Period dramas on Amazon Prime Video are a phenomenal form of escapism. This drama sub-genre can harken back to any era viewers want, sweeping the audience into Victorian-era England, the United States during the Civil War, or even across the world to the ancient empires of China. Whether fans want to see drama, history, or just incredible production, costuming, and makeup, Prime Video offers standout titles that fit the bill. These shows range from quiet romances to violent epics, from recent history to far in the past, but no matter the time period, Amazon Prime has got its subscribers covered.
With one of the largest catalogs of movies and television series ever, it is often hard to find the best Prime Video series to watch, as some require other subscriptions to PBS Masterpiece, and others are on the sub-service Freevee (which is free to watch on Prime Video but not exclusive to the subscription plan). From Brittania's ancient Roman story and the timeline in the early 1900s to Grantchester's thrilling '50s detective mysteries, there's a period drama for everyone on Prime Video.
35 The Chosen (2017-Present)
Judaea In The 1st Century
The Chosen
- Release Date
- April 21, 2019
- Network
- Prime Video, VidAngel, Angel Studios, TheChosen.tv
- Showrunner
- Dallas Jenkins
Cast
Elizabeth TabishMary Magdalene / Lillith
Jonathan RoumieJesus of Nazareth
WHERE TO WATCH
The Chosen, released on April 21, 2019, portrays the life of Christ through the perspectives of individuals who encountered him. This series offers a unique narrative approach by exploring the stories of biblical figures whose lives were transformed by their interactions with Jesus.
- Seasons
- 5
The Chosen is a historical drama series for people with a more religious taste. The series is the first to ever follow the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and is mostly about his travels, the people he meets, and the followers he picks up along the way. Jonathan Roumie stars as Jesus. The Chosen was a huge success thanks mostly to the fact it was a crowd-funded series and has become one of the most successful crowd-funded TV shows in history (via The Wall Street Journal).
The show has had four seasons so far, and all are available to stream for anyone with a Prime Video hip. The first season sees Jesus as he calls his disciples to follow him and works his first miracles. The second featured the Sermon on the Mount and the eventual betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Season 3 featured him walking on water and troubling the governing bodies, while season 4 saw King Herod order John the Baptist's execution and Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem.
Each season has eight episodes and a Christmas special. As of 2024, there have been 200 million viewers and 770 million episode views (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution). It has also received several awards at the Movieguide, K-Love Fan, GMA Dove, and the Museum of the Bible ceremonies.
34 My Lady Jane (2024)
An Alternate 16th-Century England
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My Lady Jane
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Gemma Burgess, Meredith Glynn
- Directors
- Jamie Babbit, Stefan Schwartz
WHERE TO WATCH
My Lady Jane is a Prime Video original series created by Gemma Burgess. The story is a "what if" style story of English royal history where King Henry VIII's son Edward, Lady Jane Grey, and her husband Guildford all survive their real-life deaths. In the retelling of history, Jane Grey takes center stage, becoming queen and immediately finding herself facing nefarious villains.
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Gemma Burgess
In 2024, Prime Video released the new historical fantasy romance series My Lady Jane. This series was made specifically for Prime Video and stars Emily Bader as Lady Jane Grey. In real life, Jane was an English noblewoman who claimed the throne of England and Ireland for nine days in 1553 before Bloody Mary had her executed when she was only a teenager. However, this is a fantasy series and takes place in an alternate England, where Ethians exist — humans who can take animal form.
My Lady Jane had eight episodes in its first season, but Amazon canceled it. However, despite the cancelation, it was a huge hit with genre fans. Even Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin shared a petition to save the show after Amazon's decision. "Knowing her talents, it did not surprise me that My Lady Jane was so much fun," Martin wrote before acknowledging the petition. "Got to love the fans. I wish them luck. Jane deserved more than nine days, or eight episodes." (via People).
