We need our "Bridgerton"/romantic period drama fix. Welcome to MsMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the swooniest period shows we think “Bridgerton” fans will love. Some mild spoilers are mentioned.
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00:00Do you like me?
00:03I could learn to.
00:04Welcome to Ms Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the swooniest period shows
00:09we think Bridgerton fans will love. Some mild spoilers are mentioned.
00:14How frugal and punctilious you are in all of your duties. Oh yeah, I'm a real catch.
00:21Number 10. Emma.
00:22Who will you dance with?
00:25Why you?
00:27If you will ask me.
00:28Most period drama aficionados will already be familiar with Colin Firth's Mr Darcy in
00:33his wet shirt, but Pride and Prejudice isn't the only Jane Austen miniseries worth watching.
00:382009's Emma is a real treat for fans of the genre. The costumes are gorgeous,
00:43the music is uplifting, and the slow build romance is everything.
00:48Now we have both made our argument, let us not quarrel.
00:52Really, it is better to be without wits than apply them as you do, Emma.
00:55There, don't you see how you add force to my argument?
00:59Ramala Garai and Johnny Lee Miller are perfect as Jane Austen's ultimate friends-to-lovers couple,
01:04arguing, scolding, and teasing each other by turns. Settle in for a heartwarming journey
01:09with lovable characters, gentle wit, and even a hint of mystery.
01:14I cannot make speeches.
01:19If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.
01:22Number 9. Victoria.
01:24We tend to think of Queen Victoria in her later years, grieving and dressed in black.
01:28We know how her life ends, but how did her story begin?
01:32Yes, I think before your first levée, we should probably try to find a throne that fits.
01:37It is hard to be dignified when your feet are six inches from the floor.
01:40This lavish historical series tells the tale of a young Victoria,
01:44fresh to the throne and ready to fall in love. Jenna Coleman stars as the diminutive monarch,
01:49while Tom Hughes plays the German prince who will ultimately win her heart.
01:53This country has a past as well as a future.
02:03Do you think our future might evolve more like this?
02:10Their love story is as romantic as you might expect, but Prince Albert isn't the only man
02:15in Victoria's life. In Series 1, we also meet the dashing Lord Melbourne, Victoria's first
02:20prime minister, played to perfection by Rufus Sewell.
02:23Through you, I've been given a reason to continue, and you must do the same.
02:31Number 8. The Empress.
02:33Historical dramas often focus on jolly old England, but The Empress takes us across the
02:50sea to the Austrian royal court. Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, sometimes called Sisi,
02:56is a 16-year-old duchess from Bavaria who accompanies her elder sister to meet with
03:00her future fiancé, Franz Josef of Austria. When the archduke falls for the wrong sibling, however,
03:06Sisi's thrown into a world of political intrigue and scheming and laws.
03:16The German-language series is based on real events, but the love story between the central
03:21characters is straight out of a fairy tale. With elaborate costuming and stunning real-life
03:26locations, it's hard not to be swept up in this sumptuous coming-of-age romance.
03:45Number 7. Belgravia and Belgravia The Next Chapter.
03:49If you love Downton Abbey as well as Bridgerton, then you should definitely check out Belgravia,
03:54another upstairs-downstairs drama from Downton creator Julian Fellows. We open on the Duchess of
04:00Richmond's ball, and the events of that night bring consequences that echo down the generations.
04:17Will the secrets finally come to the surface? And what happens when they do?
04:21This self-contained miniseries had a satisfying end, but four years later, it was also followed
04:27by a sequel, The Next Chapter. Both are a lot of fun and can be watched together or as standalones.
04:39The servants aren't a patch on the Downton gang, but there's enough going on upstairs to keep us
04:44entertained. Number 6. Outlander. For fans of passionate romance in a historical setting,
04:56Outlander is a great place to start. Throw in some time travel, political intrigue,
05:00and an arranged marriage plot, and what more could you want from a love story?
05:14Katrina Balfe stars as Claire, a World War II nurse visiting Scotland on her honeymoon.
05:21In a twist of fate, she's transported through time to the era of the Jacobites,
05:25and falls into the path of a handsome clansman named Jamie Fraser.
05:29The journey takes them to some dark places, but their romance is one for the ages. Why not take
05:45a break from the English ballrooms and immerse yourself in the wild Scottish highlands instead?
05:59Number 5. Poldark. You make me ashamed. Your heart is so generous.
06:08You always see the good in things. Set in Georgian England on the rugged Cornish coast,
06:13Poldark is a sweeping saga with a central romance to set your heart racing. The eponymous hero
06:18returns from the war in America to discover that his childhood sweetheart has accepted his cousin's
06:23hand in marriage. The story that follows is as dramatic as the scenery, encompassing true love,
06:29social justice, and family politics. You know what people say of us? Yes.
06:38If we behave like this, it will be true. There's also quite a lot about mining,
06:45but it's worth sitting through for the good stuff. Ross and Demelza are an iconic TV pairing,
06:50but if they don't float your boat, there are plenty of other characters to fall in love with
06:54as the series progresses. Did my letters not satisfy you?
06:58They evoke pleasure and pain in equal measure. Number 4. Reign.
