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Historical dramas are a great option for those who want to escape from their own lives for a bit. With shows like Bridgerton, exclusively escapist historical fiction has seen a resurgence–though that has always been one of the appeals of the genre. Being able to insert yourself into the role of a noblewoman or military officer in a romanticized time period is sometimes exactly what you need to get yourself through the daily grind.
But not all historical dramas are escapist in the same ways. Sometimes they’re so realistic to the time period that it allows the viewers to experience something like culture shock — the really good ones are meticulous in their research and their portrayal of what life was actually like at the time.
'Little Women' (1994)
Every detail of this movie is wonderful — from Winona Ryder’s boldness as Jo to Amy’s (Kirsten Dunst and Samantha Mathis) bratty little-sister actions, there is no mistaking the characters for anything other than human. They’re extremely believable—viewers can watch this movie and imagine people exactly like them living their lives in 19th-century Massachusetts.
The details of a lived-in house or a philosopher’s New York apartment, cluttered with coffee and half-completed sewing projects, are just as poignant as the journeys the March family goes on. It also serves as a great adaptation of the book, which was written in the period it was set in.
'War and Peace' (2016)
Almost anything based on Leo Tolstoy’s masterpiece is bound to be deeply rooted in history. War and Peace and Anna Karenina have been adapted time and time again in the century and a half since they were first written. The BBC managed to get the realism down in their mini-series condensing War and Peace into six hours, as they venture on and off the Napoleonic battlefield and withdraw into the Russian imperial court.
It may not be a technically accurate historical drama, but the care given to the characters to make them feel real and the gritty realism shown through the soldiers on the battlefield have to be commended.
'Downton Abbey' (2010-2015)
It’s not news to anyone now that this British period drama was a fictionalized account of the history of Highclere Hall, the estate serving as Downton Abbey in the show. As the show’s characters live through some of the biggest events in the early 20th century–the Troubles in Ireland, World War I, and the decline of the upper class–there were plenty of opportunities to incorporate historical details.
Downton being used as a hospital during wartime, the gradual shortening of hemlines on ladies’ dresses, and reconstructions of period-accurate mens’ and womens’ clothing are all subtly included.
'Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' (1984 - 1994)
Despite following a fictional detective and his roommate-biographer, Michael Cox’s 1984 Granada Television adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s numerous Sherlock Holmes stories is extremely realistic. Along with being one of the adaptations that most strongly resembled Conan Doyle’s original portrayal of Holmes and Watson, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was meticulous in its detail — the clothing and 19th-century set design were some of the best to be seen on British television at the time. The streets of Victorian London surround them as they run through in a chase or hop into hansom cabs in pursuit of a criminal.
Holmes and Watson's flat was comfortably cluttered, filled to the brim with all the eccentricities listed in the books, such as a jackknife pinning letters to the mantelpiece, a table full of chemistry experiments, and newspapers strewed across the room. The show, similar to the books it was based on, also used its detective format to point out social issues in London in the 19th century in surprisingly touching ways.
'Chernobyl' (2019)
As a fictionalized version of the malfunction of the nuclear plant in Chernobyl, this HBO miniseries is surprisingly accurate! From small details to larger things like having a large percentage of female medical officials or the minutiae of the dangers of the plant, Chernobyl is a peek into the tense, tragic hours just after the explosion.
Though most historical shows have to take artistic license, and Chernobyl is no exception, what is shown about the tragedy is moving, poignant, and representative of how the event was really being dealt with by the Soviet government.
'Band of Brothers' (2001)
Based on Stephen Ambrose’s interviews of members of the first paratrooper platoon in World War II, Band of Brothers is an extremely accurate representation of how the war created bonds between soldiers — it’s only fitting, seeing as it was directed by Steven Spielberg, who directed the renowned Saving Private Ryan.
Presenting fictionalized representations of real people who fought, such as Major Richard Winters (Damian Lewis) and Captain Ronald Spiers (Matthew Settle), the show creates an image of humanism in the midst of events that so often showed so little. From the mud on their shoes to accents, the crew made sure the portrayal of American WWII soldiers was accurate.
'The Diary of Anne Frank' (2009)
The Diary of Anne Frank is sometimes too good at portraying its subject matter — the everyday life of a Jewish girl hiding in Nazi-controlled Netherlands. Since it is based on Anne’s real-life diary, kept during the days she was living in an annex with her family, it would be difficult for any adaptation to feel unrealistic.
This one, with its starkly real portrayal of Anne (Ellie Kendrick) — as a moody yet endearing teenage girl — and its cramped annex with people around every corner, transports the audience directly into 1940s Germany.
'The Last Kingdom' (2015-2022)
While it takes poetic license at some points (no, Aethelred (Toby Regbo) was probably not as horrible as the show made him out to be), The Last Kingdom is a gritty, dramatic show that details the early days of the not-yet-united kingdom of Britain with surprising ease and accuracy. Life was hard in the 9th century, and this show doesn’t shy away from that fact: Danish invasions, a complicated political atmosphere, and the realities of a warrior-based society are all explored in detail.
Even the language and terminology used was often accurate to how people actually joked and made euphemisms — though, luckily, it was translated into Modern English for watchers not familiar with Anglo-Saxon.
'The Queen’s Gambit' (2020)
Netflix’s hit show about chess in the 1950s and ‘60s proves to be a great insight into the fashions, trends, and looks of the time. It also examines what it was like to be a female chess master at the time, as Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) deals with condescension from her male peers.
The outfits in The Queen's Gambit were inspired by fashion giants of the time, like Pierre Cardin, Edie Sedgwick, and even the artist Andy Warhol. As for the chess itself, many of the matches seen were actual matches that were played by chess masters in real life.