Our team compiled the best period dramas on Netflix and here is what they came up with
Although humans live in the here and now, it can sometimes be fun to take a step back in time. No type of film gives us that experience of a time machine more than a period picture. Period dramas are a highly addictive sub-genre for how easily it is swept up in the complications of different eras. Here are ten must-watch and period dramas on Netflix for you to check out.
Here are the 10 best period dramas on Netflix to check out on the streaming service.
1. Best Period Dramas on Netflix – The Crown
This TV period drama series is inspired by the British monarchy and provides for a dramatized viewing of Queen Elizabeth II and her family. This stars different actors across each time period and starts in the 1940s and provides various back and forth scenes to coincide with real life events. This is created by Peter Morgan and has more than 4 seasons.
2. The Phantom Thread
Daniel Day-Lewis delivers one of his finest performances in this drama about a dressmaker of the 1950s. He plays Reynolds Woodcock, a stern leader of British fashion working alongside his sister Cyril. He designs dresses for the highest profile of clients, ranging from movie stars to debutantes. As a bachelor, he finds that the women in his life do little to inspire him. All of that changes when he meets the feisty Alma, giving him a new outlook on life, love, and his career. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this dry and engrossing drama additionally stars Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps, and Camilla Rutherford.
3. Colette
Based on the French novelist, Colette tells the tale of the author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and how her life changed when she moved to Paris. She agrees to write the biography of her husband but soon discovers that her talents have gone underwritten and practically stolen from her. What follows is a fight for one woman to be recognized for her writings. Directed by Wash Westmoreland, this biographical period drama features a stellar cast that includes Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson, Denise Gough, and Aiysha Hart.
4. Mudbound
Set in the Mississippi Delta, Mundbound depicts the problems of America’s racist past that still had years to go after the conclusion of World War II. A white and black family clashes while members of both families head off to war. Both return home to a much different life in America, realizing that service means little when problems still exist at home. The drama of racial differences and working-class farmers creates an engrossing drama for this film that was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography. The movie comes from director Dee Rees and stars Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, and Jonathan Banks.
5. The Imitation Game
Based on the inspiring true story, The Imitation Game focuses on the life of the legendary mathematician Alan Turing. When the British intelligence agency MI6 was created during World War II, Alan was hired to crack the codes of the Nazis with the aid of a particular machine. His skills during the war were invaluable. This thrilling drama about Alan’s career and personal life comes from director Morten Tyldum with a cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, and Mark Strong.
6. The Wonder
A young girl, Anna O’Donnel, stops eating in The Irish Midlands in 1862 and doesn’t seem to be suffering. The village is baffled by this miracle, and English nurse Lib Wright ventures to the village to find out what is going on with this girl. Observed as the fasting girl, Wright uncovers a darker tale behind Anna’s fasting. This psychological period drama comes from director Sebastián Lelio with a cast that includes Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy, Dermot Crowley, Brían F. O’Byrne, David Wilmot, Ruth Bradley, Caolán Byrne, Josie Walker, Ciarán Hinds, and Toby Jones.
7. The Highwaymen
Frank Hamer and Maney Gaul are former Texas Rangers who tackle their toughest case as they try to track down the dangerous criminal duo, Bonnie and Clyde. They track down clues and use their years of experience to figure out the mindset of these legendary outlaws. What follows is an intriguing and intense investigation of one of the most iconic criminals in American history. Directed by John Lee Hancock, this period crime drama stars Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, John Carroll Lynch, Kim Dickens, Thomas Mann, and William Sadler.
8. The Dig
Edith Pretty is a wealthy landowner of 1930s England who believes there might be something valuable underneath her property. Investigating what lies beneath is the archaeologist Basil Brown. What he discovers is a fascinating ship from the Dark Ages, and a question of how to handle artifacts of the past makes for great drama. Based on the novel by John Preston, the film stars the talents of Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin, Ken Stott, Archie Barnes, and Monica Dolan.
9. Victoria and Abdul
An unlikely friendship formed between Queen Victoria and her Indian servant Abdul Karim. As the aged queen learns more about Abdul, she questions her position and her country’s role in India. Unfortunately, the British leaders try to sever this relationship for fears of a culture clash. Touching and charming, this biographical drama is based on the book of the same name by Shrabani Basu and comes from the director Stephen Frears. The cast includes Ali Fazal, Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard, Adeel Akhtar, Paul Higgins, and Michael Gambon.
10. Best Period Dramas on Netflix – The Beguiled
Based on the novel by Thomas P. Cullinan, The Beguiled tells the tale of romantic clashes during the Civil War. John McBurney is a Union soldier who finds himself injured and needs care. His only hope lies in an all-female Southern boarding school filled with students and teachers aiming to help the poor man. However, tensions flair as the women grow eager to form a bond with the soldier. This period romantic drama comes from the director Sofia Coppola and stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning.