TV’s most engaging period dramas have been inspired by the Victorian era, the rule of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. Whether it’s a grand romance, a social intrigue, a mystery, or a historical event, these series breathe new life into 19th-century Britain in a lavish setting with memorable characters. These shows can be based on classic novels or original stories and can provide an immersive experience for the audience, taking them on a journey through one of the most fascinating periods of history. These are 10 Victorian Television dramas that are worth watching for every TV fan.
Victoria (2016–2019)
The highly popular programme charts the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign, from her accession to the throne until she was married to Prince Albert. The show is known for its acting and extravagant set design.
The Gilded Age (2022- Present)
The show, developed by Julian Fellowes, traces the lives of the wealthy, the ambitious, and the social change in late 19th-century America in the last two decades of the Victorian age.
Belgravia (2020)
This drama is based on the novel by Julian Fellowes, which deals with the secret divisions and class politics of the best of London in the mid-19th Century.
The English Game (2020)
The series is set in the Victorian era in the 1870s, and chronicles the development of football from a privileged pastime into a national sport. The series focuses on two major historical figures, Fergus Suter and Lord Arthur Kinnaird.
Dickensian (2015–2016)
Dickensian is a creative BBC television drama that interweaves the backstories of over 30 iconic characters from Charles Dickens’ novels into a single Victorian neighborhood.
Ripper Street (2012–2016)
The series is set in the East End of London following the gruesome events of the Jack the Ripper murders and explores both the social realities of Victorian Britain and the act of solving a crime.
The Paradise (2012–2013)
This Drama is based on the novel by Émile Zola and explores the lives of employees and shoppers in the first department store in England. The show was produced by the BBC in collaboration with Masterpiece and ran for two seasons before its cancellation in 2014.
Penny Dreadful (2014–2016)
Themes of Gothic drama merge with literary figures like Dracula and Victor Frankenstein in a dark and atmospheric Victorian setting. The show follows a medium, an explorer, and an American gunslinger as they battle supernatural forces.
North & South (2004)
It’s based on another novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, with the series dealing with class differences and industrial change in Victorian England in the context of a memorable romance.
Cranford (2007–2009)
Situated in a small English town in the 1840s, this delightful adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novels is set in Victorian society and the lives of ordinary people.
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