The decade following World War II was a tumultuous one. From nuclear families to the threat of nuclear war, to the modernization of monarchies around the world, there was a sense of change yet to come. That’s what the award-winning show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, highlights in its own comical way.

With season 4 of the Amazon Prime series underway, audiences are ushered out of the ‘50 and into the cultural grips of the ‘60s, where change can finally unfold. But there are stories of the post-war era still to be told from period dramas like Masters of Sex, Lovecraft Country, and more.

Updated on May 5, 2023, by Jessie Nguyen:

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a popular period comedy-drama series among viewers, has finally aired its fifth and final season on Prime Video. To commemorate its release, there are several excellent shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel that are set in the 1950s that fans should check out.

12 'Call The Midwife' (2012 - )

call-the-midwife
Image via BBC

Throughout 12 seasons, Call The Midwife tackles just about every social, economic, and political conversation that gripped the 1950s. The popular PBS series is filmed and set in London, England, but the medical dilemmas faced by nurses, midwives, and nuns are just as relevant to American audiences.

Much like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, fans are treated to a series in which costume, characters, and historical events work together, bringing a period drama to life emblematic of that time period. Many of the storylines in Call The Midwife are rooted in historical fact, as they are based on Jennifer Worth’s original memoir, “Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s.”

Watch on Netflix

11 'A Place to Call Home' (2013 - 2018)

A Place to Call Home’ (2013 - 2018)  (1)

Set in rural New South Wales after the Second World War, A Place to Call Home is an Australian TV show that follows Sarah Adams (Marta Dusseldorp), a young woman who relocated abroad to be with her beloved. She then returns to Australia to begin a new life after losing her love in the war, working at a hospital for the affluent Bligh family where she conflicts with Elizabeth Bligh (Noni Hazlehurst), the matriarch.

The show, which features plenty of family turmoil, also addresses some social taboos of the day, such as LGBTQ+ issues and the fashionable "treatment" methods at the time. Moreover, despite its dark undertones, A Place to Call Home is essentially what its title suggests: a beautifully shot, profoundly romantic drama of great intelligence distinguished by a consistently outstanding cast.

Watch on Hoopla

10 'The Company' (2007)

ensemble poster from The Company miniseries

Based on the 2002 novel of the same name, The Company ran for three episodes on TNT back in 2007. The events in the acclaimed miniseries span multiple decades but primarily showcase how the world’s secret agencies reacted in the early days of the Cold War.

The Company follows a select group of characters as they navigate government secrets, international relations, and their own lives, resulting in a story that is part spy drama, part romance.

9 'American Horror Story' Season 4: Freak Show (2011 - )

characters from American Horror Story: Freak Show standing infront of the circus. These are the "freaks" in the show

In a sense, the fourth season of American Horror Story Freak Show — serves as an antithesis to the norms of the 1950s. Freak Show centered around a small town in Florida where wealth, image, and status intertwined with a local carnival and a troupe of “freaks” riddled with secrets. Rather than conforming to the norms of the times, the season highlights murderous clowns, deranged performers, and corrupt systems at play.

Despite its critical reception and relatively low ranking compared to other AHS seasons, there is something inherent in Freak Show that makes it easy for fans to connect with. Redditors comment on the season’s ability to “transport [them] into the past” and ground the twisted storylines in a recognizable reality.

Watch on Prime Video

8 'Masters of Sex' (2013 - 2016)

masters-of-sex

As its title would suggest, the 2013 Showtime series, Masters of Sex, was all about sex. As with most period dramas, the premise of the Golden-Globe nominated series is rooted in reality with fictional storylines (as series creator Michelle Ashford assured fans).

The now-canceled series was set during the early stages of the sexual-cultural revolution, beginning in 1956 until 1969. Throughout its four-season run, Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Dr. Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) — two real-life researchers at Washington University in the ‘50s — undergo breakthrough developments in the burgeoning world of human sexuality (clearly a common theme for shows looking back at that time period).

Watch on Prime Video

7 'M*A*S*H' (1972 - 1983)

ensemble cast of M*A*S*H

Inspired by Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel and the then-ongoing Vietnam War, M*A*S*H takes fans back two decades earlier to a time that seemed so similar yet worlds apart: the Korean War. From 1972 to 1983, viewers tuned in to see what Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and his fellow army doctors were up to that week in their medical unit.

