The Best Historical Fiction TV Shows

Updated February 18, 2021 13.5k votes 4.0k voters 206.0k views70 items

List RulesVote up the best historical fiction shows that tell stories from the past through a new lens.

This is a list of the best historical fiction series on television, ranked from best to worst. Whether historical dramas, comedies, or action shows, TV series set in real history have rich source material and great stories to tell. This list of the greatest historical fiction shows also includes pictures from the shows when available. Popular historical fiction TV series have been a staple of television for years, because we love to learn about our ancestors via a compelling narrative rather than dumb books, so there's often debate about which are the top historical fiction series of all time.

Don't let your favorite historical fiction television programs in history get to the bottom of the list- be sure to vote them up so they have the chance to reach the top spot. The list of historical fiction television shows below includes information like the program's cast, creator and premiere date when available. This list includes historical fiction TV series such as Vikings, The Tudors, Deadwood, and many other history TV shows. Just because every detail in the series isn't textbook-level accurate doesn't mean the show isn't realistic - it's historical fiction, after all. And these are the best historical fiction series of all time!

This list answers the questions, "What is the best historical fiction show of all time?" and "What are the greatest historical fiction shows?" Vote up your favorite historical fiction series and rewrite what history you want to watch.

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Vikings
Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick
Premiered: 2013
Network: History
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The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill
Premiered: 2007
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, Showtime, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC Television, TV3
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Downton Abbey
Hugh Bonneville, Phyllis Logan
Premiered: 2010
Network: ITV, PBS
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Rome
Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson
Premiered: 2005
Network: HBO
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Outlander
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan
Premiered: 2014
Network: Starz
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The Borgias
Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud
Premiered: 2011
Network: Showtime
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Black Sails
Jessica Parker Kennedy, Toby Stephens
Premiered: 2014
Network: Starz
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Reign
Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows
Premiered: 2013
Network: The CW
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Hell on Wheels
Anson Mount, Colm Meaney
Premiered: 2011
Network: AMC
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The Pillars of the Earth
Ian McShane, Matthew Macfadyen
Premiered: 2010
Network: Starz
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264
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Deadwood
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane
Premiered: 2004
Network: HBO
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John Adams
Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney
Premiered: 2008
Network: HBO
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The Last Kingdom
Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson
Premiered: 2015
Network: BBC America
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Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory
Premiered: 2013
Network: BBC Two
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Turn: Washington's Spies
Jamie Bell, Angus Macfadyen
Premiered: 2014
Network: AMC
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Versailles
George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos
Premiered: 2015
Network: Canal+, Ovation
More
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World Without End
David Bradley, Oliver Maltman
Premiered: 2012
Network: ReelzChannel
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Pride and Prejudice
Colin Firth, Lucy Davis
Premiered: 1995
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation
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Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Eric McIntire, Daniel Spink
Premiered: 2010
Network: Starz!
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Roots
LeVar Burton, Olivia Cole
Premiered: 1977
Network: American Broadcasting Company
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#162 of 201 The TV Shows with the Best Writing#28 of 91 Great Historical Black Movies Based On True Stories
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Marco Polo
Benedict Wong, Olivia Cheng
Premiered: 2013
Network: Starz
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The Musketeers
Tom Burke, Luke Pasqualino
Premiered: 2014
Network: BBC
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Call The Midwife
Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart
Premiered: 2012
Network: BBC One
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Poldark
Judy Geeson, Ralph Bates
Premiered: 1975
Network: BBC One
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The Man in the High Castle
Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans
Premiered: 2015
Network: Amazon Video
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Versailles