If you are a Netflix subscriber and costume drama enthusiast, then you probably want to know what your best options are on the streaming giant. Because let’s face it, sifting through the plethora of titles on Netflix can prove quite daunting.
Below are three options currently streaming on Netflix to fulfill your costume drama needs. The CW’s Reign , the BBC miniseries North & South , and the Netflix original Medici: Masters of Florence all comprise the staples of a great costume drama, grand storytelling involving epic romances, and edge-of-your-seat tension.
1. Reign
According to Deadline , the CW series will be coming to an end with its fourth season . So catch up on the fan favorite series before it begins its end. Reign stars Adelaide Kane as the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots and loosely follows her life through the various travails, scandals, and triumphs that would encompass it.
Reign shares something in common with the third entry on this list, the Medici family. One of Cosimo de Medici’s real-life descendants, Catherine de Medici (Megan Follows) plays a central role on the CW series as one of the three queens vying for control throughout the lavish drama. It is an interesting connection between the two series, each of which provides valuable insight into the famous family.
So what can you expect when you watch Reign ? Similar to Game of Thrones , you can expect court intrigue, plotting, and mental battles galore. Reign is more romantically inclined than Game of Thrones , an ingredient the HBO juggernaut has yet to explore full tilt. It is an aspect that enriches Reign considerably. The first three seasons of Reign are currently available to stream on Netflix U.S. Reign Season 4 premieres February 10 on the CW.
2. North & South
This 2004 BBC miniseries has a passionate following, and after you see it, you will know why. This enchanting, romantic drama is set in Victorian-era England. North & South follows the spirited Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe) as she and her parents relocate from their southern home to an industrial town in Northern England, which they quickly learn is a far cry from their rural life in the south.
As she settles in, Margaret soon finds herself taking up the plight of the local mill workers and clashing with the headstrong and noble man, who owns one of the area’s most prominent ones, John Thornton (Richard Armitage). Armitage’s performance would serve as his breakthrough role.
Intricately told within the span of four one-hour episodes, North & South is a sweeping example of romance done right, patiently cultivated with two likable lead characters. Thanks to a stellar acting ensemble and a plethora of amiable supporting characters, North & South deserves to be binge-watched. North & South is currently available to stream on Netflix U.S.
3. Medici: Masters of Florence
If you have been missing Game of Thrones and been wondering what Richard Madden, who portrayed the ill-fated Robb Stark, has been up to since his curtain call, one of the answers is Medici: Masters of Florence . A rousing costume drama that charts the rise of the Medici family at the hands of Cosimo de Medici (Madden), who leads his family to become one of the most powerful dynasties in history.
A tale filled with sweltering schemes and scintillating drama, Season 1 of Medici: Masters of Florence runs for eight episodes, and if you have already binge-watched Netflix’s royal drama The Crown , Medici: Masters of Florence has the capacity to fulfill your regal appetite. Like Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown , Cosimo (Madden) always has a fire to put out.
Richard Madden expertly leads the series, while his co-star Annabel Scholey blazes onto the screen with a star-making performance as Cosimo’s long-suffering and loyal wife, Contessina. This Netflix series is a winner. The entire first season of Medici: Masters of Florence is currently available to stream on Netflix U.S.
Between Reign , North & South , and Medici: Masters of Florence , Netflix has your costume drama needs covered.
[Featured Image by Noam Galai/Getty Images]