Airing on PBS from 2010 to 2015, making it one of the many prestige TV shows that didn’t air on HBO, Downton Abbey is still considered to be one of the best small screen dramas of all time. The saga of the Crawley family across the 1910s and 1920s collected multiple Emmy Awards and other accolades during its run, and even after the show finished, the public got to reunite with these characters in two movies: 2019’s Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture and 2022’s Downton Abbey: A New Era. These days, the series and that latter movie can be streamed with a Peacock subscription, while the former movie can be accessed with a Netflix subscription.
But the Downton Abbey journey only lasts so long, and once you’re finished, you may be itching to watch shows similar to it, i.e. period dramas exploring class and society, or at least something tangential to that. So for those looking for shows like Downton Abbey to binge next, here’s our selection on what to check out and how to watch them.
The Gilded Age
Let’s get the most obvious pick out of the way first. If you’re looking to watch another period piece show from showrunner Julian Fellowes, the man who created Downton Abbey, then look no further than the currently-running The Gilded Age. Beginning in 1882, 30 years before the start of Downton Abbey, this series is set in the United States and follows an ensemble cast anchored by Louisa Jacobson’s Marian Brook, who’s forced to live with her estranged aunts after losing access to her wealth due to the death of her father, who’d gone bankrupt.
Why The Gilded Age is like Downton Abbey: As with Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age focuses on both the wealthy and those in their circles, including their domestic workers, during this particular historical period. In this case though, viewers are following along with a clash between the old wealth and new wealth families, and there’s also a focus on the African-American upper class. Still, between that subject matter, elaborate costumes and same guiding creative hand, the similarity doesn’t get any stronger than between these two shows.
Upstairs, Downstairs
From 1971 to 1975, Upstairs, Downstairs aired on ITV, with the story stretching from 1903 to 1930. The subjects of attention are the Bellamy family, who live in London’s Belgravia district, and we see how things like the Edwardian era, World War I and the societal upheaval in the 1920s change their lives. There was also a follow-up show that ran from 2010 to 2012.
Why Upstairs, Downstairs is like Downton Abbey: Although it’s hard to say if Julian Fellowes was directly inspired by Upstairs, Downstairs when coming up with Downton Abbey, it’s impossible not to see how similar the two shows are. This is a critically-acclaimed British show following a wealthy family and their employees across multiple decades that was eventually screened as part of PBS’ Masterpiece Theatre. Need I say more?
Stream Upstairs, Downstairs on BritBox.
The Crown
Frequently called one of the best shows on Netflix, The Crown premiered on the streaming service in 2016 and wrapped its six-season run in December 2023. The show followed along with the British monarchy from 1947 until the mid-2000s, with its ensemble cast including notable names like Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Olivia Colman, Vanessa Kirby, John Lithgow, Matthew Goode, Gillian Anderson and Jonny Lee Miller.
Why The Crown is like Downton Abbey: Once again, we have a series that’s focused on elite players in British society, although in this case, obviously the monarchy is at the top of the proverbial food chain in British society. In the case of The Crown though, viewers got to see how certain characters’ lives changed across more than half a century, though the actors playing them changed every couple seasons.
Bridgerton
Taking place during the Regency era, which lasted roughly from 1795 to 1837, Bridgerton focuses on eight siblings from the title London family who are looking for love amongst other members of high society. Its cast includes folks like Nicola Coughlan, Adjoa Anode and Jonathan Bailey.
Why Bridgerton is like Downton Abbey: While Downton Abbey certainly wasn’t lacking in romantic plots, there’s definitely more emphasis on this kind of storytelling in Bridgerton. Still, fans of the former show will feel quite comfortable in the latter show’s environment following along with this ensemble lineup of characters forming close relationships, and there are even some rivalries thrown in to spice up the drama.
The Buccaneers
The newest entry on this lineup of shows, The Buccaneers is based on the same-named unfinished novel by Edith Wharton initially published in 1938, and then finished by Marion Mainwaring by 1993. The story follows a group of American women in the 1870s who move to London and experience quite the culture clash. The Buccaneers was previously adapted as a miniseries in 1995, but this version will run for multiple seasons.
Why The Buccaneers is like Downton Abbey: One of the key characters in Downton Abbey is Cora Crawley, Robert Crawley’s wife who hails from the United States. The series never really delved into what it was like for an American living amongst the British since, by the time we met her, she’d already been in England for some time. However, if you’d like to get a sense of how she might have acclimated to her new home, give The Buccaneers a watch.
