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Best Historical TV Shows to Watch

By Robert Reeve

Chief of War

Bringing history to life on the screen is a powerful thing, right? That's what historical TV shows do best. But a great historical series doesn’t just tell you about the past - it drops you right in the middle of it. Complex characters. Historical drama. Monumental events. You watch and take in all of these elements in this genre. But with so many series available for streaming, is it proving difficult to pick one?

This is where our definitive guide can be so useful! Right here, we present a list of the top 10 historical TV shows that are captivating audiences right now, a selection with sweeping period dramas and fascinating biographical series. And if you're a history buff, we have intense war stories to keep you engaged. Every show has been ranked by public sentiment and what’s currently trending, so use this guide to find the best one for you.

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What are the best historical TV shows to watch now?

Here at Compare TV, we're not only interested in personal opinions about TV shows. We go beyond this, and pride ourselves on providing trustworthy and expertly-curated content - so random selection is not a method we use. We check out what's trending across popular streaming platforms and gauge the general sentiment of the audience from a range of reliable sources.

But these factors aren't the only things included in the reviews - we include the all-important details about the series such as the director and the main cast as well as the sub-genre and a brief synopsis. The runtime, as well as the streaming service you can find it on can also be found here, so let these details guide you toward the ideal historical TV show.

1
Rank: #32

Chief of War

Drama •History

Overview

With Hawaii's four kingdoms divided by war, the ferocious warrior Kaʻiana embarks on an epic mission to unite his people-as an existential threat approaches their shores.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Jason Momoa, Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis

1
Rank: #32
2
Rank: #49

The Chosen

Drama •Action •Adventure •History •Family •Kids

Overview

The life of Christ through the eyes of those who encountered him called The Chosen.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Elizabeth Tabish

2
Rank: #49
3
Rank: #73

Say Nothing

Drama •History •Mystery •Thriller

Overview

Through the eyes of various Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, explore the extremes some people will go to in the name of their beliefs, the way a deeply divided society can suddenly tip over into armed conflict, the long shadow of radical violence for both victims and perpetrators, and the emotional and psychological costs of a code of silence.

Cast

Lola Petticrew, Maxine Peake, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor

3
Rank: #73
4
Rank: #85

Chernobyl

Drama •History •Thriller •Mystery

Overview

The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.

VideoPlay video: Video

Director

Alexey Muradov

Cast

Aleksandr Ilin, Igor Petrenko, Nadezhda Mikhalkova, Dmitri Ulyanov, Mariya Andreeva

4
Rank: #85
5
Rank: #123

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Drama •Fantasy •Sci-fi •War

Overview

With magic long since lost to England, two men are destined to bring it back; the reclusive Mr. Norrell and daring novice Jonathan Strange. So begins a dangerous battle between two great minds.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Bertie Carvel, Eddie Marsan, Marc Warren, Charlotte Riley, Alice Englert

5
Rank: #123
6
Rank: #140

The Diplomat

Drama •War •Mystery •Thriller

Overview

In the midst of an international crisis, a career diplomat lands in a high-profile job she’s unsuited for, with tectonic implications for her marriage and her political future.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, David Gyasi, Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear

Duration

50 minutes

6
Rank: #140
7
Rank: #165

Call the Midwife

Drama •History

Overview

Drama following the lives of a group of midwives working in the poverty-stricken East End of London during the 1950s, based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave, Helen George, Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt, Stephen McGann

7
Rank: #165
8
Rank: #219

Band of Brothers

Drama •History •Action •Adventure •War

Overview

Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Damian Lewis, Donnie Wahlberg, David Schwimmer, Eion Bailey, Ron Livingston

8
Rank: #219
9
Rank: #231

Shōgun

Drama •War •Action •Adventure •History

Overview

In Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Takehiro Hira

9
Rank: #231
10
Rank: #235

Special Ops: Lioness

Drama •War •Mystery •Thriller •Action •Adventure

Overview

Cruz Manuelos, a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine, is recruited to join the CIA's Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program, is tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.

VideoPlay video: Video

Cast

Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett

10
Rank: #235

Frequently asked questions

How can you tell if a historical show is factually accurate?

The truth is that historical shows often take creative liberties for dramatic effect, so even though they might get the costumes and setting right, plot points and dialogue are often fictionalised. It's best to see them as an interpretation of history, not a documentary - but if you want to, you could use the show as a starting point to do your own research if you're looking for the most accurate details. Some of the historical shows noteworthy for their accurate depiction are Band of Brothers, The Crown, Rome, and Chernobyl.

What's the difference between a period drama and a historical drama?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but did you know there's a small difference? A period drama simply refers to a show set in a specific time period, and a historical drama is a type of period drama that focuses on real historical events and people. The latter may include war series or biographical series, and these are both mentioned in this list.

Are all of these shows available to stream in Australia?

They're definitely currently watchable on a major Australian streaming service. Want to know which service to sign up for? Just have a look at our review to find where the historical TV show is viewable to confidently pick any title from our guide and start your binge. For example, HBO Max is a goldmine of historical shows like The Pacific, Mildred Pierce, Boardwalk Empire, Deadwood, and many more.

Are older classics better than new series in the historical TV show genre?

We have to point out that older series set the standard, which is why they're so well-regarded and popular with Australian audiences. Having said that, modern hits that are still real favourites with viewers in Australia - and what we should remember is that new shows also have innovative storytelling and technical methods to make them contemporary favourites.

Why didn't my favourite show make the list?

Even though we would love to include every single incredible series, this genre is wide in scope - so, to pick the absolute best without being biased, we look at the general viewing public's opinion on social media, communities online, and reviews, and consider what's currently trending. It gives us an objective look at what viewers can't stop watching.

What's the best kind of show in the historical TV show genre for a beginner?

Haven't seen historical TV shows before? We recommend starting with a show that has an intriguing yet simple plot - that's because a series with a clear protagonist and a focused story isn't challenging or difficult to get into. Remember, you can always build up to the more complex historical TV shows later.

What if I don't have a lot of time to binge-watch a long series?

The secret to this is to check the runtime for each show in our guide, which will indicate which of the series on our list have shorter seasons or a limited number of episodes, and are therefore perfect to view back-to-back on a Saturday night. This way, you get to experience an epic story without a huge time commitment.

Will this list be updated with new shows?

Nothing stands still in the world of streaming, and nothing stays the same in terms of what Australian viewers really enjoy - so we always update the list to ensure current favourites are included. Even when a historical TV show released several years ago becomes popular, this will be on our radar when we update this guide.

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