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Couldn’t get enough of Netflix’s Bridgerton? It’s safe to say you’re not alone.
Following its premiere on Christmas Day in 2020, the show quickly became Netflix’s most successful series premiere ever, with more than 82 million households tuning in, according to Entertainment Weekly. Set in Regency-era Britain, the Shonda Rhimes-produced series follows the Bridgerton family as they navigate high society and eldest daughter Daphne tries to secure a husband for herself — thus securing her and her family’s future standing.
While the plot itself is absolutely addictive and chock-full of the kinds of juicy twists and turns that have made Shonda Rhimes a household name in binge-able TV, part of what’s really set the show apart is its diverse casting. Unlike the numerous period pieces set in Britain that have come before it, Bridgerton isn’t the usual whitewashed story where the only Black people are side characters who are barely on screen (and that’s when they exist at all). The ever-so-angsty (and ever-so-dreamy) Duke of Hastings Simon Bassett is the male lead and is portrayed by a Black actor, as is the literal Queen of England and numerous other characters. Not only that, their race isn’t central to the plot; they’re allowed to simply exist, as white characters so often are.
Since its premiere, Bridgerton has won over audiences with its modern, fresh take on a classic story and has left fans eager for more. While you’d be hard-pressed to find a period piece that’s just as diverse as Bridgeton (unfortunately!), there are a number of options to consider if you’re looking for another bingeable series — or at least a quality movie night pick — to fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in your heart.
From Barry Jenkins’ TV show The Underground Railroad to Belle, Sanditon, and more, read on for our favorite period pieces that feature casts as diverse as Bridgerton’s — or at least close.
A version of this article was originally published in March 2021.
‘100 Days My Prince’
100 Days My Prince came out in 2018 and features a love story that’s brimming with drama. When a crown prince loses his memory, he lives the life of a commoner and, though his memory has faltered, experiences a love he’ll never soon forget as the husband to Joseon’s oldest bachelorette.
The series is now streaming on Netflix.
‘The Underground Railroad’
Barry Jenkins, the brilliant director behind Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, took on Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad for a new Amazon Prime TV series that will haunt you and hold you captive. Thuso Mbedu stars as Cora, an escaped slave from a Georgia plantation, who finds her way towards Whitehead’s fictional vision of the Underground Railroad as a real railroad running on real tracks and taking Cora far away.
‘Belle’
If Bridgerton left you dying to see more black people in British period pieces, then Belle should absolutely claim the top spot on your to-watch list. This 2013 film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the biracial daughter of an enslaved woman and a white officer in the British navy. Following the death of her mother as a child, Dido goes to live with her father’s family and later, as an adult, must navigate a world where she’s treated as though she doesn’t belong, eventually finding purpose in life, and confidence in her identity, by joining the movement to abolish slavery.
‘Les Misérables’
Les Misérables is a classic for a reason. This iconic French novel has been made into movies, musicals, and every other form of media you could probably think of since its publication in 1862, but those hoping for a more diverse retelling of Victor Hugo’s story should check out the 2018 remake by PBS and BBC One. David Oyelowo, known for his starring roles in movies like Selma and Come Away, delivers a memorable performance as chief antagonist Javert for this six-episode mini-series which also features well-known names like Lily Collins and Dominic West. As always, get your tissues ready with this one.
‘Call the Midwife’
This long-running BBC and PBS series centers around midwives working in London’s East End in the 1950s and ‘60s and has been well-received by critics and viewers alike. While the show lacked diversity in the early season, season seven saw the introduction of the first Caribbean midwife on the series, Lucille Anderson, who leaves her native Jamaica to travel to England, study nursing, and work as a midwife. The show is also pretty true-to-life – it’s based on the memoirs of real-life midwife Jennifer Worth — so if you need a new show to binge for weeks on end, look no further than this one.