Stream The Buccaneers on Apple TV+.
Outlander
Rather than being a straightforward historical drama, Outlander also nicely mixes in the fantasy genre. Caitríona Balfe’s Claire Randall, who served as a nurse for the British Army during World War II, is transported from 1945 to 1742 while visiting Scotland with her husband. Upon arriving roughly two centuries in the past though, Claire meets a Highlander named Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan.
Why Outlander is like Downton Abbey: To be sure, Outlander is arguably the most different of the shows on this list from Downton Abbey given its time travel, but it’s nonetheless worth a watch if you’re looking to follow romance in times gone by. Besides, not only does this outlandish premise deliver twice the period piece goodness, quite a bit of time passes between both eras as the series goes on, so you can see how life is like for these characters later on in the 18th and 20th centuries.
Stream Outlander on Starz.
Stream Outlander on Netflix.
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
In this show that hails from Australia, we follow along with Essie Davis’ Phryne Fisher, a glamorous private detective solving crimes in late 1920s Melbourne. Following Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries concluding in 2015, the movie Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears came out in 2020, and a spinoff show called Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries, which follows Phryne’s niece Annabelle in the 1960s, has been airing since 2019.
Why Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is like Downton Abbey: The first two seasons of Downton Abbey took place from 1912 to 1918, but everything else afterwards unfolded across the 1920s. So if you’re looking for a show that brings you back to this decade and is a little more thrilling, then take a trip to the Land Down Under and make your way through this three-season show.
Stream Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Acorn TV.
Mr. Selfridge
After Entourage ended, Jeremy Piven shifted to playing Mr. Selfridge’s title character, a.k.a. Harry Gordon Selfridge, the real-life retail magnate from the United States who opened the Selfridges department store in London. The show took place from 1908 to 1930 across four 10-episode seasons, and Piven’s co-stars included Frances O’Connor, Ron Cook and Amanda Abbington, among many others.
Why Mr. Selfridge is like Downton Abbey: In addition to operating within a similar time frame as Downton Abbey and also taking place in England, Mr. Selfridge is another show that follows the prosperous lead forming close relationships with the staff members. Granted, it’s a different dynamic compared to the servants employed at the Crawley house, but it should be enough to entice Downton Abbey fans.
Stream Mr. Selfridge on PBS Masterpiece.
The Durrells
Based on the real-life Durrell family, with matriarch Louisa Durrell leading the charge, The Durrells, which is called The Durrells in Corfu in America, is a semi-fictionalized account of Keeley Hawes’ character moving her family From Bournemouth to the island of Corfu in Greece. In addition to dealing with the shift in culture, the family also has to contend with money problems and their home not coming with plumbing or electricity.
Why The Durrells is like Downton Abbey: The Durrells leans more into humor than Downton Abbey did, and this family is certainly not in the same income bracket as The Crawleys. Still, if you’re looking to comfort watch a family’s exploits in a sunnier setting during the early 20th century, then this is the show to check out.
Stream The Durrells on Amazon Prime Video.
Lark Rise to Candleford
Finally, we have Lark Rise to Candleford, with Lark Wise being the hamlet based in Oxforshire and Candleford being the nearby wealthier marketing town. In the late 19th century, a young woman named Laura Timmins moves from Lark Rise to Candleford to work at the latter’s post office, which is run by her mother’s cousin, Dorcas Lane. These two go on to form a close relationship and face all sorts of good times and bad times together.
Why Lark Rise to Candleford is like Downton Abbey: Once again, here’s a show that points the spotlight on people from both the lower and upper social classes. In this case though, the story is based on real life, with the original, semi-autobiographical Lark Rise to Candleford novels being published by Flora Thompson from 1939 to 1945. So check this show out if you’re looking for something set at the tail end of the 1800s and are intrigued by the differing lifestyles of these two communities.
Stream Lark Rise to Candleford on Roku.
Stream Lark Rise to Candleford on BritBox.
While it remains to be seen if a third Downton Abbey movie will ever be made, the good news is that once you’ve finished the series and two following theatrical presentations, you can occupy your time with these TV shows that you may end up liking just as much or even more. For all other small screen-related matters, keep visiting CinemaBlend on the latest news and consult our 2024 TV schedule.
