Shows Like Reign You Definitely Need To See

The CW is known for teen dramas. The 1998 premiere of "Dawson's Creek" (on what was then known as the WB) launched a trend of creative shows dedicated to teenage audiences that is still going strong 25 years later. Recent years shifted focus from vampires, socialites, and high school melodrama to comic book noirs and superhero origin stories. However, the empathetic exploration of that delicate time between childhood and adulthood has remained the same. One of the network's most unique teen dramas is "Reign," a historical romance depicting the early life of Mary, Queen of Scots (née Mary Stuart). Sent to France at the age of 15 to marry Crown Prince Francis (Toby Regbo), Mary must contend with disastrous prophecies from Nostradamus (Rossif Sutherland) and attacks from her future mother-in-law while forging alliances to support her struggling nation without betraying her own heart.

Created by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie SenGupta, the series ran for four seasons, wrapping up just shy of Mary's imprisonment and subsequent execution at the hands of her cousin Queen Elizabeth I (Rachel Skarsten). Eschewing historical fact for captivating drama, "Reign" leans into a feminist retelling of the monarch's life, with frank depictions of love and sex through the lens of young women trapped in a patriarchal system of oppression. But it's hardly the first series to explore young romance through history. The following is a list of must-watch shows any fan of "Reign" is sure to love.

King Henry VIII is among the most famous and fascinating monarchs in the history of Britain. Father of Mary Stuart's cousin Elizabeth I, the egocentric king ruled for 36 years and is known for his six marriages and for instigating the English Reformation to marry Ann Boleyn, whom he eventually sentenced to death. Series creator Michael Hirst captures this pivotal time in the Showtime drama "The Tudors." Season 1 begins with Henry (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), obsessed with producing a male heir, falling in love with the progressive and vivacious Anne (Natalie Dormer). As the political landscape of Europe changes, Henry, consumed with his image and legacy, cycles through wife after wife. The fourth season concludes with a subdued king married to Catherine Parr (Joely Richardson) and nearing the end of his life.

From salacious affairs to grisly executions, Hirst makes the most of his premium channel freedom and presents the period in graphic detail. The series also boasts an impressive cast, including Meyers as the narcissistic King and Sam Neil as his advisor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. The ensemble also features several actors on the cusp of stardom, such as Annabelle Wallis as his third wife, Jane Seymour, and a pre-Superman Henry Cavill as the king's brother-in-law, Charles Brandon. "The Tudors" may be fuzzy on some historical details, but it effectively captures the excesses of an era rich in scandal and seduction.

An equally turbulent but less well-known period in British history is the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487), the 32-year conflict that effectively placed the House of Tudor on the English throne. Adapted from three historical novels by Phillipa Gregory, "The White Queen" captures this era. The series follows Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson) as she vies for power by aligning herself with powerful men and pulling the strings of history behind the scenes. Its single season concludes with Henry VII (Michael Marcus)'s victory over Richard III (Aneurin Barnard), ensuring the throne for the House of Lancaster and the future reign of his son Henry VIII. Yet, this action is mere window dressing for a nuanced story about a woman at a turning point in history.

Filled with romance and palace intrigue, "The White Queen" also explores rumors that Elizabeth and her mother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg (Janet McTeer), were witches who used magic to improve their standing in the realm. The show also depicts the heartbreaking mystery of the princes in the Tower, Elizabeth's two young sons who were imprisoned (and likely murdered) in the Tower of London to remove them as claimants to the throne. The 10-episode series boasts two spin-off series, each based on novels by Gregory. "The White Princess" follows Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, parents of Henry VIII, and "The Spanish Princess" tells the story of his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, the woman he used as an excuse to tear the country apart when she did not give him a son.

