Exciting Period Dramas To Check Out
Becoming Elizabeth is the latest Starz drama, set during the tumultuous time after Henry VIII’s death. Politically charged and dramatic, there’s certainly lots to like with this one. If you’ve finished this one and are looking for something similar, we’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Becoming Elizabeth.
The White Queen
Similarities – Politics & Starz
The White Queen is an intriguing and highly exciting political drama. While the follow-up – the White Princess – doesn’t quite hit the same highs, Starz’s drama manages to get a lot right. The story essentially centers on a big conflict between three different, yet relentless women as they vie for the throne in 15th-century England. Adapted from the Phillipa Gregory novel, The White Queen fires on all cylinders after a bit of a slow start, mixing drama, romance and politics together nicely. This one’s well worth a watch.
The Tudors
Similarities – Politics & Characters
The Tudors is essentially a dramatic story revolving around the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII. Serving up a glorious dose of period drama, The Tudors is not always historically accurate but is consistently entertaining. That’s before even mentioning the costume and production design which are both fantastic. Split across four seasons, there’s a lot of The Tudors to get through and if you’re taken by the tone of the first couple of episodes, this is one show worth sticking around for the long haul.
Victoria
Similarities – Period Drama
With Jenna Coleman in the driving seat, Victoria was originally set to be a stand-alone mini-series in the UK. After receiving a substantial amount of views, ITV scrapped those plans and instead hastily green-lit a second (and later third) season order. In its simplest form, Victoria depicts the early life of Queen Victoria from her ascension to the throne at the age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. Of course, all the political trickery, deception and manipulation shows up across the season which Victoria does her best to dodge. It can be a little soapy at times but on the whole Victoria does a wonderful job bringing this period of time to life and does so with some fine performances from most of its main cast.
The Crown
Similarities – Period Drama
When it comes to a list of the best period dramas released from Netflix, The Crown is certainly near the top of the list. Following the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, this ever-popular period drama blends romance and character relations beautifully into a very stylish and impressive production. This is one of the few Netflix Originals that have gone the distance and made it over that dreaded 3 season hurdle. This is a must-watch series, whether you’re a fan of period dramas or not, and definitely worth checking out.
The Borgias
Similarities – Politics & Characters
Set in the 15th Century, The Borgias places viewers right in the midst of Pope Alexander VI wrestling for control of Italy with his sons. Intriguing, intelligent and gorgeously dressed (seriously, the costume design is amazing), this historical drama blends murder, war and tense alliances to dramatic effect. The storyline is engrossing too and without spoiling too much, there’s some delicious twists along the way that make this worth sticking with for the long haul.
Medici
Similarities – Politics
Set in the heart of Florence during the early 15th Century, Medici: Masters Of Florence is a beautifully shot, engrossing historical drama. Split across three seasons, this dramatic recreation of the Medici family begins with a growing conflict between Rinaldo Albizzi and Cosimo. This conflict drives much of the narrative forward, eventually coming to a head late on during the show’s climactic finale. From here, the next couple of seasons expand the story and history of the Medici family, delivering a compelling series worth checking out. You can read our thoughts on Medici in our full season reviews here!
The Spanish Princess
Similarities – Period Drama
Adapted from the Phillipa Gregory novels “The Constant Princess” and “The King’s Curse”, The Spanish Princess is an 8 part miniseries mixing political intrigue with romance and historical fiction. Set during Catherine Of Aragon’s early years, with some authentic dialogue, compelling characters and visually pleasing costume and set design. From her early years when she first stepped foot in England through to her eventual marriage to Henry VIII, The Spanish Princess follows the journey of Catherine Of Aragon as she tries to navigate the royal lineage of England whilst juggling familial pressure and the watchful eyes of Lady Margaret. With tumultuous drama, romance and a satisfying ending that wraps things up nicely, The Spanish Princess has enough here to make for an enjoyable watch. You can read our thoughts on The Spanish Princess in our full season review here!
Game Of Thrones
Similarities – Fantasy
Game Of Thrones will forever go down as the show that completely squandered its ending, falling flat on its face before the finish line. Despite its lacklustre final two seasons, the first 4 are some of the best fantasy and political drama on TV. Specifically, the adaptations of books 2 and 3 in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy epic. For those unaware, Game Of Thrones is an epic fantasy series, taking place deep in the fictional realm of Westeros. In its simplest form, this fantasy epic revolves around warring houses fighting for control of the Iron Throne. Nine different noble families fight for control of this, while in the East a new threat begins to form with the Targaryen princess, Daenerys. While all this is going on, ancient enemies known as the White Walkers begin to stir, threatening certain doom unless the families can somehow learn to co-exist. Featuring epic battles, incredible moments and one incredibly bad ending, Game Of Thrones is a must-watch for period drama fans. If you can go in and expect a fan-fic ending, you should find enough to like with this one. You can read our thoughts on Game Of Thrones in our full season reviews here!
The Last Kingdom
Similarities – Violence & Politics
Set during the time of the Viking Invasions of Britain, The Last Kingdom is a well written, brutally realistic series relying on the charisma of its many characters to drive the story of Uhtred Ragnarson forward. The time period is perfectly captured in both atmosphere and set design too. If that wasn’t enough, the story draws from the rich history of Britain across 5 epic seasons of entertainment. You can read our thoughts on The Last Kingdom in our full season review here!
Isabel
Similarities – Spanish Drama
If you’re looking for a similar slice of Spanish period history, Isabel should be first on your list. Set deep in the 1400’s, Isabel follows the political highs and lows of Isabella I of Castile’s reign and does so with a good amount of drama along the way. Split across 3 seasons, this Spanish series perfectly captures the essence of warring Kingdoms while mixing that in with a biographical account of this fascinating woman’s life. There are, of course, a few liberties taken with the real history but in its bid to try and depict one of the most turbulent times of Spanish history, Isabel shoots for the stars and hits pretty close too. So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished with Becoming Elizabeth on Starz. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
Feel free to check out more of our TV Show recommendations here!
