#21: London Hospital (2010)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
Hulu Synopsis: Romance, surgery, and history combine in this vivid, atmospheric drama based on the lives and case notes of doctors, nurses and patients at the Royal London Hospital a century ago.
Why You Should Check it Out: Another one on my own list to watch, it sounds like a great pick for Call the Midwife fans!
#22: Lost in Austen (2008)
Photo: ITV
Hulu Synopsis: A thoroughly modern heroine threatens to ruin one of the world’s greatest literary love stories in this ingenious reinvention of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice. Hollywood actress Alex Kingston stars alongside an acclaimed cast, including Hugh Bonneville, Lindsay Duncan and new Bond girl Gemma Arterton. Bored bank worker Amanda Price literally becomes lost in her favourite Austen book, after she finds a strange portal in her bathroom and swaps places with its heroine Elizabeth Bennet. As she gets to know the Bennet family and encounters the famous Mr. Darcy, how can she keep this celebrated romance on track?
Why You Should Check it Out: A swoon-worthy take on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is ‘thoroughly’ entertaining, even if the series makes Amanda a little TOO modern to make sense.
#23: Maids (2014)
Photo: DramaFever
Hulu Synopsis: Set in the Joseon Dynasty, three women learn what love means as they try to navigate through the class system and survive. In Yup (Jung Yoo Mi) is a beautiful noblewoman who becomes a servant overnight when her father is framed and labeled a traitor. She ends up falling in love with a fellow servant, Moo Myung (Oh Ji Ho), while working for the royal family and becomes friends with her own handmaiden Sa Wol thanks to their shared experiences. Meanwhile, Ga Hee is the most famous gisaeng of the city but with her own aspirations for romance. She falls in love with Moo Myung, but what can she do when his heart lies elsewhere?
Why You Should Check it Out: For fans of Downton Abbey and Grand Hotel, Maids promises a class system romance that will be sure to capture the hearts of all the romantics out there.
#24: Merlin (2008)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
Hulu Synopsis: The adventures of the legendary sorcerer as a young man.
Why You Should Check it Out: While an imperfect series (particularly in later seasons), this fantasy period piece is all sorts of fun! Plus, there are a lot of really good looking knights running around. My love for Ioan Gruffudd aside, Merlin also gives us the best and most notable Lancelot to ever grace the screen (I’ll include an extra picture just to be more convincing…)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
#25: Middlemarch (1994)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
Hulu Synopsis: A masterpiece of 19th Century literature is transformed into a triumph of 20th Century television in this turbulent classic drama. A multi-layered…more story of provincial life on the brink of momentous change.
Why You Should Check it Out: Definitely worth watching for the love story between the characters played by Juliet Aubrey and Rufus Sewell.
#26: Miss Austen Regrets (2008)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
Hulu Synopsis: Based on Jane Austen’s own letters and diaries this drama unravels the secrets of the elusive novelist.
Why You Should Check it Out: While not equal to Becoming Jane (how I see it anyway), Olivia Williams shines as one of the best writers of all time! Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Bonneville also star in this TV movie.
#27: The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012)
Photo: MBC America
Hulu Synopsis: Set in a fictional time of the Joseon era, a chance meeting between the crown prince and a nobleman’s daughter gives rise to political strife, conspiracies and a fateful love that surpasses even death. Though chosen as Crown Princess, Heo Yeonwoo is torn from her rightful place and is forced to undertake a new life. Years later, the star-crossed lovers reunite as Wol, the secretive shaman, and King Yi Hwon, the man who lost his innocence with the death of his beloved. Based on the novel written by popular author Jeong Eungwol (“The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Scholars”) and directed by Kim Dohun (“Royal Family”), “The Moon Embracing the Sun” is a fantasy series that fuses together romance and history.
Why You Should Check it Out: This is the number one highest rated historical drama over on Drama Fever, so I think that says a lot about the addictive potential. Not to mention, the premise sounds awesome! I will be watching this one as soon as I find the time. There is also a Spanish version available!
