While TV shows that are set in the modern-day are a lot of fun, it’s also really interesting to watch a show that takes viewers back in time. These shows give fans a glimpse into what life was like at that time in a dramatic and interesting way, and many are particularly keen on historical accuracy.
Some historic shows are based on the life of a real person, while others focus on completely original characters. Sometimes these shows are highly dramatized to increase intrigue or tension, and, while that may irk hardcore history buffs, most are content if the changes make the story more compelling. Be they completely authentic or absolutely aggrandized, these are the 20 best historical TV shows of all time according to IMDb.
Updated Nov. 10, 2021 by Tanner Fox: Historical TV shows have to walk a fine line between telling a compelling tale and maintaining a sense of authenticity. This often limits what networks and showrunners can do. As a result, they aren’t often favored when compared to more fantastical productions.
That said, recent years have given rise to historical retellings of a particularly high quality. From the staggeringly popular Vikings to uncompromisingly gritty dramas like Chernobyl, here are 20 of the best historical TV series.
Aquarius (7.1)
Don’t let that mystifying title mislead; this series set in the 1960s weaves a detective tale of drugs, death, and the disillusionment of the psychedelic age. Sam Hodiak might be a fictitious member of the LAPD, but, when he has to match wits against the infamous and very real Charles Manson and his murderous family, it spells out a period drama that’s a little bit more than Helter Skelter.
Like so many songs of the era, the show is a bit of a slow burn, with the horror of the Sharon Tate murders not even taking place until the second season. It’s still a true-crime thriller perfect for anyone with an interest in serial killers, the ’60s, or riveting detective stories.
Knightfall (7.8)
Knightfall premiered in 2017 on the History Channel, and, so far, two seasons of this historic show have aired. There’s not a ton of news yet about when the third season will arrive, but fans are excited to see where this show will be going in the future.
This series is set in the 14th century and follows the Knights of Templar. The series primarily focuses on their leader, Landry du Lauzon, who is a brave warrior that’s struggling to find inspiration to keep leading the Knights of Templar in the face of their failures. When rumors that the Holy Grail is out there somewhere, du Lauzon finds himself feeling inspired again.
The Borgias (7.9)
If there’s one reason to watch this series, it’s Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo de Borgia/Pope Alexander VI. The series, as the title would imply, focuses on the notorious Borgia family and their rise to power and infamy during Renaissance-era Italy. If Irons’s brilliant and despicable portrayal of the scandalous pontiff wasn’t enough to grab the audience’s attention, its plot is absolutely seething and slithering with greed, intimidation, treachery, and sacrilegious scandal.
Any fan of the Assassin’s Creed series will certainly recognize a few names, events, and locations, and the series acts as an intriguing (though slightly embellished) account of the Borgia’s crimes and their criminal exploits. Fans of true crime and political thrillers dare not miss this series.
The Terror (7.9)
Produced by AMC, The Terror is a historical horror anthology series that plays up the disturbing circumstances and supernatural rumors surrounding real-world events. Anchored in a genuine authenticity, the show does an excellent job of merging these two widely different genres.
The first season recounts John Franklin’s doomed expedition to find the supposed Northwest Passage in the arctic, and the second sees a community of Japanese prisoners stalked by a supernatural being during their confinement in an American internment camp during the Second World War. The Terror may not appeal to those with rigid regard for historical accuracy, but it’ll appeal to viewers who can’t resist a macabre story.
Thieves Of The Wood (7.9)
Thieves of the Wood is a Netflix original series that began airing on the streaming service in 2018. This show is a Belgian series that is set in the 18th century. This series is based on a novel, and, without giving any spoilers, the show ended in a similar way to the novel, so it doesn’t seem that the series will be getting a second season. This is perfectly fine because a miniseries is always fun to binge over a weekend, and the end of the show tied up a lot of loose ends.
This period drama follows Jan de Lichte, a highwayman who leads the revolution against the corrupt aristocracy in his home country of Belgium.
The Tudors (8.1)
The Tudors aired from 2007 through 2010 for a total of four seasons. This series, which originally aired for Showtime, is available to stream on a few different streaming services and is totally worth binge-watching for anyone that wants to see a scandalous, dramatic take on the early days of King Henry VIII’s reign.
King Henry VIII is known for having had a total of six wives while he was ruler, many of whom met some unfortunate ends. The series follows King Henry VIII’s rule and his relationships with Katharine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, as well as his later wives.
The Great (8.1)
According to Slate, Hulu’s The Great doesn’t place much emphasis on historical accuracy, going so far to label itself as an “anti-historical” historical comedy-drama. A very loose retelling of the life of Russia’s Catherine the Great, it follows the titular character’s ascension into the Russian oligarchy and her plot to kill her husband, Peter III.
The marquee characters are hilariously over-the-top in The Great, and it’s a witty if occasionally disturbing lampooning of decades-old Russian nobility. Elle Fanning and Nicholaus Hault both shine in their roles, and the series was greenlit for a second season that’s set to debut in November of 2021.
Poldark (8.3)
Poldark is a historical period drama that began airing in 2015 as part of PBS’ Masterpiece line of shows. The series is set in the late 18th century in England and is based on a novel series by the same name.
This series stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, a man who everyone he knew believed to be dead prior to his return home from fighting in the American Revolution. The love of his life has gotten engaged and his father is dead, his property having been sold and more or less abandoned. The series follows the man’s struggles with returning home and back to his previous life.
The Last Kingdom (8.3)
The Last Kingdom is a historical series that began airing in 2015 and is based on The Saxon Stories novels by Bernard Cornwell. The series began airing on BBC America before Netflix acquired the rights to the series and have been solely producing episodes since then.
