15 TV Shows Like Bridgerton You Need To Watch Next

Ever since "Bridgerton" first aired on Netflix, it has been a reliable success for the streamer, winning over both fans of historical dramas and audiences who ordinarily wouldn't be interested in a period setting. Based on the novel series by Julia Quinn, it takes place in Regency-era England but has a modern flair plainly evident in both its choice of music and spicy sex scenes. "Bridgerton" revolves around a wealthy London family with eight siblings, each of whom get their own season to have their unique love stories told. After Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), and Colin (Luke Newton) each find true love in the first three seasons, Season 4 sets its eyes on Benedict (Luke Thompson), the artistic, free-spirited second son who finds himself entranced with the mysterious Lady in Silver (Yerin Ha) at a masquerade ball.

But alas, as quickly as fans devour each new season of "Bridgerton," Netflix sure takes its sweet time releasing them. If you're between seasons, here are a few other shows that should keep you satisfied in the meantime.

In "Bridgerton," the opulence of the royal lifestyle is something we only get a taste of when we cross paths with Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) periodically over the course of the series. But in "Versailles," opulence is pretty much the whole shebang. Starring George Blagden as King Louis XIV of France, "Versailles" sets its sights on the most indulgent and fiscally irresponsible house in Europe. 

Essentially, the king is worried about his nobility getting up to rebellious shenanigans while off on their own estates, so he comes up with a plan to keep them captive and active in his new palace of Versailles. But with all the nobles and members of the royal court in one place, all manner of intrigue is more or less guaranteed. Fittingly, it holds the record as the most expensive French television production of all time, and its extravagant set pieces earned it three full seasons on the air.

In the 19th century, nothing was more closely guarded than a lady's reputation. As we see in "Bridgerton," the mere act of being discovered alone with a man — even if nothing actually happened between the two of you — would bring scandal down on you and your family. So, the role of a chaperone, acting as the guarantor of respectability, was all-important. Still, most period dramas revolve around the debutantes. But not "The Lady's Companion," a cheeky Spanish period dramedy on Netflix that directs its focus entirely on a chaperone in 19th-century Madrid. 

Elena (Nadia de Santiago) is well-versed in the art of accompanying young ladies, serving as something between a friend, mother, schoolmistress, and matchmaker all rolled into one. But when she takes on responsibility for the three daughters of the widower Don Pedro Mencía (Tristán Ulloa), she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Vibrant and unafraid of tearing down the fourth wall, 2025's "The Lady's Companion" is a bright new entry in the world of period dramas.

At various points in "Bridgerton," we get a little bit of a glimpse of the world the characters of "Harlots" inhabit, especially through Anthony's relationship with his opera singer mistress. In London during the 1760s, when "Harlots" takes place, there were essentially two different classes of sex workers: Women who worked in brothels and were primarily paid for their services on a nightly basis, and higher-class courtesans, who could aspire to live on the disreputable fringes of polite society as the mistresses of wealthy men. In "Harlots," we see both. 

While Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton) runs a standard brothel, her daughters are destined for finer things, especially Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay), who has carved out a place for herself among the social elite. As Wells' ambition leads her to move her brothel to a better area of town, it puts her at odds with both rival madams and the social crusaders who would see prostitution banned in the city. "Harlots" ran for three seasons on Hulu and gave audiences a different look at the ordinarily genteel period drama.

No list of period dramas would be complete without one or two entries from Julian Fellowes, and that means "Belgravia" makes the cut. Set around the same time as "Bridgerton," it continues our look at London society, with plenty of promenading through city parks. "Belgravia" begins on the eve of Napoleon's defeat in 1815, where events at a famous ball (one that was actually held in real life) will have lingering effects that spiral through the next few decades for the Trenchard and Bellasis families. When their secrets threaten to become unveiled in 1841, the drama comes fast and furious. 

"Belgravia" was not as successful as some of Julian Fellowes' other shows, but we consider it quite underrated and, given its subject matter, would be a great match for fans of "Bridgerton." And once you've finished bingeing "Belgravia," you can turn your attention to its sequel series, "Belgravia: The Next Chapter," which takes place 30 years later.