#28: Murdoch Mysteries (2008)
Photo: CBC/ ITV
Hulu Synopsis: Set in early 20th century Toronto, Murdoch Mysteries explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a detective who pioneers innovative forensic…more techniques to solve some of the city’s most gruesome crimes.
Why You Should Check it Out: While certainly the period dialogue can be slightly contrived at times, Murdoch Mysteries is a delightful show to watch for those who like romance and mystery combined. Only the first six seasons are available, but that is still a good jumping off point. Foyle’s War is an even better period drama mystery show, but only 2 of the many seasons are available on Hulu…
RELATED | Murdoch Mysteries Review
#29: Northanger Abbey (2007)
Hulu Synopsis: Catherine Morland, a clergyman’s daughter, is taken to Bath for the season by family friends. There she meets Henry Tilney and is invited to Northanger Abbey, his family seat.
Why You Should Check it Out: This Gothic satire based on a Jane Austen classic is one of the most adorable and romantic period dramas on this list! Felicity Jones and J.J. Feild are both perfect in this made for TV film. If that’s not enough to convince you, just check out Amirah’s Romantic Moment…
Classic Romantic Moment: Northanger Abbey’s Catherine and Mr. Tilney
#30: Oliver Twist (2007)
Photo: BBC Worldwide
Hulu Synopsis: This gripping and emotionally powerful adaptation from one of British television’s most exciting new writers breathes new life into the popular…more Dickens story.
Why You Should Check it Out: Even though it seems there are countless interpretations of Oliver Twist, this particular version is worth catching for Tom Hardy as Sikes and Sophie Okonedo as Nancy.
This is a great selection of well known and lesser known movies. I loved Fairy Tale Theatre when I was younger. I feel like I’d still enjoy it now. Had a huge crush on Sean Patrick Flannery of the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles when that show first came out. Even when I sometimes found the episodes a bit dull, I watched them for him. This version of Sense and Sensibility is one of my favourite Austen films. I loved Elinor in this. I’ve heard so much about this version of Oliver Twist. I need to see it sometime. I’d add The Scarlet Pimpernel movies to this list. The one with Leslie Howard and the one with Jane Seymour.
I had a huge crush on Sean Patrick Flannery too! And this version of S&S really is great. I completely agree with you about Elinor.
I didn’t include Leslie Howard’s Pimpernel movie because this list only focused on TV (TV movies, miniseries, and TV shows), but is the Jane Seymour version on Hulu? I don’t see it! I’ve been meaning to watch that one.
Oops. I forgot about the TV angle. I don’t have Hulu, so not sure about that Pimpernel movie being there. It’s really good. A great period mini series is Around The World In 80 Days starring Pierce Brosnan. I loved it when it first aired years ago.
I was unable to find most of these on Hulu.
Many of these are still on hulu. But some have also left. New deals change what’s on. This was put up last year so much has changed. And with the new deal BBC made with Amazon, unfortunately losing some of these great period dramas were inevitable!
what deal did they make with amazon ?
Different streaming services make deals with different companies/networks. For a while, many British shows were available on Amazon Prime. There are less so now because of Britbox, but a lot of period dramas are still there.
I totally recommend “The Time in Between”. I read the book when it first came out in 2009 and was pleasantly surprised by this adaptation: it’s even better than the book! The story is a mix of romance, historical (a true one, since the author is a historian) and espionage.
If you speak Spanish, try and watch the original version. There are many foreign characters (the story is set between Spain and Morocco, but the characters are Spanish, Moroccan, Portuguese, German, English…), so the conversations, the accents and the subtle nuances of dialogue are somewhat lost in the English dubbing.
If you’re not convinced yet, the costumes should be inducement enough: the female protagonist is a seamstress, and she makes stunning clothes, a real treat for any period drama lover!
Hulu sucks.
you guys can’t count that’s 10 not 50. your NEXT button goes to a different list.
You’re clicking on the Next button for next article. But if you click on page 2, then it will take you to more of the list. There are 50 choices.