Little know fact: I love period pieces. Whether dramatic movies, intense books, or a heart-wrenching TV show, historical fiction (and even historical fact) is one of my guilty pleasures. The costumes! The sets! The way they include just enough facts to make their fiction almost- if not quite- believable. As a Netflix Stream Team member, I am always on the lookout for new shows!
Luckily for me, Netflix has plenty of period pieces available for me to watch. In the evening, when I should probably be doing something productive, I love to browse through their historical films and TV shows and watch one….or three.
Probably my favorite show on Netflix that doesn’t involve cooking or travel is Reign. Reign is the very fictionalized tale of Mary, Queen of Scots, in the French court. There’s murder. There’s romance. There’s drama. There are beautiful dresses and intricate hairstyles. Really, what more could a girl want in a TV show? Unfortunately, not every episode is currently on Netflix, but you can watch the first two seasons, which adds up to 44 total episodes. Each episode is roughly 40 minutes, so you should have plenty of binge-watching fodder while you wait for Netflix to add the third season!
Another great historical fiction television series on Netflix is The Paradise. No queens and kings to plot in this one: The Paradise is the story of a young woman who moves to the city and gets a job at The Paradise, the nation’s first department store. Don’t think for a second that a lack of royalty means a lack of intrigue. We’ve got plenty of back-stabbing employees, romantic dalliances, and class politics in a 1890s Newcastle. There are two seasons, which each contain 8 52-minute long episodes.
If movies are more your style, you can always check out Elizabeth. Based on, you guessed it, Queen Elizabeth, this movie follows Elizabeth I as she makes difficult decisions about the fate of her country. If one movie isn’t enough royal drama, warfare, and period costuming for you, there’s also a sequel available on Netflix. Elizabeth: The Golden Age catches us up with Elizabeth I during the Spanish Inquisition, as Spain launches a holy war across Europe. More plotting, more intrigue, and a chance to catch Eddie Redmayne in one of his earlier films.
On my “to watch” list is Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Set in the 1920s, this show follows a flapper in Melbourne, Australia, who happens to be a private detective. Since I haven’t seen this show, I don’t have all the details, but this series is so successful that there are movie plans in the works! Check out the show on Netflix now, before everyone knows about it.
Do you watch historical fiction, or are you more into present-day movies?
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I am actually not a history buff in the slightest, but some of these shows peak my interest. My daughter on the other hand does love history.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries sounds like a show I would love. I will have to check it out this weekend. I have been enjoying Reign.
I am hooked on Reign. It is a fantastic show. I love that time period.
Thanks for sharing about these shows! I have Reign on my list to watch but haven’t gotten around to watching it yet. I don’t usually watch historical shows or movies but my husband loves them! I’m going to have to see if he has any of these on his list to watch.
I’ve watched all the Paradise episodes and love it! I’m not too patiently waiting for the next season. I’m not familiar with the other shows but I’m going to check them out and give them a go!! Thanks!
I have not seen Reign yet, but I do want to see it. I will put this on my list of shows to watch on Netflix. There are so many I’d love to watch.
I am just like you! I love shows like this! I am adding these to my list.
I actually love historical fiction and modern day fiction equally. It really all depends on the mood I’m in when I sit down to watch.
These are great picks. I recently watched Elizabeth, and it was amazing. I’m getting set to dig into Reign pretty soon!
We love Reign. My husband and I need to catch up to the current season. It’s very addicting to watch.
I love historical shows or movies. They are probably my favorite. I will have to check these out. Don’t you just love Netflix!!