Throughout the past dark year of 2020, Netflix pumped out some great binge-worthy series, including Trinkets, Grand Army, and the latest, Bridgerton.
The latter is a period drama that may seem a bit slow on the surface, but it will quickly wrap you up into its storyline set in 1813. Many fans feel as if they're experiencing the same thing the Bridgerton family is going through and the show will make you appreciate the art of period pieces. After you've binged the miniseries, you may be thirsting for more period movies and TV series. Here's a look at a few great options.
Call The Midwife
Originally made for the BBC, Call The Midwife made its way to Netflix and has been one of the services' top-rated period dramas. Set in 1957, the series follows Jenny Lee, a midwife who is part of the Nonnatus House. It's an interesting look into the lives of midwives and how they played a large part in the birth of children during this time period.
The Crown
In 2016, Netflix released The Crown and it won praise as one of the services' best original series. The Crown tells the life story of Queen Elizabeth II, from her younger years when she married price Phillip through to modern times.
Although it loses its period piece status once it moves to the modern-day, with season four focusing on the election of conservative Magaret Thatcher, The Crown is still a riveting look at the rise of the world's most famous queen.
The English Game
This series closely resembles Bridgerton in its tone and should be on your radar if the former was your favorite show of 2020. The English Game follows two footballers in the 19th-century as they clash over the class divide and other matters while trying to change the game of soccer/football in their native England, whilst also trying to change society.
Soccer is a massive sport in England, and this is a great show that showcases how the game bridges divides in the United Kingdom.
Cable Girls
Originally titled Las Chicas del Cable, Cable Girls is a Spanish Netflix series that ran from 2017 to 2020. The series is set in the 1920s and tells a fantastic story of life for the four main characters who work as telephone operators.
Unlike Bridgerton, this is not a family drama, per se, but it will hold any drama fan's interest, as it shows how women were treated in the workplace in the 1920s.
Cathedral Of The Sea
This period drama was made with a high budget when it was released on Netflix in 2019, but it perfectly complements the book.
The Spanish language series, originally titled La Catedral del Mar ran for one season in 2018 and it can be a hard watch at times, given its serious tone compared to Bridgerton. Still, it's captivating for fans of the novel to see how the series stays true to the original story, bringing it to life on the small screen.
Cursed
Like Bridgerton, you'll want to binge-watch if this is your type of drama.
It's a near-retelling of the King Arthur legend and is similar to Bridgerton in the way that it retells a classic story in a historical setting and also has romantic elements similar to the instant Netflix classic.
The Ghost Bride
This Taiwanese Netflix series takes place in the 1890s, some years after the events in Bridgerton. Although it's a period drama, it also falls in the supernatural genre, as it deals with a ghost bride to a son who's also dead.
While it has some horror elements that make it an unconventional period drama, The Ghost Bride still manages to hit its viewers in the feelings with its heartfelt moments and should be checked out by all period drama fans.
Alias Grace
This series is split into six parts and it is a perfect period drama with all of the same charm that got fans hooked on Bridgerton. The show is based on the Margaret Atwood novel of the same name and has led to a popular question: "What happened to the real Grace Marks?"
The mini-series will tell you the answer, but you'll have to take a seat and watch all six parts of this fantastic drama to find out.
Anne With An E
This drama focuses on a young orphan who finds herself living with a spinster and a handsome, soft-spoken bachelor. Fans are calling for another season of Anne With An E and for good reason, as the show perfectly resonates with viewers and is a great period series with lots of wit and character - two ingredients that are essential to the success of a period drama.
Always A Witch
This Netflix series has become one of the more popular on the streaming service and is the main period drama you should check out after binge-watching Bridgerton.
Set in the 17th century, Always a Witch, or Siempre Bruja in its original language of Spanish, is a Netflix series from Columbia, and although it does jump to modern times with its time travel elements, it focuses on a slave who is a witch in the 1600s. It can be thought of as the Back To The Future of period dramas, and it's filled with heart, soul, and a sprinkle of action.
