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The Best Historical Fiction TV Shows

Updated January 15, 2021 14.0k votes 3.9k voters 203.9k views66 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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185
Vikings
Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick
Premiered: 2013
Network: History
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2
777
218
The Tudors
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill
Premiered: 2007
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation, Showtime, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC Television, TV3
3
589
170
Downton Abbey
Hugh Bonneville, Phyllis Logan
Premiered: 2010
Network: ITV, PBS
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4
592
207
Rome
Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson
Premiered: 2005
Network: HBO
5
180
15
Outlander
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan
Premiered: 2014
Network: Starz
6
463
186
The Borgias
Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud
Premiered: 2011
Network: Showtime
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7
335
120
Black Sails
Jessica Parker Kennedy, Toby Stephens
Premiered: 2014
Network: Starz

8
640
271
Reign
Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows
Premiered: 2013
Network: The CW
9
275
97
Hell on Wheels
Anson Mount, Colm Meaney
Premiered: 2011
Network: AMC
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10
273
110
The Pillars of the Earth
Ian McShane, Matthew Macfadyen
Premiered: 2010
Network: Starz
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11
271
151
Deadwood
Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane
Premiered: 2004
Network: HBO
12
726
85
The Last Kingdom
Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson
Premiered: 2015
Network: BBC America
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13
225
105
John Adams
Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney
Premiered: 2008
Network: HBO
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14
387
60
Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory
Premiered: 2013
Network: BBC Two
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15
185
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Turn: Washington's Spies
Jamie Bell, Angus Macfadyen
Premiered: 2014
Network: AMC
16
260
68
Versailles
George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos
Premiered: 2015
Network: Canal+, Ovation
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17
290
87
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Eric McIntire, Daniel Spink
Premiered: 2010
Network: Starz!
18
234
61
Pride and Prejudice
Colin Firth, Lucy Davis
Premiered: 1995
Network: British Broadcasting Corporation
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106
48
World Without End
David Bradley, Oliver Maltman
Premiered: 2012
Network: ReelzChannel
20
193
55
Marco Polo
Leonard Nimoy, Anne Bancroft
Premiered: 1982
Network: NBC
21
118
68
Roots
LeVar Burton, Olivia Cole
Premiered: 1977
Network: American Broadcasting Company
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22
176
56
The Musketeers
Tom Burke, Luke Pasqualino
Premiered: 2014
Network: BBC
23
217
83
Marco Polo
Benedict Wong, Olivia Cheng
Premiered: 2013
Network: Starz
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98
30
The Man in the High Castle
Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans
Premiered: 2015
Network: Amazon Video
25
65
8
Call The Midwife
Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart
Premiered: 2012
Network: BBC One
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Versailles