Extending even further back in history is the shocking story of "The Borgias." Led by Rodrigo Borgia (aka Pope Alexander VI), played by Jeremy Irons, this Italian family committed an astounding number of crimes in a quest for power and was the inspiration for the siblings in Mario Puzo's "The Godfather." Set during the Italian Renaissance, the Showtime drama tells a fictionalized version of Rodrigo's ascension to the papacy. A companion piece to "The Tudors," Neil Jordan's scandalous period piece explores the sex, violence, and scheming associated with one of history's most notorious families.

Though the show centers on Irons as Rodrigo, the most fascinating character is Lucrezia Borgia (Holliday Grainger). The beautiful papal daughter was known as a manipulative murderer, willing to do anything to gain more power for her family. She was rumored to wear a ring with poison inside that she used to discreetly kill guests at dinner parties. While "The Borgias" does not present Lucrezia as an angel, it is rather forgiving of her infamous reputation. Jordan explores the emotional life of a woman constantly sold to men through marriage as she searches for the most powerful alliance. Lucrezia eventually seeks refuge in the arms of her older brother, Cesare (François Arnaud), adding incest to the show's already scandalous premise. Scholars disagree about the nature of this relationship. However, Jordan presents this possibility while positing that the taboo affair likely occurred only after years of abuse at the hands of her father and the uncaring husbands he essentially sold her to.

"Vanity Fair," the story of another scheming woman, is a 2018 adaptation of the Victorian novel by William Makepeace Thackeray. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the story follows Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) and her attempts to navigate London's high society and improve her social status using the limited tools at her disposal. The story also follows her opposite, Amelia Sedley (Claudia Jessie), a kind and generous woman representing the era's feminine ideal. Alternately titled "A Novel without a Hero," the original story was Thackeray's attempt to deconstruct Victorian literary trends, making it a perfect text to present an often oversimplified period for a modern audience.

Creator Gwyneth Hughes sets her version of the frequently adapted story apart by situating it within contemporary television trends. The opening theme song is a version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," and a fictionalized Thackeray (Michael Palin) occasionally pops in to guide the audience through the story. Olivia Cooke plays the fascinating Becky Sharpe with a modern comedic flair. While this proved off-putting to some critics, her habit of breaking the fourth wall is a bold choice that highlights her character's manipulative tendencies. As Cooke sharpens her claws, the audience can see the beginnings of her shrewd turn as Queen Alicent Hightower from HBO's "House of the Dragon." While "Reign" tells a historical story through the lens of contemporary drama, "Vanity Fair" attempts to deconstruct traditional Victorian adaptations with the trappings of modern satire.

"Bridgerton" is the story of a British family in Regency-era London attempting to maintain their social status with an advantageous marriage for their oldest daughter, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor). The debutante quickly becomes the diamond of the social scene when she is favored by Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). The second season follows her playboy brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), as he searches for a wife while balancing the responsibilities of leading the family after his father's death. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, the story is framed with a gossip column written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), adding a "Gossip Girl" touch to a centuries-old story.

"Bridgerton" is a progressive retelling of the period and plays fast and loose with historical accuracy. Reportedly inspired by theories of the real Queen Charlotte's African ancestry, the show depicts a racially diverse London that casts characters of color in positions of power and prominence. "Bridgerton" is also remarkably sex-positive and attempts to tackle feminist issues like patriarchal norms and the more modern phenomenon of incel culture. This alternate version of history, imbued with Shondaland's trademark wit and charm, was a massive hit for the streaming service. After Season 1 topped viewership charts, the highly anticipated Season 2 broke its impressive record to become the streamer's most-watched English language show. A spin-off series following a young Queen Charlotte is currently in production and set to premiere in 2023.

The 2019 series "Sanditon" may be a perfect blend of Victorian romance and modern storytelling. Based on the unfinished novel by Jane Austen, the British drama stars Rose Williams as Charlotte Heywood, a young woman determined to escape her meager upbringing in the seaside resort town of Sanditon during England's Regency era. Austen's original 11 chapters comprise most of the first episode, with creator Andrew Davies building on the established characters and plot for the remainder of the series. The completed story proved divisive among critics and Austin scholars, with many detractors claiming the author would never have included such explicit sex and nudity. However, others insisted she would have loved Davies' soapy storytelling.

