25 shows to watch on Netflix if you love Outlander

8. Island at War

Number of seasons: 1

Who it stars: Saskia Reeves, Owen Teale, Julia Ford, and Clare Holman star in this World War II-set series. Sam Heughan is also in five episodes of the series.

What it’s about: Set in the Channel Islands during World War II, the series is all about the fight against the Nazi occupancy. This is a tale of how the island changed overnight, with clocks moving to continental time and towns given German names.

The series keeps its focus on three families, with how they lived and worked during these difficult times. As their lives become restrictive and dangerous, they try their best to keep them normal.

Why watch it: While there are many World War II stories out there, very few focus on the occupancy of the Channel Islands. That’s exactly what Island at War offers, showing what life was like on one of the islands as soon as the Germans took over.

Something that Outlander has focused on is what occupancy can be like. We’ve watched what it was like for the Scots with glimpses after Culloden. Now we’re moving into like in the Colonies. Island at War brings us the political and social difficulties, civil unrest, and the critical decisions people had to make just to survive. It’s intelligent and relevant even in today’s world, showing you just how far humans are willing to go.

The downside to the one-season show is the ending. There isn’t one. That’s not because of cancellation but because the writer, Stephen Mallatratt, died before being able to create the ending. To make up for it and make you want to watch, Sam Heughan is in five episodes of the series, so you get to see his earlier acting.

If you do enjoy this (and even if you don’t), I highly recommend following on with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society for more of a look at life during German occupation.