33 Beecham House (2019)
1795 New Delhi
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Beecham House
- Release Date
- 2019 - 2019-00-00
Cast
-
Tom BatemanJohn Beecham
-
Dakota Blue RichardsMargaret Osbourne
-
Pallavi ShardaChandrika
Henrietta Beecham
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 1
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Creator(s)
- Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges, Shahrukh Husain
Released in 2019, Beecham House has been called a "Delhi Downton Abbey" by fans. Set in 1795, John Beecham (Tom Bateman) is a former soldier with the East India Company who is "determined to make the house his safe haven." Much like Downton Abbey, the show focuses on the life of a family and their nearest and dearest as historical events happen around them.
The time frame puts Delhi right before the British ruled the area in the 19th century, and it follows John Beecham as he buys a mansion and starts a life with his family. However, his past with the East India Company always threatens to disrupt his life and threaten the safety of his family. The show's producer, Gurinder Chadha, was also responsible for Bend It Like Beckham and Bride & Prejudice. The series lasted six episodes and ended with a cliffhanger.
32 Enemy At The Door (1978-1980)
Europe In World War II
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Enemy at the Door
- Release Date
- January 21, 1978
Cast
-
Alfred BurkeMajor Richter / Oberst Richter
-
Bernard HorsfallDr. Philip Martel
-
Antonia PembertonOlive Martel
-
Simon LackMajor Freidel
- Seasons
- 2
- Main Genre
- Drama
Enemy at the Door is a World War II television drama airing from 1978 to 1980. The series, which lasted two seasons, followed the German occupation of Guernsey during World War II and was made by London Weekend Television for ITV. The show depicted the conflict between the Germans and the islanders, represented by Philip Martel (Bernard Horsfall), the local doctor. The Germans were represented by Major Dieter Richter (Alfred Burke), a peacetime academic, and two villainous SS counterparts.
The series ended up playing out as a drama, with the islanders trying to make their lives more suitable despite the German occupation of their home. There were 26 total episodes, but Enemy at the Door was canceled without an actual resolution to the story, and the Germans are still occupying the island. Enemy at the Door received positive reviews, with critics praising its nuance in showing two warring sides working together in a harsh situation.
31 To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters (2019)
The Brontë Family In 1840s England
The Brontë family is a 19th-century literary family that included three sisters who all became renowned poets and novelists. They are responsible for some of the greatest masterpieces of their era. Charlotte Brontë wrote Jane Eyre, Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights, and Anne Brontë wrote The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The BBC One series To Walk Invisible: The Bronte Sisters tells their story, with the title referring to the fact that they wrote their acclaimed novels, but Charlotte didn't reveal their identities until after two of them died.
Starting in 1845, To Walk Invisible follows the sisters as they begin to send out their novels for possible publication and find success, all while their lives at home leave much to be desired. The series was a two-episode release but is mostly the length of a regular movie. On Prime Video, it is listed as a two-part series, with each episode an hour in length. To Walk Invisible has an impressive 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
30 The Indian Doctor (2010)
1963 South Wales Mining Village
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The Indian Doctor
- Release Date
- 2010 - 2013-00-00
- Network
- BBC One
- Directors
- Lee Haven Jones, Tim Whitby, Gwennan Sage
Cast
-
Ayesha DharkerKamini Sharma
Sanjeev BhaskarDr. Prem Sharma-
Mali HarriesMegan Evans
-
Jacob OakleyDan Griffiths
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 3
- Main Genre
- Drama
The Indian Doctor was initially a five-part series released on BBC One in 2010 and is now available for Prime Video subscribers to re-discover. In the series, Sanjeev Bhaskar stars as Dr. Prem Sharma, the titular Indian doctor who finds work in a South Wales mining village. He and his wife Kamini Sharma (Ayesha Dharker) move to the village, only to experience a major culture clash when he realizes that the mining manager has ignored safety issues, putting the workers in danger.
