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The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years  

Ranker TV
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List Rules Only shows that premiered Season 1 on or after January 1, 2015.

If you're fascinated by stories of bygone eras, these new historical shows may satisfy your craving to be transported to a different time and place. Since 2015, nostalgia has hit the airwaves in the form of some amazing series set in previous decades or even centuries. Which new historical dramas are right for your viewing pleasure? Which of these recently premiered shows is truly the best? Help decide by voting below. 

What shows will you find on this best new historical drama shows list? In 2015, Netflix dropped the captivating drama Narcos about drug lord Pablo Escobar and the DEA agents who try to bring him down. If you're interested in royal history, The Crown traces the royal family's history, beginning in the 1940s. The first season of American Crime Story took viewers back to the '90s to relive the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson. Other good series featured on this best new historical drama TV series list include The Last Kingdom, Poldark, and Wolf Hall.

Which historical drama show do you like the best? Vote your favorites up to the top of this list and please add any good shows we may have missed.

list ordered by
1
Poldark is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Denise Schult added Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Farthing

Poldark is a British-American drama television series that was first broadcast on BBC One on 8 March 2015, starring Aidan Turner in the lead role. The first eight-part series (aired in seven parts in the U.S.was based on the first two Poldark novels by Winston Graham, adapted by Debbie Horsfield and directed by Edward Bazalgette and Will McGregor.

Poldark (BBC One, 2015) is a British-American drama television series created by Debbie Horsfield, based on the novels by Winston Graham. Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) returns home after American ...more
2
The Crown is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby
The Crown (Netflix, 2016) is an American-British biographical drama series about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The series begins with the 1947 wedding of young Elizabeth ...more
3
Narcos is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook
Narcos (Netflix, 2015) is an American drama web-television series created by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro. A chronicled look at the exploits of Colombian Pablo Escobar, as well ...more
4
American Crime Story is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Sterling K. Brown, Kenneth Choi, Christian Clemenson
This show is an American anthology television series developed by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Each season is presented as a self-contained miniseries, following separate unrelated ...more
5
Victoria is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, Peter Bowles
Victoria (ITV, 2016) is a drama television series created by Daisy Goodwin. The show depicts first few years of the reign of Queen Victoria (Jenna Coleman), from her accession to the throne at ...more
6
The Last Kingdom is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Alexander Dreymon, David Dawson, Tobias Santelmann
The Last Kingdom (BBC America, 2015) is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels. In 872 England, an unlikely hero (Alexander ...more
7
Frontier is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Jason Momoa, Alun Armstrong, Landon Liboiron
Frontier (Netflix, 2016) is a Canadian-American historical drama television series co-created by Brad Peyton, Rob Blackie, and Peter Blackie. Declan Harp (Jason Momoa), a part-Irish, part-Cree ...more
8
Taboo is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Tom Hardy, Leo Bill, Jessie Buckley
Taboo (FX, 2017) is a British television drama series created by Tom Hardy, Edward "Chips" Hardy, and Steven Knight. James Delaney (Tom Hardy) returns to England after twelve years in ...more
9
Versailles is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos, Tygh Runyan
Versailles (Canal+, 2015) is a television series created by Simon Mirren and David Wolstencroft. In 1667, 28-year-old all-powerful king of France, Louis XIV (George Blagden), decides to build ...more
10
War and Peace is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton
War & Peace is a 2016 British-American historical period drama television serial, based on Leo Tolstoy's classic novel.
11
Outlander is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Kari Castanza added Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies
Outlander is a British-American television drama series based on the historical time travel Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon. Created by Ronald D. Moore and produced by Left Bank ...more
12
Wolf Hall is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, Claire Foy
Wolf Hall is a British television serial first broadcast on BBC Two in January 2015. It is a six-part adaptation of two of Hilary Mantel's novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.
13
Gunpowder is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Kit Harington, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss
Gunpowder (HBO, 2017) is a British historical period drama television series developed by Ronan Bennett, Kit Harington, and Daniel West. British activist Guy Fawkes (Tom Cullen) and a group of ...more
14
The Deuce is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
James Franco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gbenga Akinnagbe
The Deuce (HBO, 2017) is a television drama series set in and around Times Square, New York. It tells the story of the legalization and ensuing rise of the adult industry in New York beginning ...more
15
The Son is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Pierce Brosnan, Henry Garrett, Zahn McClarnon
The Son (AMC, 2017) is a western drama television series based on the book of the same name by Philipp Meyer.
16
Z: The Beginning of Everything is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Christina Ricci, Gavin Stenhouse, David Hoflin
Z: The Beginning of Everything (Amazon, 2015) is a period drama television series created by Tim Blake Nelson. It is based on Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler. Starring ...more
17
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Bertie Carvel, Eddie Marsan, Marc Warren
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a seven-part British fantasy television series to be shown on BBC One, adapted by Peter Harness from Susanna Clarke's best-selling novel of the same name, to ...more
18
Feud is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Alfred Molina
Feud (FX, 2017) is an anthology television series developed by Ryan Murphy. The first season centers around the backstage battle between Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange) and Bette Davis (Susan ...more
19
Doctor Thorne is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Tom Hollander, Stefanie Martini, Harry Richardson
Doctor Thorne (ITV, 2016) is a three-part (divided into four parts for broadcast in North America) television drama adaptation of the Anthony Trollope novel Doctor Thorne scripted by Julian ...more
20
Medici Masters of Florence is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Dustin Hoffman, Richard Madden, Stuart Martin
Medici: Masters of Florence is a television drama series about the Medici dynasty set in 15th century Florence. Cosimo the Elder (Richard Madden) was elected head of the Florentine Republic in ...more
21
Indian Summers is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Nikesh Patel, Jemima West
Indian Summers is a British/American drama series that began airing on Channel 4 on 15 February 2015. The show details the events of summers spent at Simla, in the foothills of the Himalayas, by ...more
22
The Collection is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best New Historical Drama TV Series of the Last Few Years
Richard Coyle, Tom Riley, Mamie Gummer
The Collection (Amazon Video, 2016) is a web-television drama series created by Oliver Goldstick. In a post-war Paris fashion house, two clashing brothers fight for recognition, while struggling ...more