The Featheringtons may turn their noses up at the prospect of relocating to Cornwall, but based on everything we've seen in "Poldark," we would take the rugged coastline over anything Regency-era London had to offer. Based on a book series by Winston Graham, "Poldark" revolves around a young ex-soldier who, after fighting as a redcoat in the American Revolutionary War, returns to Cornwall and attempts to get his family's mining business back up and running. 

He hires a scullery maid, Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson), who he then impulsively marries, injecting frenzied romance into the picture as they wed and then fall in love (in that order). With the smoldering gaze of Aidan Turner in the lead role of Ross Poldark, "Poldark" became a hit, running for five seasons on BBC One. And once you've binged everything that "Poldark" has to offer, you can also take a peek at the 1970s adaptation of the series starring Robin Ellis.

In London at the time that "Bridgerton" takes place, the grand elite come from the aristocracy, with titled lords and ladies running the show. But in Dublin a handful of decades later, it's the businessmen — particularly the Guinness family of brewers — who are in charge. Netflix's "House of Guinness" is a flashy take on one of the most well-known families in beer-making, beginning in the aftermath of Benjamin Guinness' death. A towering figure, he was responsible for turning the family company into an international success, and now that he's gone, there's a significant power vacuum left in his wake. 

The Guinness siblings, each with their own set of skills and notable flaws, have to somehow find a way to keep the business together, proving that they're capable of stepping into their father's shoes. But that comes easier for some of them than others. With an eager cast of young, up-and-coming talent and a frenetic energy that makes it feel about as modern as any period drama could, "House of Guinness" is unserious but nonetheless entertaining.

Speaking of unserious, "The Great" takes historical revisionism and elevates it to an art form. Set during the early years of Catherine the Great's (Elle Fanning) marriage to Tsar Peter (Nicholas Hoult), "The Great" offers up a new perspective on Russian history, one that plays fast and loose with ... well, reality. When Catherine first arrives at the Russian court from her native Germany, she's eager to take on the role of queen, bringing Enlightenment values to what she perceives as a backwards country (and honestly, based on what we see here, she kind of has a point). 

But she quickly gets a harsh dose of reality when she meets her loutish, impulsively cruel husband. The real coup in "The Great," though, is how it somehow makes us fall in love with Catherine and Peter, despite their relationship that goes full circle from extremely toxic to surprisingly loving.

If you think the social gap between the son of a viscount and a maid would be tough to overcome, imagine being a witch in love with the son of your town's most prominent witch hunter. "Luna Nera," a Netflix drama that blends history with the supernatural, takes place in 17th-century Italy, where superstition is commonplace and people blame witches for pretty much everything. To be fair, though, in the world of "Luna Nera," witches do actually exist. 

Ade (Antonia Fotaras) has the gift of premonition, which gets her in trouble from time to time as villagers suspect her of the black arts. Pietro (Giorgio Belli) is a medical student who doesn't believe in silly superstitions such as witchcraft — a belief that hardly meshes well with his witch-hunter father. But it doesn't really matter what he believes, because a few things are certain: Witches are real, Pietro is going to fall for one, and it's not going to end well. One of Netflix's lesser-known shows, "Luna Nera" is a great pick if you've already made your way through all the streamer's biggest hits.

"Bridgerton" may play fast and loose with historical accuracy now and then, but it's nothing compared to what "Dickinson" does with the life of famously reclusive poet Emily Dickinson. The Apple TV+ original series stars Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role of Emily, a young woman exhausted by her mother's (Jane Krakowski) constant attempts to find her a husband. She doesn't exactly like men, and what's more, she's kind of already in love — albeit with her brother's fiancée Sue (Ella Hunt), which is a little inconvenient. 

With a cast of top-notch guest stars including John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Timothy Simons, Billy Eichner, and Ayo Edebiri, it has impressive comedy credentials. "Dickinson" never lets its historical setting prevent it from feeling extremely modern, and over the course of its three seasons, the dramedy succeeds in creating a vision of Emily Dickinson's life that feels authentic, if not completely accurate — making it one of our favorite period shows.

