Looking at the past is always a fascinating subject matter for many TV watchers. In fact, there are so many people who enjoy historical fiction or historical dramas that we’ve seen an uptick in them over the past two decades.
Whether you are looking for shows that center their story on real-life events, such as drama series like The Crown or shows that simply pick an event or period in history to create a dramatized story, such as 11.22.63, there is something for everyone in the history genre. In fact, this particular genre spans all periods in history, from Ancient civilizations to current events.
With so many options within this genre, we took the time to narrow it down to the 15 TV Dramas Perfect for History Enthusiasts. Here they are in no particular order.
1. Manhunt
If you are an enthusiast about Civil War and Presidential History or you just love learning more about political assassinations, then this drama is for you. Manhunt begins with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, but that’s not even the most exciting part.
No, with this show, the thrill is in the chase and the betrayals along the way. At moments viewers can find themselves so wrapped up in what is going on the episode flies right on by.
Sure, the events are dramatized and intensified to make it more of a crime thriller, but overall, this show reminds us that history has many fascinating perspectives for each event.
With stellar performances from Tobias Menzies, Brandon Flynn, Patton Oswalt, Anthony Boyle, and Lovie Simone, the real people being depicted here jump off the screen and capture our emotions. Even Hamish Linklater makes an indelible impression in his very brief depiction of the slain president.
2. John Adams
A stellar actor in his own right, Paul Giamatti turned heads in 2008 when he played one of America’s founding fathers, John Adams. This miniseries sticks out as a must-see due to its attention to detail and depiction of historical moments that don’t get covered as often as they should.
Most people in America know John Adams as a man who signed the Declaration of Independence and then became one of our earliest presidents. But what about what he did before that? Or after? Or in between?
John Adams dives into the life and events of the politician as he helped fight in the American Revolution, then became a statesman, and then finally took up the post of president. Giamatti brings this figure to life in a way that seems relevant even hundreds of years after the fact.
If that isn’t enough to convince you, just look at the rest of the casting lineup. We have John Dossett, Laura Linney, David Morse, Andrew Scott, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Rufus Sewell, and Justin Theroux.
3. 11.22.63
Sometimes, great historical dramas are purely works of fiction that feel as though they should be real. One such example is Stephen King’s 11.22.63.
This limited series, which came out on Hulu in 2016, starred James Franco as the main character, Jake Epping. The story is centered on the Kennedy Assassination, but that is where the factual evidence stops, and the conspiracy/thriller elements take over.
Many people in our country believe the conspiracy that the CIA ordered the assassination of John F. Kennedy. This series does a splendid job of exploring that as an actual occurrence through the guise of time travel and altered realities.
After all, Jake Epping spends his time going from the present back to the 1960s in the hopes that he will alter history and prevent the presidential assassination. If you don’t care as much about facts but still enjoy something based on history, this is the series for you.
4. Masters of the Air
One of the best shows to come out of 2024, Masters of the Air, takes a dramatized look at the real actions of World War II fighter pilots. Whether it’s focusing on the people themselves, giving viewers a glimpse into the realities of war and the youth of its participants.
Or giving a front-row seat to the famous battles we’ve read about and learned about for decades, this series is one of the best out there because it doesn’t romanticize the realities of war, nor does it try to gloss over the injustices of that time.
We see a Jewish man work out his anger in constructive ways. Later, we see the Black Air Force represented, and they even have conversations with the main protagonists about the injustice they experience in their daily lives.
It’s an accurate but somewhat dramatized depiction of what these men really experienced. The losses are more readily felt because the writing allows us time with each of them to get to know them.
5. The Crown
It is hands down one of the most talked about historically accurate depictions of Queen Elizabeth’s reign as England’s Queen. Obviously, covering the many decades of service she had on the throne is a giant undertaking, but the Netflix series doesn’t shy away from it.
The Crown might receive criticism from the royal family itself, but the depiction of each of the world events is supported by documented evidence.
One of the really unique aspects of this series is that it consistently recasts the main players as the years progress. Most notable, of course, are the depictions of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, with perfect casting choices every step of the way.
So much of what Queen Elizabeth experienced, especially in the early days of her reign, can be considered boring by the most casual of viewers. However, the series does a great job of utilizing sets and little bits of added dramatization to enhance the experience and keep the viewers begging for more.
