Downton Abbey became a sensation, first in the UK, where it aired on ITV, then in the US, doubling PBS' average viewership. The series ran for six seasons and became a well-received, box office-topping movie in 2019, with a sequel on the way. It introduced legions of new fans to the period drama genre and inspired many imitators in the years since its debut. But, though Downton was monumental, it wasn't the first of its kind. For longtime fans of the series and those who've just discovered it on Netflix, these six shows capture Downton Abbey's essence with their engaging stories and attention to historical detail.
Bridgerton
Just as Downton Abbey became a sensation for ITV and PBS back in the early 201os, Bridgerton ascended to Netflix's top shelf in 2020, proving that historical dramas were still popular and could even attract new fans. Bridgerton -- which was nominated for several Emmy awards like its period piece predecessor -- also revolves around aristocratic young women looking for suitable matches.
Like Downton, every shot is packed full of intricate hairdos, exquisite costumes and grand interiors. There are notable differences. Bridgerton takes place during England's Regency era, a high point for the aristocracy about 100 years prior to the events of Downton Abbey, which in part explores the decline of such large estates. Bridgerton also moves faster and plays looser than its more buttoned-up counterpart.
Call the Midwife
Another British series that migrated to PBS before landing on Netflix, Call the Midwife documents the lives of nurses who work out of a convent in one of London's poorest districts during the 1950s and '60s. The oft-awarded show has won praise for bringing light to under-discussed topics related to poverty and women's health, but it's also extremely entertaining and binge-able.
Loosely based on the memoirs of one of its main characters, each episode plays out like a medical drama, with plenty of personal and romantic anecdotes on the other side of the curtain. It also features some excellent guest stars serving as the patients of the week. Call the Midwife nails the look and tone of its postwar setting. Despite its sometimes heavy subject matter, it's a warm and hopeful watch that is still going strong in Season 10.
The Crown
This Netflix original, which just finished its fourth season, also added more Emmy nominations to its collection week. While Downton Abbey focuses on the fictionalized family of an Earl, The Crown takes England's Royal Family as its subject and gives viewers a more intimate (though not altogether accurate) portrait of the Queen and her kin.
Seasons 1 and 2 cover Elizabeth II in her youth and young adulthood, while Seasons 3 and 4 fast forward to Charles and Diana's courtship and marriage. Upcoming Seasons 5 and 6 -- which will be the last -- will catch up to the present day. The actors who portray the characters change every two seasons, but so far, every cast has been stellar. The Crown is a bit of a slow burn. Although not everyone in the UK loves it, audiences who like prestige dramas and want their fix of mostly real-life palace intrigue need to look no further than the Peter Morgan series.
Parade's End
Parade's End earned the nickname "the highbrow Downton Abbey," which is really saying something since Downton's reputation is rather pinky-in-the-air. Based on a series of well-respected books of the same name by lauded playwright Tom Stoppard and featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rebecca Hall in the lead roles, Parade's End boasts quite a pedigree.
The five-part limited series roughly covers the same time period as Downton Abbey. Cumberbatch plays Christopher Tietjens, a nobleman unhappy with his hasty marriage, drawn into World War I and a love triangle. It's the role that launched Cumberbatch to stardom, and rightly so. Parade's End is much darker and more complicated than most period dramas. However, Cumberbatch makes the frequently unlikeable Tietjens surprisingly sympathetic.
Belgravia
For fans of Julian Fellowes' work (which also includes the extremely fun and Oscar-nominated Gosford Park), there's Belgravia. The author's new series airing on EPIX is based on his own 2016 novel. It gets its name from one of the most affluent areas of London and follows the lives of several of the most affluent families (and their servants) who relocate there after its establishment in the 1800s.
Like both Downton Abbey and Bridgerton, Belgravia involves grand balls, parents scheming to marry off their daughters and a plot about a secret love child. Unlike those series, a second season is yet to be announced, but Belgravia also hasn't been canceled. Considering the series was popular and well-received, the future exploits of the Trenchard and Bellasis families are still on the table.
Upstairs, Downstairs
Also set in Belgravia, London, Upstairs, Downstairs ran for five seasons in the UK during the 1970s and was rebooted in 2010. It blazed the trail for Downton Abbey, which owes its subject matter, setting and structure to the now-iconic series. The story devotes equal attention to the wealthy Bellamy family and the large staff who serves them.
Upstairs, Downstairs covers roughly the same time period as Downton and many of the same real-world historical events along the way. Multiple plotlines and character archetypes mirror those of Downton and other period dramas that follow. The stoic Lord, stodgy butler, slick footman and headstrong daughter are all here, as are class tensions, affairs, tragic deaths and crimes. Upstairs, Downstairs pioneered the period piece as something in between prestige drama and soap opera and has been copied on both sides of the Atlantic ever since.