Part of getting through Droughtlander involves watching other shows. If you like the period aspect of Outlander, you’ll want to keep that in other series. Here are seven period dramas worth considering.
One thing that draws many people to Outlander is the period drama/history aspect. That’s certainly what drew me in. In fact, the history element is one of the reasons a friend highly recommended Outlander to be before the books were turned into a series. I didn’t watch the show until last summer and now I wish I’d done it sooner.
Anyway, it’s the period aspect that I enjoy. Getting through Droughtlander has often meant I’ve looked at other period dramas and shows. I’ve found a good selection on Netflix Canada and I’ll be working on other streaming services soon. There’s a good number of them on my list.
Plus, growing up in the UK meant that I got access to a lot of period dramas. Some of them are often joint ventures between Britain and the States or they’re created by British markets and transported over.
So, if you’re looking for more period dramas to sink your teeth into, these are the seven Outlander fans will want to look at to get through Droughtlander.
7. Howards End
There are a couple of adaptations of this novel, but let’s focus on the most recent version. The one that is on Starz.
That’s right; Howards End is available through the Starz app, which makes it so much easier for Outlander fans to watch it. Now that the Starz app is going global through various channels, it’s even easier to get hold of all the content.
Howards End is also a book-based show, which I didn’t include in last week’s rundown of shows worth giving a try. Because it’s based on a book, there are some limitations, including the fact that this is a limited series. E.M. Forster published the book in 1910, which is shortly after the time period the novel is set.
This is a story of the time period, at the turn of the 20th century, and focuses on three families. One family is of rich capitalists thanks to the colonies, one family involve three half-German siblings who have a lot in common with the Bloomsbury Group, and the third family is of the lower class.
It’s a story of how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. You’ll see the prejudice between them all because of money and lack of opportunity. So, what does the family in the middle do? Well, the only right thing: help the poor.
6. The White Queen
If you’re a fan of historical fiction and of the English Wars of the Roses period, then you’ll certainly want to give The White Queen a try. This BBC drama is one of love, deception, loss, fear, and royalty.
Based on three novels by Philippa Gregory, The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Kingmaker’s Daughter, the story is about Elizabeth Woodville, the commoner wife of Edward IV of England, Margaret Beaufort, and Anne Neville. I make a point of her being a commoner because it is a driving part of the novel–of Edward’s mother’s opinion of her new daughter-in-law. Set in a time when England was in a rocky patch of its monarchy constantly at war, nobody is safe from betrayal and being overthrown.
We’re taken through the lives of these three key women in history, as their lives cross over and intertwine. Sometimes they are their own worst enemies and at other times they’re all they have to survive.
If you enjoy The White Queen, you’ll then want to continue with Starz’s The White Princess. BBC decided not to run with the followup, based on Gregory’s book of the same name. A third book is being developed as another follow-up by Starz, too.
5. Reign
If you don’t mind historical inaccuracies and really just want to watch for the period aspect, then The CW’s Reign is going to be one you’ll want to give a try. Loosely (and I say very loosely) based on the history of Mary, Queen of Scots, we start off when Mary is 16 and returning to the French court. From here, she navigates the waters with a very typical millennial love triangle–it is the CW!
Running for four seasons, there’s plenty of material to get you through Droughtlander. It’s a fun drama that has some intriguing side plots. The pagan storyline was the one that kept me entertained in the very first season and after that, I started to love the characters (Catherine de Medici is my favorite).
There’s love, loss, betrayal, deceit, danger, brothels, executions and so much more. Honestly, everything you could possibly want is thrown into this series.
If you watch period dramas for the costumes, I will wrap this with something you won’t be happy with. The dresses are not those of the time. Don’t get me wrong; they’re pretty. Reign was once described to me as Gossip Girl meets The Tudors, which should give you an idea of the clothing.
