From lavish palaces to gritty battlefields, these remarkable series changed how we view historical drama on television. Join us as we explore the shows that broke new ground with their storytelling, production values, and cultural impact. From royal intrigue to wartime courage, these series set new standards.
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00:00whatever could be on your mind welcome to ms mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the
00:07shows and miniseries that changed the game upped the ante or started a new trend for period
00:14television and if we burn down the palace in the process we'll build a new one new palace new
00:19russia number 10. our flag means death who doesn't love hijinks on the high seas in its two seasons
00:28on hbo this comedy followed the adventures of the legendary captain blackbeard his crew and
00:35aristocrat steed bonnet who tags along in search of excitement much as i hate to admit it captain
00:41bonnet's theatrical instincts are finally old he's more than up to the challenge well thank you
00:48maybe i misjudged you let's do it this consistently funny rom-com was both a sleeper hit and critically
00:55acclaimed it raised the bar for period tv with its lgbtq plus representation and in particular the
01:02well-written main romance between blackbeard and bonnet i love you i love you i know i know that
01:12our flag means death resonated with audiences so much that it received multiple arts and entertainment
01:19awards for its inclusivity if you're looking for a cozy goofy take on swashbucklers this period piece
01:25is worth watching opening speech went well very inspiring uh oh yes i guess the big note is more
01:32energy we're swashbuckling we're looting let's have fun with it number nine rome et tu brute indeed
01:40a lavish and immersive epic rome portrays an ancient time period with plenty of era appropriate violence and
01:47sexuality go on then i've never actually tortured anyone i don't know how you don't know how they
01:56have specialists the show followed the rise and fall of some of history's most storied power players
02:02while depicting the machinations of the upper class it also showed the gritty everyday lives of the two
02:08roman soldiers drawn into the orbit of julius caesar octavian and mark anthony as well as the many other
02:16historical figures who appeared on the screen regarding pompey magnus i wish to apologize
02:23it was my actions you brought him here to this end if i had done my duty indeed
02:32dismiss part of rome's impact comes from its early ending there were five seasons planned but the same
02:38high production values that made it so great were costly and caused its early cancellation you're swearing now
02:46but someday you'll destroy me
02:52remember far better women than you have sworn to do the same
02:59go look for them now if you haven't seen it already you really should binge this game changer
03:05number eight outlander i am a woman of balnein the folk have stolen me over again
03:14the stone seemed to say i stood upon the hill and wind did rise
03:22and the sound of thunder rolled across the land a mix of historical fiction time travel romance and fantasy
03:29make this show a fan favorite trendsetter outlander is based on a novel series about a former world
03:35war ii military nurse who gets transported to 1743 1743 decades before the american revolution
03:45england and france are at war again one of the hanover kings is on the throne
03:50which one stranded in scotland she must navigate an older time and vastly different politics and
03:57social rules the drama makes its mark because of the romance that its plot revolves around you need
04:02not be scared to me nor anyone else here
04:08so long as i'm with you claire and her highland warrior love interest jamie electrify the screen keeping
04:15viewers invested in their relationship outlander is almost two period dramas in one by bending
04:21its genres together without breaking either it's a compelling watch for anyone who hasn't come across
04:27it yet i wanted to look well the same as when you last saw me
04:34time doesn't matter
04:39you will always be beautiful to me
04:41number seven call the midwife for a period piece that wonderfully depicts people outside of castles
04:47or manors look no further than this pbs gem i generally answer to chummy my pa used to say long
04:54dogs need short names follow me mind your head call the midwife depicts a group of nuns and young
05:00midwives providing medical and maternity care to vulnerable women in several periods from the 1950s to
05:07the 1970s the show makes this list because of its empathetic and down-to-earth way of dealing with
05:13difficult traumas such as abortion substance use disorder faith and racial inequality can i really
05:21understand my patient's problems when i'm so unworldly you are faced with a conundrum
05:30conundrums require solutions do you have one call the midwife also takes plot lines from real medical
05:39headlines in the periods covered including widespread disease outbreaks and health breakthroughs with a
05:45rotating cast and narration by acting great vanessa redgrave this gem's heartfelt narratives make a
05:52serious impact we had to weigh it looking the future in the eye
06:00not frightened at all number six bridgerton what is the meaning of this
06:13i've seen enough but your majesty there's still i have seen enough put on your fanciest suit or gown for
06:20this one few period dramas have had the same widespread impact as this regency london romance
06:26based on a series of novels bridgerton has the trend-setting touch of scandal with showrunner
06:31shonda rhimes as producer do not tell me that is yet another scandal sheet this one is different this
06:37one this subject's by name in full let me see its plot follows the matchmaking drama around the eight
06:44attractive wealthy bridgerton's siblings the show has enough pining longing glances and steamy intimate
06:51scenes to satisfy almost any romance enthusiast do you even know all the ways a lady can be seduced
07:00things i could teach
07:01i did not ask for this
07:10to be plagued by these feelings bridgerton makes a unique impact through elements like the use of modern
07:16music in its background score and its racially diverse cast on top of all that the show's comedic
07:22and anonymous narrator lady whistledown is voiced by julie andrews i was sharpening my knives
07:31for all of you number five downton abbey afternoon tea became a regular appointment for millions of
07:38viewers because of this period phenomenon oh don't worry there are plenty of hours in the day
07:44and of course i'll have the weekend we'll discuss this later we mustn't bore the ladies
07:48what what is the weekend this most watched show on pbs and itv depicted the trials and tribulations
07:56of the residents of a fictional estate in yorkshire england between 1912 and 1926 audiences followed