The series is based on real-life events and Prem Subberwal, an NHS doctor in a Welsh village who realized the struggles of doing his job thanks to a limited understanding of the Welsh accent and various colloquialisms that the people used with him. The first season was so popular that The Indian Doctor returned for a second season two years later and finished with three seasons and 15 episodes. However, only the first season is available on Prime Video, while the other two seasons require the Acorns TV add-on.
29 Jamestown (2017)
The First English Settlers In 1619
Created by the same company behind Downton Abbey, the historical epic drama series Jamestown tells the story of the first English settlers as they settled into their new home in the New World in 1619. The main roles go to a group of women who are destined to marry the men of Jamestown, including three who are a little more free-spirited than the others. Naomi Battrick, Sophie Rundle, and Niamh Walsh lead the cast as the three free-spirited women, Jocelyn, Alice, and Verity.
Jamestown premiered in 2017 and lasted for three seasons and 24 episodes. It mostly followed the three women as they either married those whom they were betrothed to or found their own way in the New World. It also showed how Jamestown gave way to democracy and distanced itself from the English government. Critics compared it to an "expensive soap opera," but it still received positive reviews as a fun show with a strong portrayal of women despite the era it represents.
28 Luoyang (2021)
Zhou Dynasty In China
Luoyang is a Chinese period drama about three people from different social classes who work together to solve a mystery during the Zhou Dynasty. As these people dig for answers, they realize there is more to the situation than they ever expected and come across a major conspiracy. It all starts when Wu Siyue (Victoria Song), a palace guard, realizes that informants are murdered when they arrive in Luoyang, despite the Empress (Yong Mei) encouraging informants to come to her.
The series has plenty of twists and turns in the story, which is not only about solving a mystery but also about the relationships between the three people looking into the case. There are 39 episodes, checking in at about 40 minutes each, so this is a big series to dig into, and it is all available to stream on Prime Video.
27 The Village (2013)
Early 20th Century Derbyshire
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The Village
- Release Date
- 2013 - 2014-00-00
- Network
- BBC One
Cast
-
Maxine PeakeGrace Middleton
-
John SimmJohn Middleton
-
David RyallOld Bert Middleton
-
Scott HandyRobin Lane
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 2
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Creator(s)
- Peter Moffat
The Village is a 2013 BBC series created by Peter Moffat, a British playwright, who based the story on his grandfather and great-grandfather, who were shepherds in Tyeedsmuir. Set in a Derbyshire village in the early 20th century, the BBC series tells the story of Bert Middleton, with five actors playing him at different parts of his life, from childhood to his elder years. Also playing a big role are his alcoholic father, a farmer, and his mother, Grace.
The series is the antithesis of the period drama Downton Abbey
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A Dream of Splendor
- Release Date
- June 2, 2022
Cast
-
Liu YifeiZhao Pan'er
-
Chen XiaoGu Qianfan
-
Liu YanSun Sanniang
-
Lin YunSong Yinzhang
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 1
- Main Genre
- Drama
The series is the antithesis of the period drama Downton Abbey. While that series is about the wealthy and their working servants, this places the story in the eyes of a working-class family. The series has two seasons and 12 episodes on Prime Video, with the story starting in 1914. The first season received positive reviews, but the second faltered somewhat as it became a little more light-hearted and marked the end of the series.
26 A Dream Of Splendor (2022)
Northern Song Dynasty Of China
A Dream of Splendor is a period drama based in China during the Northern Song Dynasty. Based on the drama by Guan Hanqing, the series follows Zhao Pan-Er, the owner of a famous tea shop in Qian-Tang. She ed her lover for three years as he worked to take the imperial exam, and he promised to marry her once he ed it. When she learns her fiancé has agreed to marry someone else, she goes to find him and learn the truth.
Along the way, she meets several other people and experiences wild moments in their lives. She meets a commander framed for a crime. She meets a woman tricked into a marriage, only to become abused, and she also a woman driven to attempt suicide after heartbreak. These experiences help form Zhao Pan-Er into a strong woman who finally finds her place in the world. A Dream of Splendor won the Outstanding TV Series Award at the China TV Drama Selection Awards.
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