The series is set in the late 9th century. It follows a man named Uhtred who was born as a Saxon but has spent his life raised by Vikings. As conflicts arise, Uhtred is forced to choose between the people that he was raised by and the people who he is connected to by blood.
Call The Midwife (8.4)
Call the Midwife is a BBC period drama that is set in the 1950s and 1960s. Although many of the super-popular historic shows that IMDb users just can’t get enough of are set way farther back in history, the fact that this series is set in the mid-20th century doesn’t make it any less fun to watch.
This series began airing in 2012 and currently has 11 seasons. The series is based on a series of novels by Jennifer Worth and follows a young midwife named Jenny who recently left her home to work in London’s Nonnatus House as a midwife.
John Adams (8.5)
For fans of the historical musical sensation, Hamilton, it might behoove them to invest their time by revisiting another famous founding father with John Adams. HBO’s popular historical drama regarding America’s first 50 years and the president’s involvement in the nation’s genesis. Although it lacks any of the head-bobbing musical numbers, it has the same amount of political intrigue, drama, and famous figures from American history.
What truly sells the series is Paul Giamatti’s portrayal as John Adams himself. From the tides of the American Revolution to his days as the second president of the United States, Giamatti shines an emotional and engaging light on one of America’s lesser-discussed founding fathers.
Spartacus (8.5)
Spartacus is a TV series that aired from 2010 through 2013 for a total of three seasons on Starz. The series is set during the first century BCE and follows the life of the Thracian gladiator by the same name.
This historic show follows Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who lead a slave uprising and rebellion against the Romans during his life in the early 70s BCE. The series is an action-packed show that is perfect for people who were into the movies 300 and Gladiator and wished that there had been more to them.
Boardwalk Empire (8.5)
Boardwalk Empire aired from 2010 through 2014 and is set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition Era. Steve Buscemi stars in this series as Nucky Thompson, a sly politician who runs Atlantic City with the help of the mobsters that are working in the seedy underbelly of the city.
This crime drama follows Nucky’s rise to prominence as a politician in Atlantic city through the 1920s until the early 1930s when Prohibition came to a close. The main character of this series is loosely based on Enoch L. Johnson, a real-life politician from Atlantic City in this era.
Vikings (8.6)
Vikings is a historical drama that began airing on the History Channel in 2013. The sixth and final season premiered in 2020, and Netflix is working on producing a sequel series called Vikings: Valhalla.
The series is based on various Norse myths and legends. The show follows a warrior named Ragnar Lothbrok who is known for being one of the bravest Viking warriors of his time. The series follows Lothbrok’s rise from being a simple farmer to being a legendary warrior who many people believe to be a direct descendant of Odin himself. Later seasons of the series feature his family and children.
Deadwood (8.6)
Rivaling Firefly in its status among shows that were canceled too soon, Deadwood, which aired on HBO from 2004 to 2006, tells the tale of the titular town after its establishment in the 1870s. Considered to be a territory separate from the United States, Deadwood was a lawless refuge for all sorts of vagrants and villains.
Led by actors Timothy Olyphant and Ian McShane, Deadwood uses its historical basis as a jumping-off point to tell larger-than-life tales about some of the Old West’s most prominent figures such as Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane.
The Crown (8.7)
The Crown is definitely one of the best-known historical series right now, so it should be no surprise that this show came in at the number one spot on this list of historical TV shows. This show premiered on Netflix in 2016 and stars Claire Foy as a young Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II took the throne when she was 25 years old, and this series follows her life as a young member of the royal family back in the 1940s. The show follows her life through the years and gives us a glimpse into the way that political rivalries and personal relationships impacted the way of life in the 20th century.
Narcos (8.8)
A Netflix original series that first debuted in 2015, Narcos chronicles the life of the notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. A riveting historical fiction presentation that explores not only Escobar himself but those with whom he worked and those who stood against him, Narcos offers a glimpse at the often undiscussed sides of the 1980s war on drugs.
Nominated for three primetime Emmys, Narcos is the sort of thrilling crime drama guaranteed to draw in fans of shows like Breaking Bad and Boardwalk Empire. It may not be a completely authentic representation of actual events, but it’s an excellent watch nonetheless.
Band Of Brothers (9.4)
A collaboration between Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg, Band of Brothers followed in close proximity to the iconic Saving Private Ryan in terms of content, setting, and historical material. The series follows the lives of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division and their involvement and service during WWII. From the time the soldiers first arrive at basic training up until Japan’s surrender in 1945.
In that span of time, the series allows the audience to grow with its cast and witness historic and devastating events such as the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and the capture of Eagle’s Nest all through the eyes of the troops.
Chernobyl (9.4)
An Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries, Chernobyl focuses on the figurative and literal fallout of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster which occurred in the Soviet Union in April of 1986. It’s widely regarded as the worst nuclear disaster in history, and the series sternly condemns the secretive actions taken by the USSR to cover up the events.
Chernobyl offers a look at the catastrophe from the perspectives of high-ranking Soviet officials and low-level workers alike. It’s infuriating, heartbreaking, and disturbing in equal measures.
The Chosen (9.7)
Although Jesus Christ is no doubt the main feature of this free-to-watch show, it’s the disciples and other characters that truly make this series shine like salt and light. Viewers are exposed to events like the healing of Mary Magdalene, the calling of the apostles, and Jesus’s other miracles, but they are all shown through the eyes of Nicodemus, Peter, Matthew, and other supporting cast members.
Seeing these New Testament events unfold in front of not just the main cast, but side characters and supports like the high priests, the Roman legions, and the common folk of Jerusalem puts a different yet inspiring spin on Jesus’s narrative, as well as showing how far his influence touched the multitudes.
