We march forward with Georgian History Month! Last week I shared a list of my favourite books about Georgian royal women because I know many of you are also readers like I am. However, I think that many of us are also big fans of period dramas. And as the day this is publishing is a holiday here in Canada, I’m taking full advantage and will be enjoying a few extra hours of watching. In keeping with the theme for this month, I have my favourite Georgian period dramas for you to enjoy!
Notes
I’ve got three notes before we get into our period dramas.
Firstly, the show synopses here are taken from IMDB. For some reason, shows don’t seem to get thorough synopses like books do, and it is a missed opportunity because many of these don’t make me want to watch them. (I go into more detail myself!)
Secondly, this list really focuses on the later Georgian period. For some reason there are not a ton of period dramas about 1714 to ~1750, and it is a shame. (I’ve seen multiple period drama websites refer to the Georgian period as 1750 to 1831 and I’ve got to ask how they arbitrarily picked 1750…) Obviously, the Regency period is included in the Georgian period. I’ve only chosen one Regency drama (that could be an entire website unto itself) to keep the list varied!
Thirdly, if your favourite period drama set in this period isn’t on the list, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fantastic! I’ve tried to work with shows that are at least somewhat easy to find. While I live in Canada, I do usually check Google to see if it is available to watch in Canada, US, UK, NZ, and Australia- some are shockingly difficult to find, even in 2023.
My Favourite Georgian Period Dramas
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
A ribald and rowdy romp through the mansions and taverns of Georgian England. Henry Fielding’s fallen hero bed-hops his way out of a good home and almost into a hangman’s noose, via a series of misadventures and misunderstandings.
Why You Should Watch This…
In the last month, I’ve watched both the 1997 and 2023 versions of Tom Jones. I fully admit that I’ve enjoyed both equally. However, I’m recommending the 1997 Tom Jones largely because there are five episodes instead of four and I think that it just allows for some more breathing room, and because Samantha Morton is a powerhouse.
This is one of those more niche period dramas, so watching it might score you a point or two in a pub quiz or impress someone. However, it’s also just a highly entertaining show that capitalises on misunderstanding! (All trope lovers, this is your show.)
Harlots (2017-2019)
Brothel owner Margaret Wells struggles to raise her daughters in London during the 18th century.
Why You Should Watch This…
Okay, IMDB’s description for Harlots might just be the most lacking description I’ve seen. As the title might suggest, this show follows harlots, aka what we would now refer to as sex workers. It follows two rival brothels and the people that work at them, the people who visit them, and the people who persecute them.
This show’s strengths are its fantastic cast and its heartfelt writing. Samantha Morton, Jessica Brown Findlay, Lesley Manville, and Liv Tyler are powerhouses and easily show that a female-centred show can very much be a serious story about business, agency, and society as a whole. You will also become wildly invested in these women’s lives and I don’t know that many period dramas have left that much of an impression on me.
Yes, this show does have a fair amount of sex in it. However, I must say that it is not as salacious as you might expect- it is their job, and that reflects in the staging and tone. (Don’t watch this around young ones, but it’s not as… sexy… as it appears on the surface.)
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Aristocrats (1999)
18th-century England and Ireland viewed through the eyes of four beautiful high-born sisters – Caroline, Emily, Louisa, and Sarah Lennox, great-granddaughters of a king, daughters of a cabinet minister, and wives of politicians and peers.
Why You Should Watch This…
Aristocrats is one of those period dramas that I rewatch annually but no one ever seems to know what I’m talking about. This period drama is based on the lives of four sisters who played significant roles in English and Irish society in the 18th century. (It is based on Stella Tillyard’s book of the same name.) This four episode drama takes you through the lows and highs of Georgian society, and while it moves at a good pace, you do not feel rushed at all.
I have a soft spot for this show after living in Dublin, as much of it was filmed in Ireland. (If you don’t know, much of Dublin’s architecture dates back to the Georgian period.) However, beyond that, this is a superbly written, acted, and produced show. And you will spot a pre-Downton Abbey Julian Fellowes in the show in a not-inconsequential role!
Sanditon (2019-2023)
About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman, who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort.
Why You Should Watch This…
I am holding off with my review of the final season of Sanditon until it is widely available in the UK/Europe. However, it had to be included on my list of my favourite Georgian period dramas. This is the one Regency drama I chose to include, and while I know that that is contentious, I think that it’s quite unique.
Andrew Davies led the first season of Sanditon and continued on Austen’s unfinished novel. It performed poorly in the US though, and the news that it would not be renewed was released prior to its North American airing. Fans around the world loved Sanditon so much that they created the #SanditonSisterhood and petitioned to have the show continued, and thus, we got a second and a third season.
The first season is quite different in feeling from the second and third, but it is still good fun and I love that we have a new Austen heroine to root for.
The Great (2020-Present)
A royal woman living in rural Russia during the 18th century is forced to choose between her own personal happiness and the future of Russia, when she marries an Emperor.
Why You Should Watch This…
If you know The Great, you obviously know that it is not set in the UK. However, it is set during the Georgian period! If you are newer to the blog, you may not know that I adore The Great. I’ve spoken extensively about how I do not care if period dramas are accurate, and I love that The Great begins every episode with “An Occasionally True Story” on every title card.
Elle Fanning is incredible in this show, and I firmly believe that she should be winning all of the awards. Catherine the Great’s story is often told in serious and oftentimes negative tones. However, the great goes for absurd comedy while keeping the drama high and it just works.
Interested in more Georgian History Month? You can find more here…
The History of Georgian Coronations
Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians
The Best Books About Georgian Royal Women
These are my favourite Georgian period dramas- what would you include on your list of favourites?
Cheers,
The Historian
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