New Period Dramas to watch!!!

There are so many great period pieces either airing now or coming soon.

It's been a while since I've updated the lists or even shared any with you, and I think it's high time I did, so without further ado, let's get right into it.

Mercy Street

Based on real events, Mercy Street goes beyond the front lines of the Civil War and into the chaotic world of the Mansion House Hospital in Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia.

I'm so excited about this one, I've always wondered why the UK can put out so many wonderful period pieces and the USA was more focused on trash reality TV.  So when I saw this one popping up on PBS, I breathed a sigh of relief.  Let's just hope it's opening the doors for many more to come.

You can watch the episodes online at PBS.

 War and Peace

After Napoleon's invasion of Austria, Pierre Bezukhov inherits his father's fortune, leaving him at the mercy of fortune seekers, especially Helene Kuragin. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky goes off to war, leaving his pregnant wife at home while Natasha Rostova is left worrying about her brother Nikolai who has also gone off to fight in the war. Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton star in this four-part mini-series event.

This may only be a 4 part series, but it looks like it's going to be amazing.  I watched the first episode and it was so good.  You can watch it online as well at Lifetime.

Jericho

Set in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1870s, the drama from production company, ITV Studios, focuses upon the shanty town of Jericho, home to a community that will live, thrive and die in the shadow of the viaduct they’ve been brought together to build.

Oh my goodness, this series is so good, it also helps that the main character is portrayed by Jessica Raines from Call the Midwife.  If you enjoyed Hell on Wheels, you will certainly enjoy this one.  There have been 2 episodes so far and the third airs today.  You can watch both online by going here.

Beowulf:  Return to the Shieldlands

Set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel.

I've always loved Beowulf, and have watched pretty much anything that has been made about the one of the world's greatest literature, so am really excited about this new version.  I think there have been 3 episodes already and you can watch them all live through ITV or online here.

 Dickensian

Drama set within the fictional realms of Charles Dickens' critically acclaimed novels, bringing together some of his most iconic characters as their lives intertwine in 19th-century London.

Who doesn't love Charles Dickens?  How exciting is it to have an actual series on the air that centers on this amazing author.  This is such a good series.  You can catch up with the episodes on BBC iplayer or online here.

 

Texas Rising

TEXAS RISING is a 10-hour event series that details the Texas Revolution and the rise of the Texas Rangers.

I was saying earlier that the USA doesn't have many good period dramas, but that was before I came across this one on the History network.  Oh goodness, this looks amazing and there are episodes out already.  I'm going to check it out today.  You can too by watching on the History Channel network or online here.

Versailles

Versailles is a Franco-Canadian historical television series about the construction of Versailles Palace during the reign of Louis XIV that premiered on November 16, 2015 on Canal +. In 1667, 28-year-old all-powerful king of France, Louis XIV, decides to build the greatest palace in the world – Versailles. But drained budget, affairs and political intrigues complicate things.

Another fantastic series that you have to add to your list to watch.  I don't know where I'm going to get the time to watch it all, but I'm sure I can squeeze in a few episodes here and there.  Watch Season 1 online here.  There is a Season 2 coming sometime in the future too.

The Hollow Crown - The Wars of the Roses

Henry VI part 1, Henry VI part 2, Richard III

Adaptations of Shakespeare's History Plays, Richard II, Henry IV parts 1 & 2, and Henry V

I still haven't watched the first series, I didn't get a chance to, but I'm adding it to my list and will try and get to it this weekend.  Meanwhile the second series is set to be released this year and just look at some of the cast.....Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard III.  OH MY!!!!


There are a few others that are coming up, like Queen Victoria in 2017 starring Jenna Coleman from Doctor Who.  I love anything to do with Queen Victoria and have watched all the movies that are out, so this should be good, an actual series as opposed to a movie on the life of Victoria.

As they become available, I'll be sure to share them with you.  I know there are quite a few of you out there who love Period Dramas just as much as I.

This list should have you set for a while right????