‘Year of the Rabbit’
This short-lived British series aired on Channel 4 before its cancellation and followed a trio of hardened detective types as they solved crimes in Victoria-era London. Alongside Matt Berry as the lead character — hard-drinking Detective Inspector Rabbit — was Susan Wokoma, who portrayed Sergeant Mabel Wisbech, whose cleverness and ambition led her to become the first female police officer. You’ll likely recognize Wokoma from her memorable appearances in other UK series like Chewing Gum and Crazyhead, and, unsurprisingly, she’s just as endearing and laugh-out-loud lovable in Year of the Rabbit as fans have come to expect.
‘River Where The Moon Rises’
River Where The Moon Rises debuted in 2021, and combines romance with a sprawling epic. The South Korean series follows the love story of Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal, the main characters from a Goguryeo folktale.
Though born to royalty, Princess Pyeonggang was raised as an assassin, and is wholly prepared to fight for her country. On Dal favors peace above conflict, but once he begins to fall for the warrior princess, On Dal starts prioritizing her safety over everything else.
Watch here.
‘Sanditon’
Is there anything better than relaxing on a Sunday afternoon and binging a PBS period piece? If your to-watch list is getting too short, Sanditon is another British period drama that’s embraced diversity and is well worth a watch. The series is based on the unfinished Jane Austen novel of the same name and features the character of Georgiana Lambe, an outspoken heiress to a sugar fortune who hails from the West Indies. As described by actress Crystal Clarke in a PBS interview, “She’s the richest person in every room, which is great. In period dramas, people of color are often very tragic, but Miss Lambe is not tragic.”
‘Hamilton’
It’d be nearly impossible to talk about diverse period pieces without talking about Hamilton, which broke numerous barriers by having a diverse cast portray historical figures like Alexander Hamilton — and captivating the world in the meantime by using hip hop to tell complex, difficult stories on stage. While before, you needed to be lucky enough to nab a ticket to an in-person performance in order to see Hamilton, the play premiered on Disney+ on July 3, 2020 (and single-handedly helped us all hold on to our sanity for a little longer while self-quarantining).
‘Little Dorrit’
If there’s one thing Britain has no shortage of, it’s period pieces. Little Dorrit, based on the Charles Dickenson novel of the same name, tells a classic story of family, loyalty, and the secrets we keep to protect those we love. While the main cast in this series is largely white, the series does feature an appearance by Freema Agyeman, of Doctor Who and Sense8 fame, as a side character who’s involved in an intriguing subplot of her own.
‘Hidden Figures’
There’s more to period pieces than British high society. The term is defined as any series, book, or movie that emphasizes a specific historical period, and when it comes to the 1960s, no movie does that quite like Hidden Figures. Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae, and Octavia Spencer command the screen in this based-on-a-true-story tale about the black women mathematicians whose work behind the scenes played a pivotal role in getting the U.S. space program where it is today. Unsung heroes, much? If you like your period pieces with a side of inspiration, this is one you can’t miss.
‘Mr Malcolm’s List’
If you loved the casual diversity of Bridgerton (and obviously, who didn’t?), then Mr. Malcolm’s List is sure to please. This short film, released by Refinery29 in 2019, is set in the early 1800s in England and stars Gemma Chan as a young woman attempting to win over the mysterious Mr. Malcolm, a wealthy bachelor played by Sope Dirisu. Little does she know that Mr. Malcolm has a lengthy list of qualification his ideal wife must possess. If you fall in love with this short film, get ready for even more good news — it’s based on a book, and that book is being developed into a feature film scheduled to debut in 2022!
‘Palm Trees in the Snow’
If you’re looking for a break from the typical stuffy British period pieces, this is one movie you definitely want to add to your list. This 2015 film was made in Spain and tells the amazing story of a young woman who digs into her family’s history, only to uncover a heartbreaking story of clandestine romance and family obligations gone horribly wrong. Based on the novel of the same name, the story takes place in Spain as well as at a plantation in Africa in the 1950s, and deals with a ton of tough themes. Prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster – you will feel all the feels — before pushing play on this one.
Watch on Netflix here.
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