08:04complex plot lines about both the aristocratic crawley family and the lives of their domestic servants
08:10and um i will not insult you by asking that you also conceal lady mary's shame
08:18downton abbey commits fully to the lavish visual aesthetic of the post-edwardian era
08:23its stories cover major real events including world war one the sinking of the titanic and the
08:29spanish flu pandemic with two films released since the series end and third on the way
08:35downton abbey is definitely a household name in the genre you'd never want to leave
08:39downton and start up somewhere else would you and tell me truthfully what brought this on just tell me
08:47leave down i think we're stuck with it are we
08:52yes yes i believe we are number four madmen what you call love was invented by guys like me
09:01to sell my lines is that right this amc juggernaut set a new standard for 60s to 70s era period television
09:12over seven seasons mad men followed the employees of a new york city advertising agency their messy
09:18personal lives and the shifting culture of the united states so you'll find account executives and
09:24creative executives all mixed in together please don't miss the difference great hopefully if you follow
09:29my leads you can avoid some of the mistakes i've made here hello john like that one issues like the
09:35birth control pill racism homophobia social mobility and the prevalence of smoking are portrayed through
09:42the characters lives and intertwining journeys we also see the often cynical origins of many iconic
09:48american brands and ad campaigns the swinging 60s were a time of major upheaval for the home and for
09:55the workplace and mad men is a cutting exploration of what those changes actually looked like especially
10:02for women i just saved this company i signed the first new business since lucky strike left but it's
10:08not as important as getting married again well i was just made director of agency operations a title no
10:16money of course and if they poured champagne it must have been while i was pushing the mail cart
10:21number three roots there is nothing quite like this 1977 epic i became obsessed with a desire to
10:29know more about our family more about its history it was a search that would take me finally 12 years
10:36to complete and those things that i learned i wrote in a book called roots roots is based on a 1976 novel
10:44of the same name and follows the story of kunta kinte and his descendants starting with kunta's abduction
10:51from gambia africa in the 1750s to generations later in post-civil war america the miniseries was
10:58a landmark in inclusivity historical depictions and emotional narratives since we were taken from our
11:05homes i have learned another lesson what lesson i've learned to stay alive approximately 100 million viewers
11:17across the united states tuned in to witness the show's finale and roots won nine primetime emmy awards with
11:24its powerful storytelling by never shying away from the awful realities of slavery and america's early years
11:31stories like roots left an unforgettable mark on period tv what's your name
11:38gunter number two band of brothers world war ii has been depicted in countless films and tv shows but this
11:46hbo miniseries is truly unforgettable over 10 episodes viewers follow members of easy company
11:53of the u.s army's 101st airborne division from their training in 1942 to the end of the war you know
12:00they stuck ways as much as i do i still got my shoot my reserve shoot my may west my m1 why are you keeping
12:05your brass knuckles the show is based on real accounts from the division's veterans excerpts from their
12:11interviews are what open each episode i did things i didn't do them for medals i didn't do them for
12:17accolades i did them because it's what had to be done we see characters endure unimaginable traumas
12:25as well as watch major operations such as d-day and the liberation of a concentration camp some
12:31elements were changed to improve the narrative structure but band of brothers makes this list for
12:37its depiction of the horrifying effects of war is the war over sir no we have orders to back this
12:48god and we're gonna move out one hour before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions
12:53pride and prejudice because its commitment to the iconic source material makes it timeless
12:59it taught me to hope that i'd scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before
13:02i knew that had you absolutely decided against me you would have acknowledged it openly
13:08yes you know enough of my frankness to believe me capable of that deadwood because it's real life
13:14characters and historical accuracy portray a gritty wild west hold on to my horse i'll show you how to
13:20do it you know what we're doing put your hat back on and stick with your wagon and what if i don't
13:27stand there mouthing off and you'll find out boardwalk empire because it's
13:32detailed prohibition era setting highlights gangs corruption and power i come to pay my respects
13:40mr white we really need all these guns
13:49now if you put those down first the great because its humor adds a memorable spin on the life of catherine
13:56the great i don't want to kill you you're not a bad person i could kill you you are a bad person
14:07see i like you you're funny in a droll despairing sort of way i couldn't take a lot of it but
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14:30number one the crown there are many depictions of european monarchs in period television but this
14:36is in a category all its own but for better or worse the crown has landed on my head
14:43and i say we go the crown covers the life of queen elizabeth ii from her wedding to prince philip in the
14:491940s to the wedding of one of their sons in 2005. having served for 70 years the late queen elizabeth
14:56had the longest reign of any queen regnant in history and the crown takes full advantage of this
15:03you've been on this train for over half a century that's longer than any other queen
15:06purple queen victoria how effective was she by the end the main cast changes every two seasons to
15:12show the progression of time and nearly every performance is fantastic while some dramatic
15:17license was taken to improve the storytelling the show recreates numerous impactful events that many
15:23viewers were alive for the crown changed the game for period dramas because it might not ever be
15:29replicated i'm determined to win this battle sonny i don't often get into a fight but when i do i want
15:35to win what shows and miniseries do you think made a lasting impact on period television share your
15:41thoughts in the comments below what a congregate of heroes such vim i feel like helen of troy would
15:48you adjourn to the courtyard do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from ms mojo
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