Travel through time with historical dramas on Showmax

What is it about historical dramas that makes them so compelling? Perhaps it’s nostalgia for what seemed like a simpler time. Or the pure escapism of the gorgeous costumes, sets and all that old-time banter. Whatever it is, the good news is that there are so many excellent period dramas around these days. Here’s our pick of the series we think Downton Abbey fans will enjoy.

This July, fans of historical costumes can feast their eyes on Mary & George, as costume designer Annie Symons takes on a little-known period of history (it has been covered so seldom, in fact, that the wardrobe department had to make most of the costumes from scratch, instead of hiring them). The story is set in the Jacobean era at the court of King James VI. That’s the same king who commissioned the translation of the Bible known as the King James version. 

And if you thought Elizabethan fashion was extravagant, hold onto your wig! Annie told Harper’s Bazaar, “Clothing and fabrics are signals of power and wealth and status in the same way they are today; but then, it was even more important, because you really had to fake it to make it, to get into court. Several families from that 17th-century period are known to have gone bankrupt in their attempt to be part of a world that could afford those clothes and phenomenally expensive lace that came into fashion.”

Mary & George

Set in: England, from 1612-1628 

Based on Benjamin Woolley’s history, The King’s Assassin (2017). After getting rid of her abusive husband, cunning courtier Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham (Julianne Moore), schemes and raises funds to set up her son George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (Nicholas Galitzine), to catch the eye of King James VI (Tony Curran), along with his favour. When Mary realises that her George might become more successful as the King’s future lover than he would if he tried to find a wife, it’s game on! As blood-soaked and backstabbing as any restoration play, and steeped in insanity, this series isn’t afraid to “kill the dog”. 

The Downton Abbey movie

Set in: Yorkshire in 1927

Gareth Neame and Julian Fellowes’ 2019 movie bookends the series, and centres on the preparations for a royal visit to Downton Abbey by King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Garldine James). Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) brings Carson (Jim Carter) out of retirement to help Barrow (Robert James-Collier) to buttle, and a series of below-stairs mishaps have the household wondering whether they’ll have the house shipshape by the time of the visit, or go down like the Titanic.  When the royal couple’s servants arrive early, a discreet but deadly power battle erupts for control of the house.  

Billy The Kid S2

Set in: 1880 in the United States

Billy the Kid returns for an epic second season starring Tom Blyth (Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) as the infamous outlaw.

Already renewed for a third season, the epic romantic adventure from Vikings creator Michael Hirst traces the life of Billy the Kid from his humble Irish roots and his early days as a cowboy and gunslinger in the American frontier to his pivotal role in the Lincoln County War and beyond.

Belgravia: The Next Chapter

Set in: London in 1871 

An enthralling period drama set in the 1800s. A couple’s happiness is threatened by the scandalous world of high society that has long-buried family secrets. Watch now »

1923 (available until 30 July 2025)

Set in: Montana and East Africa in 1923

Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren drive Taylor Sheridan’s powerful prequel of Yellowstone. Set in the early 20th century, The Duttons face new challenges, from the Western expansion to the Great Depression. Watch now »

World on Fire S2 (available until 30 July 2025)

Set in: Britain, Germany and North Africa from 1940-1941

Four years after its acclaimed first season, the World War II series World on Fire is back. The ensemble series is set between 1940-1941, taking us from the war-torn streets of Britain and the start of the Blitz in Manchester deep into Nazi Germany, the resistance within occupied France, and the brutal sands of the North African desert, including the Siege of Tobruk and Operation Compass. Watch now »

Gentleman Jack S1-2

Set in: Yorkshire around 1832

Costume designer Tom Pye and hair and makeup artists Lynn Davey and Sue Newbould fearlessly recreated a truly awkward (to the modern eye) style era in this thoroughly researched drama series based on the secret diaries of the real Anne Lister, dubbed the “first modern lesbian”. The wardrobe department used period authentic construction techniques, making this a must-watch for historic costume fans. Watch now »

The Gilded Age S1-2

Set in: New York City around 1882

Oscar winner Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, delivers a mesmerising HBO drama set in 1882. When rural girl moves to New York after her father’s death, she finds herself entangled in a social war. Both Seasons 1 and 2 are ready to binge-watch on Showmax. Watch now »

A Gentleman in Moscow

Set in: Russia from 1918 to the 1950s

A Gentleman In Moscow, based on Amor Towles’ 2016 novel of the same name, tells the story of deposed Russian nobleman Count Alexander Rostov (Ewan McGregor), who is sentenced to life under “house arrest” in a barren attic room of the Hotel Metropol Moscow following the 1917-1923 Bolshevik Revolution. But while Count Rostov is supposed to live out his life in just one desolate room, we soon get to discover a lot more about the world of the Metropol as the series takes us from 1918 to the 1950s, through revolution, two world wars and a cold war. 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz S1

Set in: Poland during the Holocaust, 1942-1945

Historical drama miniseries based on Heather Morris’s 2018 book of the same name based on the true story. Jewish prisoner of war Lali Sokolov (Harvey Keitel as the older Lali and Jonah Hauer-King as the younger) falls disastrously in love with a fellow prisoner, Gita (Anna Próchniak), after he is assigned the job of tattooing numbers on his fellow prisoners’ arms, at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during World War II. Years later, he tells their story to writer Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey). 

