There are a lot of stories where we wonder what could have been. While historical fiction is great, sometimes, we want to see those stories play out. That’s why alternate history is a great genre.
The characters in Outlander try to bring an alternate history. We see Claire and Jamie initially try to prevent Culloden happening altogether, and then they fight for a Jacobite win. However, the series looks at how history can’t be changed.
That doesn’t stop other creators opting for an alternate history. Here are seven shows to watch if you like that idea.
For All Mankind
Ron D. Moore is beloved by the Outlander fans for bringing that series to life, but his heart is with sci-fi. He loves space and he loved the Space Race, so he decided to look at a “what if.” What if the Soviets got to the moon first? It started For All Mankind.
The first season is set in the months leading up to Apollo 11 taking off. The Soviets get to the moon first, so NASA needs to figure out what to do next. It leads to a race to the first woman on the moon, and then the first mission to Mars. Over the course of four seasons (so far), we’ve jumped ahead by a decade each season to see how one change of events could have led to NASA continuing to grow.
For All Mankind is on Apple TV+.
The Man in the High Castle
What if the Axis Powers won World War II? That’s something The Man in the High Castle takes a look at. The first season is based on the book of the same name, and then the series goes off on its own. We initially have a look at the world where America is divided between the Nazis and the Japanese, but there is a sci-fi element to it. There are alternate universes.
The series certainly offers a dark look at the world. We see how some elements of the world stagnate because of lack of innovation and freedom. We also see the darker side of people as they fight for survival.
The Man in the High Castle is available to stream on Prime Video.
Hollywood
What could the world of TV and movies look like if there was an equal chance of landing roles in the past? In our world, we’ve seen what racism and homophobia does, preventing a lot of people who aren’t straight and white from getting the roles they deserve. Hollywood changes that.
It’s set in a world where racism and homophobia aren’t a thing. People of all races get to follow their dreams in the 1940s and 1950s.
Watch Hollywood on Netflix.
Motherland: Fort Salem
We all know about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. They saw the persecution of mostly women (but some men) because people thought they were witches. Most of them were just different. What if that didn’t happen? What if witches were saved from death and given a place to practice their abilities?
Motherland: Fort Salem gives us a look at that. It jumps forward in time to a world where witches are the elite. Of course, there are people who would love to stop witches from taking over, but it’s much harder when they’ve been protected for so long.
Motherland: Fort Salem is on Hulu.
Hunters
There’s another series that follows a “what if” of World War II. This one is set in the 1970s, though. It initially starts off as a tale of a group of Nazi hunters looking to stop the Fourth Reich. Not so alternate history, right? The end of the first season is where the alternate history comes in. Adolf Hitler is still alive.
The second season sees the group of hunters get together to take down Hitler once and for all. What could have happened if he was forced to face a trial for the things that he did?
Hunters is on Prime Video.
1983
This Polish series is perfect for those who need a look at what could have been had the Iron Curtain not come down. With the Soviets still in power across Eastern Europe, the modern world is vastly different to the one we know of right now.
We see what constant surveillance does to everyday people. There’s a look at many of the traditional Soviet issues, such as espionage and conspiracies. If you adore George Orwell-style stories, 1983 will give you a sense of that.
1983 is available on Netflix.
SS-GB
Finally, we have another series that shows what could have been had the Nazis won World War II. This one takes place in Britain, giving us an executed Churchill and an imprisoned King George VI. We get a look at the way the British people would turn on each other in the name of survival if necessary.
The series follows an everyday policeman in Britain. He has to fight with the loyalty he feels toward his own people and the need to survive with the Third Reich in power.
The only way to watch this is by buying the episodes on Amazon Video, Vudu, iTunes, and more.
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