Downton Abbey may have drawn the curtain on the beloved ITV saga, however, Netflix offers a wealth of period dramas. For viewers eager to fill that void, the streaming giant is renowned for its vast collection of original and licensed content spanning numerous genres, and boasts an impressive selection of costume and historical productions perfectly suited to Downton Abbey devotees.
Much like the beloved ITV period drama that became a worldwide phenomenon after American audiences became utterly captivated by every twist and turn in Julian Fellowes' fast-paced series, Netflix has three spectacular costume dramas that could arguably surpass Downton Abbey itself. Here's a closer look at each one and what viewers have had to say about them.
Netflix's magnificent House of Windsor epic The Crown is unrivalled in its excellence, according to devoted fans since its debut in 2016. The series, crafted by The Queen screenwriter Peter Morgan, chronicles the British monarchy from the beginning of Queen Elizabeth II's reign through to the 2005 wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. The Crown underwent several cast changes to reflect the passage of time, with Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton each taking on the role of Queen Elizabeth II. The Crown amassed a remarkable collection of awards, including 24 Emmys and two Golden Globes for best series, while Netflix disclosed back in 2020 that 73 million households had tuned in since its launch in 2016. Given that the series concluded in December 2023, considerably more viewers would have caught the show since that point. Furthermore, a notable spike in viewership followed the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, as 17.6 million hours of The Crown were streamed on Netflix, the platform confirmed to CNN.
Regency bodice-ripper Bridgerton, adapted from the much-loved historical romance novels by American author Julia Quinn, stands as another hugely popular period drama on Netflix. Each series centres on a different lead couple and explores various romantic storylines, amongst them friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers and fake courtship blossoming into genuine romance. Bridgerton proved a runaway success following its arrival around Christmas 2020, transforming into a massive pop cultural sensation much like Downton Abbey. The opening season accumulated 113,300,000 views within the initial 91 days of release, while the third season attracted 106,000,000 viewers upon its debut. The programme stands as Netflix's ninth most watched English-language series ever, Variety reported earlier this year. Since its original launch and following subsequent seasons, it's been viewed by hundreds of millions of devotees - and the figure continues climbing.
Opinion remains divided on whether Bridgerton surpasses Downton; nevertheless, one Redditor commented: "Hard to say. Bridgerton is an alternative history romantic fantasy as compared to a period drama. I watch it, but to me it's not nearly as good as Downton Abbey." Another stated: "I love both Downton Abbey and Bridgerton, but they are very different shows." A third observed: "I loved 'Bridgerton,' but an attempt to draw similarities and differences to 'Downton Abbey' is a proverbial apples-to-oranges comparison. I enjoy both for the space they occupy in entertainment."
