If shows like Downton Abbey have been on your search history, then this list of five series set in 19th-century Europe will become your favourite. From imperial Vienna to Napoleonic Russia and London witnessed through the lens of the 19th century, these 5 series carry the same energy with class divides, old money and changing social rules.
A series set in 19th-century Europe would essentially be a period drama. One of the best things about period dramas is that they are highly addictive. There’s a certain quality that pulls you in quietly and never lets you go. Before you know it, one episode turns into three while your mind is living in another century, watching people fight over reputation, social status, inheritance and love. The dramatic lighting, velvet coats, and Pinterest-y corsets all add to that charm, and one show that seems to have it all is Downton Abbey. The show has mastered all these feelings by making history feel personal, warm and comforting.
Chances are, if you’ve watched Downton Abbey, your search history includes phrases like ‘shows like Downton Abbey,’ or ‘period dramas.’ If so, these 5 series set in 19th-century Europe are perfect to add to your watchlist. They bring in the same pleasure, but in a rougher, far more unstable setting. The century was messy, dramatic, and full of change, which makes it perfect for historical television.
5 series set in 19th-century Europe that need to be on your watchlist
The Empress
Set in the 1800s Viennese court, The Empress follows Elisabeth of Bavaria. A 16-year-old Elisabeth falls for Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and becomes his unlikely bride. She’s quickly pulled into a world of intrigue and tension as she navigates her life through all the changes. As the young, rebellious woman enters the rigid Habsburg court, private feeling and public duty never sit comfortably together. This is exactly what makes it a good option for Downton Abbey fans, as there is the same fascination for rank, ritual and the private cost of public life in a tightly controlled social world. It’s grander than Downton Abbey, but the emotional engine remains the same.
https://youtu.be/KfySe96FPr8?si=8wK8eum8CYqhwAb_
War and Peace
This BBC series is a television adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. A historical drama, it follows the tangled lives and loves of three aristocratic Russian families against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars and the 1812 French invasion of Russia. It’s a story of love, loss and upheaval set against the wider background of a war. The scale becomes a crucial factor for Downton Abbey fans to watch this next. You get families under pressure, rooms full of social codes and a strong sense of history moving in the background.
https://youtu.be/H-BCmUeHE5c?si=poPgtkOSNNL8Ri3J
Belgravia
Belgravia, a 19th-century London society drama, is adapted from a novel by Julian Fellowes. It’s built around secrets, status and old secrets that threaten to resurface. Described as a story of 'secrets and scandals' among the upper echelon of London society, it starts with a polished relationship before cracks begin to show. With a similar obsession with class lines, inheritance, social climbing, and fallout of secrets, this is the closest cousin to Downton Abbey, with all the hallmarks of its creator.
https://youtu.be/E7Ol0Ov9OOQ?si=LIxPyqZXPUb1BqZE
The Count of Monte Cristo
An epic adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale of revenge, The Count of Monte Cristo follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor falsely accused of treason. He’s imprisoned near Marseille and manages to escape after years of suffering, only to reinvent himself and return to public life, posing as the Count of Monte Cristo. To avenge his imprisonment, he plots against everyone who ruined his life. This period drama is all about status, inheritance, betrayal and the codes of high society. It has all the elements of Downton Abbey, but it is darker and more dramatic with elegant historical setting and emotional heft.
https://youtu.be/q8Sbka8cIm0?si=A2dQhHppjJOc5W9x
The English Game
The English Game is about two 19th-century footballers on opposite sides of a class divide. The story follows the two as they navigate personal and professional turmoil and help change the game and England forever. The executive producer is Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, making it another masterpiece for Downton Abbey fans. Beneath the football storyline, the series is really about class, privilege, institutional change and the way different worlds begin to meet and collide. It has the same interest in social hierarchy and shifting powers.
https://youtu.be/hBOlhdSYhv8?si=Vy8--OfnA7eaOiCI
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