4. Murdoch Mysteries
When you want a TV series that’s about good old police work, Murdoch Mysteries is one you’ll want to tune in for. This Canadian drama is still going strong and it’s continued to keep things fresh and encourage people to tune in week after week. In fact, it’s now a global hit show with it being on Netflix in many locations.
Yes, it’s another show based on a book. Many great period dramas are based on books, but as Outlander fans we should love that right? The book is of the same name, although the whole series is known as the Detective Murdoch series, by Maureen Jennings and the first was published in 1997. Interestingly, there was a 10-year gap between the seventh and eighth books! And we thought the wait for Outlander Book 9 has been long.
Back onto the series, based in Toronto during the 1890s and 1900s, we follow William Murdoch through a number of challenging murder cases. Each week, Murdoch uses the most recent forensic techniques and some of the most unconventional approaches, which of course leads to skepticism from his colleagues.
If you love Ripper Street, I guarantee that you will adore this. Murdoch is a gentleman of the time. While he isn’t quite Jamie Fraser, he is a man you learn to trust and you’ll love his brilliant, unorthodox mind.
3. The Bletchley Circle
What’s better than a series about strong and powerful females? Nothing really, which is why The Bletchley Circle is certainly something to consider. There are seven episodes of the original series to watch and BritBox has recently released a new spin-off called The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco.
Let’s start with the first. Set during and shortly after World War II, we follow a group of female code breakers. They are the best of the best, and there is some truth in the secret work that they did.
When the women realize there’s a murderer on the loose and the police are stumped, it’s the code breakers that have to work on solving the crimes. The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco sees two of the original characters go to San Francisco when similar murders start happening. The question is whether it’s the same guy or a copycat. They work with more females in the States to get the job done.
The costumes are perfect, the storytelling is amazing, and the capture of the time period is on point. If those are things that draw you into Outlander, this is going to be the next TV series you want to give a go. The Bletchley Circle is on Netflix in a lot of the world, but the spin-off San Francisco is only available on BritBox.
2. The Crown
How about a series that’s about the current royal family? That wouldn’t seem all that interesting–or even like a period drama. That is until you realize this is a story of Queen Elizabeth II. It starts in 1948, just before the queen became queen. She was just the heir to the throne then and newly married to the Philip Mountbatten.
The first season takes us through her initial years as queen, looking at some of the major points in history during her reign. We get to see the reactions that were expected of her, how powerless she could sometimes feel, and the way she’d have to justify her decisions because she was a woman. Then there was the family drama, with scandals like her sister’s love affair with Peter Townsend.
During the second season, we were taken up to the birth of Prince Edward in 1963.
Outlander fans will want to watch this to see another strong woman — a woman who didn’t actually want the crown that was thrust onto her. But that’s not all. Our own Tobias Menzies is going into the series for the third season. There’s a complete cast change due to the way characters are aging, and Menzies will take on the role of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Crown Season 3 is currently filming and will drop on Netflix sometime next year.
1. Vikings
The last period drama you’ll want to watch has a mixture of everything you could need. As the name would suggest, there are Vikings. But there is action, drama, love, romance, shocking twists, blood, conflict, and an attempt for global domination.
If you enjoyed The Tudors, you’ll certainly want to give Vikings a try. The same mind is behind both shows. Michael Hirst is the showrunner and sole writer of the series. That is certainly no easy feat. Vikings is going into the second half of Season 5 in November this year, so you’ll want to catch up now ready for it.
Once you start, you will not be able to stop. Whether it’s historically accurate or not won’t matter. This is about the drama and the story. Plus, set so long ago it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not, even in the historical texts!
Vikings is perfect for Outlander fans who love the battles and the conflict. It’s also a story of diversity in a way. Women can lead and fight. Gay and lesbian relationships are accepted — not accepting them seems ludicrous to them. You just have to prove yourself to be respected and become a leader.
What period dramas are you watching to get through Droughtlander? Which shows do you recommend to other Outlander fans? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Outlander Season 4 premieres in November. Follow Claire and Jamie on Facebook for more ways to get through Droughtlander.