January is the time for anticipation and looking forward. While I still mentally feel like the new year starts with the academic year in September, there is also the feeling of a fresh start in January. And there is nothing like looking forward to a new crop of period dramas coming onto our screens. This is my list of 2022 period dramas to watch- while there are certainly more period shows coming out than I have listed, these are the shows that I am making sure to watch. Especially in the depths of a Canadian winter, it is lovely to escape to the past for an hour each week.
I think it should be obvious, but I am a massive fan of period dramas. I tend to associate them with Masterpiece on PBS on Sunday nights, but I will watch them anytime, anywhere. 2021 had some fantastic period dramas: The Pursuit of Love, the second season of The Great come to mind. However, I think 2022 is shaping up to be as good or better!
I have listed the show title, the season number, and the network/streaming service and air date here in Canada. These usually line up with the US (but not 100% of the time); UK air dates will vary.
2022 Period Dramas to Watch
The Gilded Age (Season 1), HBO- 24 January 2022
Julian Fellowes, the baron behind Downton Abbey, has expanded his Victorian/Edwardian universe to the US with The Gilded Age. Set in late nineteenth century New York, this series focuses on the women and men who dominated New York’s stratified society. Like Downton, the show follows a family closely. It does look to have the same gorgeous costumes and sets, and I would hazard a guess that CGI will play a slightly larger role in this show. In any case, it looks wonderful! (I will most likely wait until the whole season is out and then subscribe to HBO to watch it all at once.)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Season 4), Prime Video- 18 February 2022
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been one of my favourite period dramas since it premiered in 2017. It follows the career and personal life of Midge Maisel, a comedienne, mother, friend, and daughter in 1950s New York. It is smart and funny and heartbreaking, and every character has such a complex trajectory- you need to keep watching. And I have to say, the costumes are stunning. (If you are interested in 1950s/1960s fashion at all, this is the show for you.)
This season is over a year late; understandably, Covid-19 greatly affected filming for most shows. Amazon has decided to take a different approach and release an episode weekly instead of dropping the whole season at once. While I’m not thrilled that I have to wait, it also might be nice to go back to the old-school method of watching shows.
The Porter (Season 1), CBC- 21 February 2022
The Porter is a new show on CBC, and I’m quite interested to see it. Set in the 1920s, it follows a group of black Canadian and American railway porters in Montreal, Detroit, and Chicago who formed the first Black union. CBC has been producing a lot of fantastic shows in the past 5 years: Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience, and Murdoch Mysteries are all CBC productions. The Porter appears to be more serious in tone that their regular shows, but it looks fantastic to me. (If I find out if/when it is airing in the UK, I will add it here!)
Sanditon (Season 2), PBS- 20 March 2022
I think that out of all the period dramas premiering this year, Sanditon is the most exciting. By the time Sanditon even premiered in North America, ITV had decided it wouldn’t be renewed. However, a dedicated online group- the Sanditon Sisterhood- put together one of the most impressive campaigns I’ve ever seen, and bow BritBox UK and PBS are producing a second and third season. The first season of Sanditon following Charlotte Heywood in the seaside town of the same name was highly entertaining, but finished with many questions and few answers. I can’t wait to head back to Austen’s resort town!
Bridgerton (Season 2), Netflix- 25 March 2022
Depending upon whom you ask, Bridgerton was a surprise hit at the end of 2020. However, for anyone who reads historical romance novels, it probably was not a surprise at all. While fans originally thought that the second season would premiere on Christmas Day 2021, we have an end-of-March release date. The second season lines up with the second book (The Viscount Who Loved Me), and will follow Anthony, the eldest son and Viscount Bridgerton. I must say, I am surprised at how little press, photos, and trailers have been released given that it premieres in little over two months, but I suspect soon!
The Crown (Season 5), Netflix- November 2022
We don’t have a specific release date for the new season of The Crown, but we do have a month- November. The upcoming season of The Crown will cover 1992, The Queen’s annus horribilis, Charles and Diana’s divorce, as well as her death, among other events. We are heading into a cast; I know that a lot of people get really upset at the cast change, but I have enjoyed it thus far. (I thought Olivia Colman was brilliant as Her Majesty!) Given that they are still filming, I am not surprised that we don’t have trailers yet. I am guessing those will most likely come in the autumn.
A Very British Scandal (Season 1), Prime Video- ?
I have placed A Very British Scandal last here because we do not have a Canadian (or a US) release date as it stands. It is supposed to be available on Prime, but Amazon has not released a date yet. The series, following A Very English Scandal, follows the marriage, divorce, and media spectacle of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in the 1950s and 1860s. Both carried on several affairs, but the Duchess was vilified by the media and the public during and after the trial. It stars Paul Bettany and Claire Foy (and has excellent reviews from the UK)- this will definitely be one to watch!
What shows are on your list of 2022 period dramas to watch?
Cheers,
The Historian
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