SAS Rogue Heroes Season 1-2

Set in: North Africa and Europe during World War II, 1941-1943

SAS Rogue Heroes Season 1 blew the dust off the founding of the British Army Special Air Service (SAS) during World War II’s Western Desert Campaign. In Season 2, the series, created by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight and based on the book of the same name by Ben Macintyre, turns the searchlight to the SAS in Europe. The new season begins with SAS founding commander David Stirling (Connor Swindells) in a POW camp, and 1SAS is under a new commander, the brawling Paddy Mayne (Jack O’Connell), while David’s brother Bill Stirling (Gwilym Lee) heads up 2SAS. 

House of Saddam

Set in: Iran from 1979 to 2006

This BBC-HBO docu-drama miniseries centres on the rise and fall of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (Yigal Naor) from the 1979 Iranian Revolution, to his death sentence for crimes against humanity in 2006. Aside from chronicling his political executions and warmongering with the US and Iran, the series also focuses on Sadam’s relationship with his family, especially his wife Sajida Talfah (Shohreh Aghdashloo, who won an Emmy for the role) and sons Uday (Aris Sahin) and Qusay (Raed Khelfi).

1883 Season 1

Set in: America’s Wild West in 1883

Taylor Sheridan’s 10-episode Yellowstone prequel mini-series follows the original Dutton family as James Dillard Dutton (Tim McGraw) takes his family South-West from Tennessee to Fort Worth, Texas, following his time in a POW camp during the American Civil War. Their journey by train and by covered wagon makes them unwelcome guests on Native American land. And they’ll have to battle everything from the wildlife to disease, violence, and starvation as they carve out a place for their lives on the frontier. It’s life on the edge, always. 

Tokyo Vice Season 1-2

Set in: Tokyo between 1993 and 2005

Crime drama series based on the life of American Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), who was the first non-Japanese person ever to pass the reporters’ entrance exam for one of Japan’s biggest daily newspapers, the Yomiuri Shimbun. He reported on local crime between 1993 and 2005, making contacts within the yakuza, and the Tokyo police force. The series was filmed on location in Tokyo, in areas that have been preserved since the 1990s like the Love Hotel Hill area of Shibuya, the Golden Gai nightlife area, and the streets around the Akasaka Palace and Akasaka Esplanade nightlife district.

Rome Season 1-2

Set in: The Ancient Roman Empire between 52 and 29 BCE

Extensively researched historical drama series Rome zooms in on the transitional years as Julius Caesar’s Republic became Octavian’s Roman Empire, along with its battles across France, Germany, Egypt and Greece. Costume designer April Ferry won an Emmy Award for her work on the series and the background detail is drawn from archaeological references, down to the widespread, scandalous graffiti.

John Adams

Set in: The US and Paris around 1770-1826

The series about the second-ever US President (and the first 50 years of freedom from British rule in the US) is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by historian David McCullough, who also served as an advisor on the show. Settings range from the US to the decadent French royal court, the Dutch Republic, Paris, and London, with fascinating contrasts in costume and manners. John Adams won the 2008 Emmys for art direction, costume, prosthetic makeup, and visual effects, and this is reflected in attention to detail, down to how John Adams’ teeth change.

Warrior Season 1-2

Set in: San Francisco during the 1870 and 1880s

Warrior, based on a concept developed by martial arts legend Bruce Lee, and filmed at Cape Town Film Studios, explores a little-known corner of American history as it takes us into San Francisco’s Chinatown during the Tong Wars era, which arose as a response to mass racist attacks on Asian immigrants. This is seen especially vividly in Season 2, episode 9, which was based on the July 1887 riots. Costume designer Moira Anne Meyer brings eye-catching Chinese interpretations of Western fashion to the screen.

The Knick Season 1-2

Set in: New York City in the early 1900s

Steven Soderbergh’s juicy medical drama starring Clive Owen as a cocaine addicted surgeon, The Knick, is set in New York City’s real life Knickerbocker Hospital. It’s an eye-opening look at the realities of public medicine at a time of rapid scientific discovery. The series turned to The Burns Archive, a collection of over one million photographs of historic medical practice, covering everything from the earliest x-ray machines, to turn-of-the-century prosthetics, for help recreating the period.

