18 Highest-Rated Period Dramas on Netflix in December 2023, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

Here's the ultimate list of the 18 highest-rated period dramas on Netflix this December, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes because, let's be honest, it's 2023, and still nothing says 'quality viewing' like a high Tomatometer score. From tales of royal intrigue that make our office politics look like child's play, to heart-wrenching love stories that make us glad Tinder exists, these period pieces are your ticket to a world where the drama is as thick as the British accents.

18. "Marco Polo" (2014 – 2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

A historical drama that follows the adventures of the famous explorer Marco Polo at the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, depicting political intrigue, betrayal, and cultural clashes in the Mongol Empire.

17. "Troy: Fall of a City" (2018 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

A retelling of the ancient Greek epic of the Trojan War, this series combines myth, history, and drama to depict the decade-long war between Troy and the Greek city-states.

16. "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker " (2020 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Based on a true story, this series chronicles the life of Madam C.J. Walker, an African American washerwoman who rises to become America's first female self-made millionaire through her hair care empire. The cast alone is stellar: Octavia Spencer, Blair Underwood, Tiffany Haddish and Carmen Ejogo deliver some truly brilliant performances.

15. "Frontier" (2016 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

Set in the late 18th century in North America, this series portrays the violent struggle over the control of the fur trade, featuring a part-Irish, part-Native American outlaw campaigning to breach the Hudson's Bay Company's monopoly.

14. "The Empress" (2022 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

A historical drama that explores the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, focusing on her unexpected rise to power, the challenges she faces within the Viennese court, and her passionate and tumultuous relationship with Emperor Franz Joseph.

13. "Bodies" (2023 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

A complex, time-spanning series set in London, following four different detective investigations linked by the discovery of the same body in Longharvest Lane at four different times: 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053. The investigations become interconnected with far-reaching consequences. The series starts with Detective Inspector Alfred Hillinghead attending Longharvest Lane in 1890 when the same body is discovered.

12. "The Crown " (2016 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

A biographical story about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, this series delves into the personal and political challenges faced by the British royal family over several decades.

11. "Women at War" (2023 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Set in 1914, this French drama focuses on the lives of four women from different backgrounds who face personal and collective challenges as they navigate the onset of World War I.

10. "Barbarians" (2020 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%

A German historical drama that depicts the famous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where Germanic tribes halted the northward expansion of the Roman Empire in 9 AD.

9. "The Last Kingdom" (2015 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Based on Bernard Cornwell's "The Saxon Stories" series, this historical drama follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon noble captured and raised by Vikings, as he seeks to reclaim his ancestral land.

8. "Peaky Blinders " (2013 – 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

A British crime drama that follows the Shelby crime family post-World War I in Birmingham, England, led by the ambitious and cunning Tommy Shelby as they establish their hold on the city.

7. "Vikings: Valhalla" (2022 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

A sequel to "Vikings," this series is set 100 years later and follows the adventures of famous Vikings like Leif Erikson, Freydís Eiríksdóttir, and Harald Hardrada as they make their mark on history.

6. "Transatlantic" (2023 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

This series explores the complex and dangerous escape routes of refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II, focusing on the intertwined fates of a disparate group of characters.

5. "Band of Brothers" (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

A critically acclaimed miniseries based on Stephen E. Ambrose's non-fiction book, depicting the history of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from jump training to major World War II battles.

4. "Alias Grace" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%

Based on Margaret Atwood's novel, this series tells the story of Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant and servant in Upper Canada who is convicted of the brutal murders of her employer and his housekeeper.

3. "The Law According to Lidia Poët" (2023 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Based on the true story of Italy's first female lawyer, this series follows Lidia Poët as she navigates the legal profession in a male-dominated 19th-century society, fighting for her right to practice law.

2. "War Sailor" (2023 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Set during World War II, this series chronicles the perilous and emotional journey of Norwegian merchant navy sailors as they face dangerous sea missions and the impact of war on their personal lives.

1. "The Lost Pirate Kingdom" (2021 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

A docudrama that delves into the golden age of piracy, focusing on the lives, politics, and battles of infamous pirates like Blackbeard and Charles Vane in the lawless Bahamas.