The Best Period Dramas to Watch for a Much-Needed Escape

The costumes! The history! The sumptuous storylines! Simply put, there is so much to love about a period drama, in both TV series and movie form. With the push of a button, these historical dramas act as instant portals into other eras.

The only question is: Where do you want to time-travel first? Each of these shows explores a different era in history, through the lenses of kings, queens, and everyday people. The Spanish Princess on Starz ventures into the early days of King Henry VIII's notorious rule, through the eyes of his first wife (and first love). The movie Belle looks at what life was like for a young Black woman in a wealthy family in Regency-era England; Bridgerton is a more fantastical take on the same era. And The New World rewrites the myth of the founding of the Jamestown Colony, making it a thought-provoking Thanksgiving Day movie pick.

Based on classic novels like Little Women and real-life events like the Duchess of Richmond's doomed ball, the possibilities for period dramas are endless. Some, like Downton Abbey, are completely fictional—but speak truths about far-off eras. And, there are options like Outlander, that offer sweeping romances. We've also included Spanish-language picks, since period dramas are hardly limited by geographic region. Here are some of our favorite period dramas streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and beyond.