Boardwalk Empire Season 1-5

Set in: Atlantic City from 1920-1931

Find out all about the Prohibition Era in the United States and the rise of gangsterism and crooked politics through the eyes of Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson (who was based on real-life gangster Enoch L Johnson). Boardwalk Empire sets up many of the early conflicts and power struggles that carry on in the Atlantic City and New Jersey Mobs in The Sopranos, between 1999 and 2007.

Perry Mason Season 1-2

Set in: Los Angeles in the early 1930s

Private detective/criminal lawyer series Perry Mason dives into the political corruption of early post-Depression era Los Angeles and Hollywood, in the worlds of the super-rich and the down-and-out. The series draws on real-life true crime scandals from the period like the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping, the murder of 12-year-old banker’s daughter Marion Parker, and the alleged kidnapping of megachurch founder Aimee Semple McPherson.

Mildred Pierce

Set in: California between 1931 and 1940

When you’re making a series about social climbers, gender and class expectations and thwarted ambitions, you really are what you wear. Kate Winslet’s character, Mildred, goes to great lengths to hide the fact that she has to work for a living and to support her monstrously spoiled daughter, Veda. Costume designer Ann Roth paid close attention to Mildred’s finances, just how far her ingenuity could have stretched, where she would have shopped, and what she’d have to settle for.

The Plot Against America

Set in: 1940-1942 in an alternative version of the United States

This series based on Philip Roth’s alternate history novel of the same name imagines an America in which racist, eugenicist Nazi sympathiser Charles Lindbergh becomes US President in 1940, and quickly plunges the country into fascism. Production designers Richard Hoover and Dina Goldman faithfully recreated the predominantly Jewish Newark (New Jersey) neighbourhood that Philip Roth grew up in, along with its all-important newsreel theatre, to set the stage for a tightening noose. And subtle costuming explores how fashion might have developed in the US without wartime scarcity.

The Pacific and Band of Brothers

Set in: World War II’s battlefronts in Europe and the Pacific between 1942 and 1945

These two exhaustively researched series offer fascinating perspectives on American soldiers during WWII, and are worth watching side-by-side. The Pacific (produced by Bruce McKenna, one of the lead writers on Band of Brothers) explores the little-known battle between the US and Japan following the bombing of Pearl Harbour. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’s Band of Brothers is set in the more familiar European stage and focuses on the camaraderie between a real-life military unit (Easy Company). Also watch the HBO documentary We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company.

Lovecraft Country

Set in: 1800s/1921/1930s/1949/1954-1955, and the distant future in the US

Lovecraft Country is a horror story on two fronts. As well as delivering an eerie supernatural horror, it explores real-life race-based abuse in the 1955 timeline. Based on Matt Ruff’s novel, the series sends a Black war veteran, his cousin and his uncle on a road trip from more liberal Chicago, through Southers Sundown Towns. Everywhere the characters turn, they face laws made with the goal of deliberately dehumanising, debasing and harassing Black people, who were forced to prepare for death and horror on the road. The series also jumps back to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

The Deuce Season 1-3

Set in: New York City between 1971 and 1985

The place? New York. The time? The 1970s. The vibe? Liberation and excess! The Deuce, created by The Wire’s David Simon and George Pelecanos, explores the rise of the pornographic film industry and clashes between the police, sex workers (both voluntary and trafficked), and their exploiters and abusers, mobsters and drug gangs. With James Franco as twin brothers pulled into the Mafia, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as a prostitute who wants to break into the adult film industry.

Chernobyl

Set in: Ukraine and Russia, 1986-1988

Chernobyl is a to-the-minute study in accuracy that gets its nail-biting, intense and even heart-breaking drama from showing what happens when self-serving politics is determined to ignore both expert warnings, and social responsibility. The award-winning series explores consequences of dismissing a catastrophic situation, then clamping down on the truth, both of which led to catastrophe during and after the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in (then-Soviet) Ukraine. Also watch the documentary Chernobyl Heart.

Show Me a Hero

Set in: Boston in 1987-1994

This series, adapted from a book of the same name by New York Times writer Lisa Belkin and produced by David Simon – the man behind the exploration of the political and financial forces that turned the city of Boston into a war zone in the early 2000s in The Wire. Show Me A Hero zooms in on how Nick Wasicsko (Oscar Isaac), the mayor of Yonkers, New York, got stuck between a federal court order to build public housing in an all-white area in an effort to desegregate the city, and the violent bigotry that arose in resistance to the change, especially from the city’s rich and powerful white elite.

More drama series and movies to stream online »