In many ways, the world of "The Gilded Age" is a successor to the world of "Bridgerton." Having relocated across the pond decades or even centuries early, the old families of New York City for the most part succeeded in recreating the strict social hierarchy that defined Europe. But as the 20th century draws closer, change is in the air, and that is where we meet the families of "The Gilded Age." (Incidentally, this show might just have a subtle crossover with Julian Fellowes' most famous series, "Downton Abbey.")

Newly wealthy businessmen like George Russell (Morgan Spector) have made their mark on Manhattan, leaving their ambitious wives — like Bertha Russell, played by Carrie Coon — hungry for entry into high society. But to do so, they have to wage war against the old guard, who are decidedly less eager for new money to shake things up. Between the Russells and their blue-blooded neighbors (played by Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon), there's enough haughty class warfare to sink a ship — and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Based on the novel by Nancy Mitford (herself part of an infamous family of sisters that included an avowed fascist, a communist, a Hitler fanatic, and a duchess), "The Pursuit of Love" is a three-part miniseries that explores the romantic exploits of a pair of cousins, played by Lily James and Emily Beecham. Each have their own ambitions when it comes to finding a partner in the midst of World War II, and each make their own mistakes in that regard. 

Although it got lost in the shuffle of COVID-19-era programming on BBC One, its excellent cast — which includes the always delightful Andrew Scott and the dependably slimy Freddie Fox — makes "The Pursuit of Love" one of the best period dramas you probably haven't seen. And if you end up liking it, there's more where that came from: Nancy Mitford's work has been adapted several different times, most notably in 2001 with "Love in a Cold Climate" starring a young Rosamund Pike.

To be fair, "Fellow Travelers" is much less period-y a period drama than "Bridgerton," taking place in the United States amidst the Cold War rather than the English Regency era. But it stars Jonathan Bailey, and one thing we can say with a degree of certainty is that any fan of "Bridgerton" perks up at the mere mention of his name. Set in Washington D.C., "Fellow Travelers" revolves around the relationship between congressional staffer Tim (Bailey) and State Department official Hawk (Matt Bomer) — a relationship that must be kept tightly under wraps, considering the prejudices of the time and the dangers associated with being gay. 

Although it begins during the 1950s when everyone in Washington was on the lookout for communists and other subversive boogeymen lurking around each corner, the series carries on through the 1980s. In doing so, it charts the trajectory of these two men through some of the most rapidly changing decades in history for the queer community. Bailey and Bomer are electric together, and "Fellow Travelers" has a sense of melancholy that makes it well worth the watch.

Based on the romantic historical epic by Leo Tolstoy, "War and Peace" takes place in the midst of the Napoleonic wars, blending the urgency of military conflict with a deep undercurrent of love. The massive Russian tome is a bit more of a time commitment than any "Bridgerton" book, but the beauty of this adaptation is how well it manages to streamline the dozens of different characters into an easily digestible miniseries. 

The BBC's "War and Peace" — to oversimply things — revolves around three young people coming of age against a backdrop of war in Russia: Pierre, Natasha, and Andrei (played by Paul Dano, Lily James, and James Norton, respectively). Their lives are changed and changed again as they adjust to turmoil while still attempting to pursue their dreams. Lavish and stunningly composed, "War and Peace" is as much a feast for the eyes as it is a top-notch adaptation of Russian literature.

Remember when the first season of "Bridgerton" came out, and everyone was like, "Wow, period dramas can actually be pretty spicy." Well, "Outlander" walked so that "Bridgerton" could run, making it one of the historical shows least suited for viewing with your parents. Claire (Caitríona Balfe) is a nurse who, after World War II comes to an end, goes on a holiday with her husband (Tobias Menzies) in Scotland.

This is intended to help them reconnect after being separated by war, but that plan is stymied when Claire finds herself shot back in time to the 1700s and quickly married off to the dashing Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). Their time-traveling shenanigans and sexy antics made "Outlander" an instant hit, running for eight seasons — the final one released in March 2026 — and earning a prequel series.