The 50 Best Historical Dramas: ‘Feud,’ ‘Belgravia’ & More of the Classiest Shows
Historical dramas have a lot to teach and tell us about the ways that so many themes of life look the same, no matter the time period. From love and betrayal to redemption and sacrifice, these period pieces connect audiences to the real-life antics of actual groups of people, revealing the underbelly of a world one previously maybe knew nothing about.
In recent years, there has been a wide array of historical dramas that have captivated audiences and taken the streaming world by storm, from Netflix‘s Bridgerton to the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale. These historical dramas serve as more than mere entertainment; they serve as mirrors reflecting the complexities of the human experience. By immersing audiences in the sights, sounds, and stories of the past, these narratives invite reflection and contemplation, fostering a deeper understanding of both history and ourselves.
Sometimes the sweetest form of escape is turning on the TV to join in on the fuss of Victorian high-society scandal. Other times, it’s tuning in to get a taste of a time before our own like Atlantic City during the Prohibition. From authored exposés to corrupt politicians, these are our top picks for the classiest and most cultured historical dramas to stream right now.
Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans (Hulu)
FX
In this engrossing series from producer Ryan Murphy, friendship, betrayal and martini glasses of gossip are on the menu for acerbic bon vivant writer Truman Capote (Tom Hollander, above) and his flock of high-society ladies who lunch, aka his “swans,” including Babe Paley (Naomi Watts) and Slim Keith (Diane Lane). But when the In Cold Blood author publishes a barely disguised tell-all about their sordid lives, the furious socialites ostracize him from their privileged world.
Boardwalk Empire (Max)
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Think Atlantic City is wild? You wouldn’t believe what it was like during Prohibition! Fortunately, we have this critically acclaimed 2010–14 crime drama (created by a Sopranos producer), which ran for five seasons, to show us. Steve Buscemi (above) stars as Nucky Thompson, a charismatic and corrupt politician and a gangster with a lucrative bootlegging operation. Nucky controls everything that happens behind the glitz and glamour of the resort city, regularly crossing paths with notorious mobsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano.
Aristocrats (BritBox)
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The 1999 six-episode BBC series follows the lives of four infamous, high-born Lennox sisters in the 18th century: Caroline (Serena Gordon), Emily (Geraldine Somerville), Louisa (Anne-Marie Duff) and Sarah (Jodhi May, above left, with Duff). Daughters of a cabinet minister and wives of influential politicians and nobility, they can trace their bloodline to King Charles II. But despite their pedigree, there’s no shortage of drama and scandal.
Belgravia (MGM+)
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Is this 2020 series another Victorian-era British historical drama? You bet it is! Created by Downton Abbey‘s Julian Fellowes, the show centers on the nouveau riche Trenchard family (including Susan Trenchard, portrayed by Alice Eve, left) and the prominent Bellasis household, whose lives are intertwined after a fateful meeting at a ball in 1815. Fast-forward to 26 years later, and the two families have both moved into the newly built and lavish Belgravia neighborhood of London— where the secretive events of that night decades earlier echo in the present. A sequel series, Belgravia: The Next Chapter, premiered this January.
