese court. If nothing else, this one gets a 10/10 for its costuming.
© 2024 Netflix, Inc.The Law According to Lidia Poët
Based on the real life of Lidia Poët, Italy's first qualified female lawyer, this Netflix show follows her fearless pursuit of practising law and how she led a movement to allow women to practice law and hold public office in Italy. Inspiring stuff!
Courtesy of NetflixThe Cook of Castamar
This Spanish-language period drama is set in 1720s Madrid, where Clara Belmonte develops agoraphobia after the death of her father. She gets employed at a widowed nobleman's house as a chef and, tale as old as time, she soon falls in love with him.