"Sanditon" was canceled in 2019 after airing in the United Kingdom, but American fans who had discovered the Victorian drama during its 2020 run on PBS quickly mounted a #SaveSanditon campaign to revive the series. Their work paid off, and PBS announced the production of two additional seasons as a part of their "Masterpiece" series. Due to a lapse in filming, several original cast members had already moved on to other projects, including Theo James, who would later appear as a wealthy philanderer on Season 2 of HBO's "The White Lotus." With a few plot adjustments and a new love interest for Charlotte, Season 2 aired in 2022 to mostly positive reviews. A third and final season is set to premiere in March of 2023.

Arguably, the reigning queen of romantic fiction is "Outlander." The historical fantasy from creator Ronald D. Moore is an adaptation of the massively popular series of novels by Diana Gabaldon. The time-bending series follows Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe), a combat nurse serving in the British Army as she's swept back in time 200 years and forced to marry a Highlander named Jaime (Sam Heughan) during the Jacobite Risings. Initially determined to return to her husband in 1946, she falls in love with the dashing warrior and must choose between the life she's always known and the happiness she never dreamed she'd find.

"Outlander" could be considered a spiritual cousin to "Reign," as it features direct descendants of Mary, Queen of Scots, and is set in the country she dedicated her life to defending. Mary was a distant relative of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a claimant to the throne of England who fights alongside Jaime in the Battle of Culloden depicted in Season 2. The plot expands as Jaime and Claire become entangled in European history and eventually make their way to the American colonies in time for the Revolutionary War. The seventh season is set to premiere in 2023 before an 8th and final season concludes their epic love story. However, a spinoff series, "Outlander: Blood Of My Blood," is currently in production and will reportedly venture even further back in time to tell the story of Jaime's parents.

The Apple TV show "Dickinson" depicts American literary royalty. The show stars Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson in a coming-of-age story about the young poet's teenage years. Though Dickinson was known to be extremely reclusive in adulthood, confining herself to her room for long periods, the show is a family dramedy that explores Emily's combative relationship with her traditional mother and a possible romantic relationship with her best friend and sister-in-law, Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt), to whom Emily dedicated several poems. The show explores this scholarly theory, presenting a love triangle between Sue, Emily, and her brother Austin (Adrian Enscoe), who would later become Sue's husband. "Dickinson" received accolades for its depiction of young queer love and was honored with a nomination for outstanding comedy series at the 2022 GLAAD Media Awards Ceremony.

In addition to Oscar nominee Steinfeld, the series also stars Jane Krakowski as Emily's mother and Anna Baryshnikov as Emily's sister, Lavinia, who was instrumental in getting her poems posthumously published. Wiz Khalifa makes several appearances as the personification of Death, a frequent element in Emily's poems, and John Mulaney appears as Henry David Thoreau, Emily's distant cousin and contemporary. Other famous writers featured are Louisa May Alcott (Zosia Mamet), Edgar Allan Poe (Nick Kroll), and Walt Whitman (Billy Eichner). The series finale ends with Emily finally reconciling with her family but retiring to her room, an ominous harbinger for the years to come.

Of all the female monarchs in European history, few are so maligned as Catherine the Great. The Prussian princess, born Sophie von Anhalt-Zerbst, became Empress of Russia after successfully dethroning her husband, Peter III, in 1762. Hoping to bring the Enlightenment to her adopted land, Catherine ushered in an era of cultural renaissance and geographical expansion, establishing Russia as one of the central powers in Europe. Unfortunately, being a strong woman in the 18th century often proved unpopular, and Catherine became the focus of vicious rumors about her sexuality, including a persistent lie that she died while making love to a horse.

