TV Insider's countdown of the 50 best historical dramas on TV continues with a glitzy addition: royals. Family dynasties from history books are ripe for the TV drama crop. From modern takes like The Crown and Mary & George to past hits like Wolf Hall (back soon!), Versailles , and more, here are the shows we love most.
Mary & George | Official Trailer starring Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine | STARZ
Hello, historians! Join us as we count down the 50 best historical dramas from both TV and film. Be sure to check out the April 2024 issue of TV Insider, on newsstands now.
Watch Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance) deftly work his way up from blacksmith's son to closest advisor to King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis, above) in this 2015 drama also starring a pre-Crown Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn. The show's tightly written, richly complex story of Cromwell's rise to power and his political exploits helped it win Golden Globes and Peabody Awards.
When teenage orphan Catherine de Medici (The Walking Dead’s Samantha Morton, above) arrives at the French court, her role is clear: produce heirs with her future husband. Morton dominates the screen in this 2022 series, which explores how Catherine used savvy political moves to establish herself as queen of France, a role she held from 1547 to 1559. After her death, her sons assumed the throne.