Seeing as the M*A*S*H unit remain isolated on base for many years, the references to the ‘50s came from news headlines, pop culture references, and even the characters’ hairstyles. Hawkeye would discuss presidential candidates over martinis or mention that he wanted to see Godzilla in the theater (which came out in 1954). A troupe of singing sisters even visited the unit at the end of Season 1, a common practice at the time to entertain troupes stationed overseas.

Watch on Hulu

6 'The Crown' Season 1 & 2 (2016 - 2023)

Claire Foy in The Crown season 1
Image via Netflix

In its first two award-winning seasons, The Crown examined what Queen Elizabeth II’s (Claire Foy) initial years as sovereign may have looked like. The series has since jumped decades in their timeline, but for viewers who were not alive for the Queen’s inauguration in 1947 (or her revolutionary methods of ruling throughout the ‘50s), the first two seasons of the Netflix hit series offer a painstakingly accurate lens.

For many period dramas (like The Crown and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), writers take inspiration from real people and events. It appears that The Crown may have done this a little too well. Thanks to the show’s massive popularity and display of past events, Netflix put out a statement in 2020 reminding audiences that The Crown is “a work of fiction that’s broadly based on historical events.”

Watch on Netflix

5 'The Hour' (2011 - 2012)

The Hour’ (2011 - 2012)  (1)

Set during the Cold War era in England, The Hour follows Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw), who was previously in charge of making newsreels and has been chosen to cover domestic news, but he has much greater aspirations. A murder inquiry involving the British government and a Soviet spy recruitment campaign soon draws his attention.

The Hour appeals to its audience thanks to its alluring casting, stylish aesthetic, developing mysteries, and focus on significant historical events and sexuality. Additionally, the show strikes an interesting mix between relationships and danger rather than merely providing a soap opera for 50s nostalgia buffs. Conspiracy themes are constantly present, although they are not overpowering.

Watch on Roku

4 'Lovecraft Country' (2020)

Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, and Kenneth Williams in Lovecraft Country

For many Black Americans, the 1950s bore witness to growing inequality and racism in the decade preceding the Civil Rights movement. Based on the 2016 novel by Mark Ruff, Lovecraft Country examines this as Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) travels through America during the Jim Crow era.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel depicted Jewish life in America during the 1950s, a culmination of trauma, stereotypes, and prejudices from the decades prior. HBO’s award-winning series offers a similar basis from the perspective of the Black experience at the time. Fans are still reeling over Lovecraft Country’s cancellation after just one season, but it left a great impact in just 10 episodes.

Watch on HBO Max

3 'Summer of Rockets' (2019)

Summer of Rockets’ (2019)  (1)

Set in the summer of 1958, Summer of Rockets is a six-part BBC miniseries that follows Samuel Petrukhin (Toby Stephens), a Jewish inventor of Russian descent who now resides in England and is assigned by MI5 on a covert mission. Samuel's work contributes to the development of the modern world after the tensions of the Space Race and the first hydrogen bomb test.

With a diverse cast of characters who gradually come to terms with their role in the world and what the future holds, for better or worse, it is a serious series that vividly depicts the summer of the rocket. Additionally, the dialogue in the program is excellent, with some lines making viewers laugh while others provoke deep thought.

Watch on Roku

2 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' (2017 - 2023)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (1)

Set in Manhattan in the 1950s, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel follows the titular, Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a cheerful, active, bright Jewish woman with her life planned who is left by her husband, Joel (Michael Zegen). After spending nights assisting her husband in pursuing his passion for stand-up comedy, she eventually realizes she has a gift for it.

The hit Amazon Prime Video original show is expertly produced, with lovely costume design, an old-time song starting each episode, clever writing, and humorous yet audacious jokes. It's also a brilliant showcase for Brosnahan, who cracks one-liners like she was destined to play this role.

Watch on Prime Video

1 'Fargo' Season 4 (2014 - )

Chris Rock as Roy Cannon in Fargo Season 4
Image via FX

Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, and Jessie Buckley teamed up for the fourth season of Fargo. In this installation of the award-winning anthology series, characters find themselves amid feuding crime rings in 1950 Missouri.

As with every season of Fargo thus far, the show's creators place audiences into whatever era is being discussed. This is true for the show’s fourth season, and in particular, its ninth episode “East/West,” all of which is presented in black and white.

Watch on Hulu

NEXT: The Best Sci-Fi TV Shows From the 1970s