07:08We're overrun by Scots. If you're searching for a historically accurate depiction of Mary,
07:13Queen of Scots, then Reign is probably not for you. However, if you're into pretty dresses,
07:19pagan plots, strong female characters, and plenty of drama,
07:23then look no further. In essence, it's gossip girl meets the Tudors.
07:27You do realize that we could all be dead, my children, slaughtered, and all because you
07:34couldn't stand being lonely in your role as queen, as wife. That's the job, Mary. Get used to it.
07:41The engaging cast of characters spend most of their time scheming in cute outfits,
07:45navigating the politics of the French court, and falling madly in love. Our favorite is Mary's
07:51wicked mother-in-law, Catherine de Medici, played with relish by Anne of Green Gables actress Megan
07:56Follows. Like Bridgerton, there's also a modern soundtrack, with familiar songs often played on
08:01strings in a ballroom setting. Do you doubt me? As long as Francis has doubts, so will I.
08:07I am the daughter of a painter and an opera girl. I've never hidden it, but today, my lord,
08:23I put it behind me forever. Always the charming optimist.
08:28William Makepeace Thackeray's classic novel is brought bang up to date in this adaptation from
08:332018. Starring Olivia Cooke and Bridgerton's Claudia Jesse, it follows two very different
08:39young women making their way in Regency society. Becky Sharp is one of literature's most intriguing
08:44heroines, and Cooke really brings her to life. Meanwhile, Tom Bateman, Johnny Flynn, and Charlie
08:50Rowe play the leading men in our ladies' lives, and they look good doing it.
08:55Whichever lady Crawley wore that particular brocade, she cannot possibly have looked as
08:59adorable in it as you do. It's not, um...
09:02If you cannot carry it off, nobody can.
09:04It's a big book to be squeezed into seven episodes, but despite modern music and a
09:08contemporary feel, it's a mostly faithful retelling, and really, just a lot of fun.
09:14Becky's always so lively. She has a light heart. It's a good thing in a woman.
09:19You like her better now. I'm glad.
09:21Number two, Sanditon. Based on an unfinished novel by Jane Austen,
09:26Sanditon is definitely one for the Bridgerton fans.
09:29I went down to the beach to gather shells, and time ran away with me.
09:34Anything impressive catch your eye?
09:39Shell-wise?
09:40Oh, uh, no, I came back empty-handed.
09:43It follows Charlotte Haywood, a quintessential Austen heroine, who travels to the up-and-coming
09:49seaside town of Sanditon. The show also stars a smoldering Theo James, as well as Jane Austen's
09:55first character of color, the heiress Georgiana Lamb.
09:58I should never have expected such a warm reception.
10:00It is not you. It is because I have arrived.
10:04Sanditon was cancelled after just one series. However, after an outpouring of indignation from
10:09the fans, it was picked up by PBS, who brought in a new cast of characters to see Charlotte's
10:14story through to its happy end.
10:16Forgive yourself.
10:18I cannot. I cannot.
10:20You must. Whilst the past will thwart the future.
10:27A future that I imagine could be very dear indeed.
10:30Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:34The Artful Dodger
10:36A grown-up Jack Dawkins gets a sweet romance in this fun adventure series.
10:40You have unnerved me more than any other woman I have ever met.
10:48Is that a good thing?
10:51Dickinson
10:53Author Emily Dickinson is reimagined as a modern teen breaking free from the confines of society.
10:58Hey, Emily.
11:00Oh, come on! George! Hey!
11:05You have already made my daughter's acquaintance?
11:08Mom, this is George. He's in the Lit Club with Austen. We hang out like all the time.
11:12War and Peace
11:13A classic tale, a cast packed with famous faces, and costumes to die for.
11:18I keep hearing reports you're making waves in the court circles, reforming the army.
11:23The Old Sparks. Burning bright again, isn't it?
11:25Downton Abbey
11:27If you haven't watched this yet, where have you been?
11:29I don't believe you need my forgiveness.
11:34You've lived your life and I've lived mine.
11:39And now it's time we lived them together.
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11:58Number 1. The Buccaneers
12:01Here is to a new world. Marriages, men, parties.
12:05Not particularly in that order.
12:07The Buccaneers is set in the glamorous era nicknamed the Gilded Age,
12:11but don't confuse it with that Julian Fellowes show. Both series are worth a watch,
12:16but while the Gilded Age feels like a traditional period drama,
12:19The Buccaneers has a younger, more contemporary vibe.
12:22Everybody look! It's the kitchen! Look at our mouths!
12:29Look and learn! Feed the party!
12:32The costumes are fabulous, though not always period-accurate.
12:35The characters and dialogue feel modern and inclusive,
12:38and it's all set to a soundtrack of 2020's bangers.
12:42However, the plot has been adapted from an unfinished Edith Wharton novel,
12:46so you can expect all the marriage market drama that makes these kinds of shows so juicy.
12:51The big question is, will you be cheering for Team Guy or Team Theo?
13:08Which period dramas would you recommend to satisfy our Bridgerton cravings?
13:12Share your favorites in the comments.
13:13I hope we can meet again. I'm sure we will.
13:16Let the three of us be friends, in spite of everything.
13:20Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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