Although women make up half of the population and thus you would think would be more represented in history, much of what is published still focuses on men- military histories, political histories, religious histories that largely exclude women. And a large number of period dramas do the same. So, in honour of Women’s History Month, I am sharing some of my favourite female-focused period dramas!
My Favourite Female-Focused Period Dramas
Two major notes for this list: this is not an exhaustive list, meaning that there are many other period dramas that could be included here. (These are just the ones that I tend to rewatch and recommend.)
Also, I recommend these period dramas for entertainment, not education- as The Great clearly states, it is an occasionally true story, and that is accurate for many period dramas. (If you want to know my thoughts on why I believe that period dramas don’t need to be accurate, head here!)
And yes, these shows are all from roughly the same time, ha!
The Empress (Netflix, 2022-2026)
The final series of The Empress will be dropping on Netflix on 12 November 2026, so hopefully this gives you enough time to catch up! This is a fictionalised telling of Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria’s time as Empress- the Viennese court was full of drama, and Sisi’s life was difficult in nearly every possible way. While the creators have taken liberties (as all period drama producers and writers do), I love a show filmed in European palaces and the Austrian countryside. And I have long believed that Sisi would become a “marquee” name, like Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette, and The Empress is helping to clinch that!
Harlots (ITV, 2017-2019)
Harlots is certainly a grittier period drama, but I think it is one of the most interesting and compelling I have ever seen. (And quite frankly, I’ve seen more than my fair share of period dramas.) Set in 1760s London, we follow two rival brothels looking to grow their businesses and what both the women who own the brothels and the women who work there need to do to survive. Notably, I would say that this is not a show for children, as it is explicit with both sex and violence. However, I really appreciated that the difficult things you see in Harlots do very much serve a point- they aren’t just there for entertainment. Back to Georgian London we go!
The Great (Hulu, 2020-2023)
I have zero shame in admitting that I was possibly the most excited I have been in many, many years when I saw my favourite costume from The Great in the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition. And if I’m being honest, I think that The Great might just be one of my favourite shows of all time.
The Great could not be more up front that it is a fictional telling of Catherine the Great’s time as Empress- every title card in the series notes that it is an occasionally true series, and it lives up to that. But I love the elements of history that they pull into it, and just how entertaining they have made these figures from history. (Hugo and Agnes are personal favourites of mine…) Catherine is one of the most interesting women from history for me, and I love that we got to spend three seasons with her.
Victoria (ITV, 2016-2019)
Unsurprisingly, royal women feature heavily on this list- I think largely because they tend to be chosen as subjects. Victoria is 100% a comfort watch for me. I enjoy the score, I enjoy the sets, I like the cast! Do I think that this is a very rose-coloured interpretation of what was a difficult and bizarre relationship? Absolutely. However, I find that I can always put it on if I am stressed or tired. (Jenna Coleman as Victoria is a delight, and Rufus Sewell is a perfectly conflicted Lord Melbourne!)
Anne With an E (CBC, 2017-2019)
Given that I am Canadian, no one should be surprised that a version of Anne of Green Gables is included here. While the 1980s CBC movies are my favourite, I wanted to focus on series rather than films for this list, and I do still very much enjoy Anne with an E. Anne Shirley is very much a spokesperson for the young, and I love that we have a new interpretation of Anne for Gen Z/Gen Alpha. If you are planning on watching your period drama when there are younger ones around, this is a great option! (And you can segway into the books…)
The Crown (Netflix, 2016-2023)
We are coming up to the ten year anniversary of The Crown, and that seems somewhat incredible to me- it feels like we were just watching Claire Foy take the screen as a young Queen Elizabeth II, and now the series has covered up through her passing. When I think of prestige period dramas, I think of The Crown. And I don’t know that many shows will top it for me.
While you can certainly debate some of the choices that Peter Morgan and the creatives behind the show made, I appreciate that they covered some moments in modern history that otherwise have not gotten a lot of attention. And I think that each cast tackled the royals in an interesting way; though we all have our favourites, they all pulled out different aspects.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime, 2017-2023)
Arguably the only Amy Sherman-Palladino show to have a proper ending, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel quietly became one of my favourite shows. Not only is it a funny and quick-witted show (as you would expect from ASP), the 1950s fashion is chef’s kiss and the music is also brilliantly done.
The pacing is a tad odd towards the end (the last season moves very quickly) but all in all, I love all of the characters, and despite being very frustrated a few times throughout, it is a show that I was always excited to see a new episode uploaded! (And if you are in Canada, you can watch this on CBC Gem now.)
♠
What are your favourite female-focused period dramas?
Cheers,
The Historian
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