6. Chernobyl
If you were alive in 1986 or even if you weren’t, chances are you’ve heard of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. This catastrophic event is the center of the limited series, Chernobyl.
Like the other historical dramas on this list, many of the characters are dramatized and almost completely fictionalized, with a few exceptions. Instead, the series focuses more on giving insight into why this disaster happened and the social, economic, and physical impacts it had on the community.
In a current world that always feels on the brink of disaster, this series reminds us that human error is one wrong step away from causing complete collapse and devastation. After all, 1986 wasn’t that long ago, and the world is still feeling the effects of this catastrophe both directly and indirectly.
Like some of the others on this list, this series takes a particular moment in history and breaks it down in a way that viewers can understand and connect to. It teaches us that if we aren’t careful, today’s technology could lead to something just as heartbreaking.
7. Call the Midwife
This BBC series is based on the very real memoirs of Jenny Worth, a midwife who worked in London’s East End neighborhoods during the late-1950s. While the early seasons follow her memoirs very closely, beyond Jenny leaving Nonnatus House, the show continues to feel true to life.
About to start its 14th season, this show defies the odds and continues to get renewed due to its fantastic array of diverse stories and attention to social events that affect life during this time. The East End neighborhoods are the poorest of London’s residents, and the show reflects that through stories about medical challenges and economic impacts.
Spanning from the late 1950s and well into the 1960s, Call the Midwife is an enjoyable documentation of the social issues of the time. From contraception being introduced to polio and measles outbreaks to lack of sexual education, the show covers it all.
With the added element of midwives and nuns working side by side to treat the residents, viewers get a glimpse of how faith can sometimes impact the stories being told. With captivating characters and a small episode count per season, this watch will fly by very quickly.
8. Boardwalk Empire
Going back to the Prohibition Era of American history, Boardwalk Empire captures our attention through captivating characters and dramas. Steve Buscemi leads the cast as the charming but not-so-trustworthy Nucky Thompson.
If you are the type of history enthusiast who loves immersing yourself in the stories of mobsters, criminals, and gangsters of the early 1900s, this is the one for you. Atlantic City in New Jersey around that time was commandeered by people like Thompson, who used force and blackmail to control areas of industry.
Viewers will be drawn in as complex stories of everyday individuals struggling to survive intertwine with the dealings of corrupt politicians and organized crime outfits. From one episode to the next, the action and drama give viewers the thrill of being involved with these lives.
If you are looking for easily discernable situations of right and wrong, this series won’t provide that. However, the moral quandaries do add to the impact power of the storylines, making them unforgettable.
9. Rome
Rome is the perfect show to check out for those who are fascinated with Ancient Rome and its historical significance, assuming you didn’t catch it when it originally aired in the mid-2000s. Rome’s quality still holds up all these years later.
The series focuses on two soldiers caught up in the events of the time. These characters aren’t historically significant, but the events they experience and witness most definitely are.
This is what makes the series great for history buffs. It might create characters to create a common, everyday viewpoint of the Roman Empire, but it still gets the bigger battles, events, and rulers correct down to the letter.
In fact, this series is a great one to check out, even if you are not particularly fascinated with ancient civilizations. It brings history to life and brings us to the forefront of the struggle for Rome.
10. A Gentleman in Moscow
Whether you are fascinated by war or how post-war communities handled the aftermath, A Gentleman in Moscow will capture your heart. Not only does this limited series tug at your sympathies for rich aristocrats — which we really shouldn’t, but it reminds us that sometimes people are still good regardless of their financial situations.
Once again, Ewan McGregor reminds us that he can’t be boxed in by any one genre or character type. His performance as Count Alexander Rostov warms our hearts because it adds a level of humanity to aristocrats that normally isn’t there.
Rostov has been stripped of everything in post-Revolution Russia, yet he doesn’t let that stop him from enjoying his very limited life. Being put under house arrest at a fancy motel pushes him to interact with individuals he normally wouldn’t have given much attention to.
Whether you’re looking at the costuming, the set design, storytelling, or acting performances, this series is beautifully done. It shines a light on a part of history that doesn’t always get its due, making viewers really pay attention.
11. Peaky Blinders
Similar to Boardwalk Empire, this series forces viewers to see organized criminal behavior from the perspective of the criminal. Peaky Blinders focuses on the gangs in Birmingham during a time when taking the legal route didn’t always help you survive.
Before Cilian Murphy was turning heads in Oppenheimer, he was capturing our hearts as the charming but ruthless Tommy Shelby. The whole Shelby family toe the line between completely irredeemable and compelling enough to gain our sympathies.
Murphy’s portrayal of Tommy is one of the main reasons people remain captivated by this show and are excited for its follow-up movie. After all, if we can find ourselves rooting for a character who shouldn’t have our sympathy at all, then there must be something worth believing in.
The attention to detail regarding how life was in a post-World War I world and its natural aesthetic make this Netflix series a must-see for everyone. You won’t regret all the time and effort put into binging this show because you’ll walk away with new characters to love.
12. Vikings
What was life like for the Viking explorers and conquerors? The series Vikings fictionalizes actual historical events with an accuracy that many viewers are still talking about today.
From fictional characters to accurately depicted historical figures, this series looks at a group of people that aren’t often explored in our modern media. There is a bit of mysticism surrounding what really occurred with these individuals when they moved from their homelands in search of freedom and adventure.
While there are some dramatizations, as can be expected with historical dramas, this series does a fantastic job of depicting the true Viking aesthetics and culture. If you’ve ever wondered how a Viking society was organized, Vikings is a great example to look at.
On the plus side, the show doesn’t hold back on the amount of women being represented.
13. The Tudors
This series is probably one of the most talked-about historical dramas of all time. It depicts the politics and events of Tudor England. The Tudors took a more romanticized approach to how King Henry ruled the kingdom.
From his infamous temper and instability, this series shows it all but utilizes the attractiveness of the actors to soften the edges considerably. It doesn’t hurt that the storytelling is much more dramatic than the events actually were, making each episode captivating and the show memorable overall.
That’s not to say the series isn’t historically accurate because, to an extent, it is. While some of the more intimate moments or conversations might be fictionalized, the overarching events really happened and are a good history lesson for those inclined to watch.
If anything, this series puts to bed some of the more inaccurate assumptions that have been made over the years about how King Henry ruled over England and its territories.
14. Fellow Travelers
One of the more depressing and intense entries on this list, Fellow Travelers is a fully-fictional, fully-dramatized version of American History that centers on the queer experience. By taking real historical figures and events from the 60s, 70s, and 80s and mixing them in with fictional characters, this series gives history buffs something to love.
The series starts during the Pink Scare era of McCarthy politics. The main players: Tim “Skippy” Laughlin and Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller, work in Washington D.C. as political staffers who work under the thumb of McCarthy and try to hide their affair.
The series spans decades of their lives, both together and apart, and whatever interactions they have in between. It doesn’t shy away from topics such as being gay being a crime, religion, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, all against the backdrop of American politics.
It’s an unconventional love story that some might scoff at because it is inherently sad, but it shows the scary reality for queer people during a time when civil rights were still decades away. Not to mention, Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey bring these characters to life with nuanced performances that break our hearts alongside their own.
15. Mad Men
Probably the series that put Jon Hamm on the map, Mad Men examines a volatile time in American History through the lens of advertising. While the majority of the characters in this series aren’t objectively “good guys,” they all have something about them that captures our sympathies.
Whether you love Don Draper’s mysterious past, which keeps him from fully immersing himself in being there for his family, or Peggy Olson’s determination to rise above what is expected of women in the workplace, viewers feel as if they personally know each of these people.
One of the more feminist-leaning shows set during the 1960s, Mad Men challenges the status quo of the ad world and pushes viewers to think of what could have been. It’s a show that has stood the test of time because it allows the female characters to be just as important, if not more so, than their male counterparts.
While most of what happens on this workplace drama wouldn’t fly by today’s standards. It is an honest reflection of American life during a turbulent period that deserves our love and attention no matter when we watch it.
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What historical dramas do you love? Did we miss any on our list? Let us know in the comments!
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Mads Misasi
Mads is a part-time entertainment journalist and full-time marketing content creator. They love reading the latest in Queer novels -- especially romance ones and watching the latest dramas, sci-fi/fantasy, Star Wars, and romcom films/TV shows. You can join the conversation by following them on Twitter: @dorothynyc89.