Hoping to combat this derisive legacy, "Catherine the Great" is a dramatized account of the empress' life reconstructed largely from her correspondence with friends, lovers, and various contemporaries. The four-part HBO miniseries stars Helen Mirren and follows Catherine from 1764, two years after her ascension to the throne, to her death in 1796. Mirren hoped to rewrite the narrative about this impressive historical figure, telling Bustle, "History doesn't like very successful, very powerful women. And it is terrible the way history has judged Catherine." Like Mary, Queen of Scots, Catherine the Great was a woman punished for daring to assert power in a time of rampant patriarchal oppression. Though occasionally overshadowed by its lavish costumes and set decor, "Catherine the Great" adds depth and humanity to an inspirational but frequently mocked historical figure.

The story of Catherine the Great is told from the opposite end of the narrative spectrum in Hulu's black comedy series "The Great." Created by Tony McNamara, who also co-wrote Oscar darling "The Favourite," the cheeky series examines Catherine's life through a satirical lens, hoping to capture the emotional experience of her time in Russia for a modern audience. Subtitled "An Occasionally True Story" and later "An Almost Entirely Untrue Story," the series is proudly anti-historical. McNamara told The Guardian, "In my head, I'm kind of making a contemporary show that feeds off an era in history."

Season 1 opens with a naive young Catherine (née Sophie) traveling to Russia, excited to meet her future husband, Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). She's shocked when he initially pranks her by mocking her appearance to his cabinet. He then callously consummates their marriage without breaking conversation with a friend who follows him into her bedchamber. Upping the ante, Season 2 features a scene-stealing appearance by Gillian Anderson as Catherine's disapproving mother, Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, who is horrified to learn that Catherine has undone her careful matchmaking. With production on the third season complete, "The Great" should be returning to Hulu sometime in 2023. Audiences won't learn much of substance about Russian history, but they will see a humorous and often heartbreaking depiction of a woman, like Mary, Queen of Scots, attempting to claim power in a man's world.

Fans of stuffy historical documentaries are better off avoiding the Netflix docudrama "The Last Czars." However, casual history buffs who love a little scandal and sex with their education will love the bawdy series. The reign and final days of the last Russian Czar, Nicholas II (Robert Jack), unfold over six episodes from his ascension to the throne in 1894 to his execution at the hands of the Bolsheviks in 1918. Told in parallel timelines, "The Last Czars" explores Nicholas's struggles to conceive a male heir and rule a rapidly changing Russia. His time as Czar is framed by a 1925 timeline in which a woman hospitalized in Germany claims to be Princess Anastasia, the long-lost survivor of the brutal massacre that ended the Romanov line.

Rife with mistakes and inaccuracies, including a misspelled Cyrillic label on a bottle of vodka, the show has been derided by critics, with Viv Groskop of The Guardian going so far as to claim that "the whole of Russia is laughing..." Others gave more positive reviews and described finding unexpected delight in the sultry depiction of Rasputin and the juxtaposition of gratuitous sex scenes with talking head historians. With a wildly varying tone, "The Last Czars" feels like a clumsy mashup of History Channel specials and trashy soap operas. It's not particularly good, but it is endlessly entertaining, often because of its flawed execution.

PBS' "Masterpiece" has a long tradition of prestigious historical dramas, but none has broken through to the mainstream like "Downton Abbey." Set in Yorkshire in the early 20th century, the series follows the fictional Crawley family and the lives of their household staff. The series begins with news of the sinking of the Titanic, a disaster that has claimed the lives of the family's male heirs. When a distant relative, solicitor Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), emerges as a replacement, he begins a tumultuous romance with eldest daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), whose gender precludes her from inheriting the estate. The show launched the career of Dan Stevens and made an unlikely heartthrob of Irish actor Brendan Coyle — thanks to his swoon-worthy romance with Lady's Maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt).

After a successful run on ITV, "Downton Abbey" premiered to rave reviews on American TV as part of the 40th season of "Masterpiece," with Entertainment Weekly claiming, "It's the biggest PBS phenomenon since Sesame Street." The story unfolds over six seasons and two films, with annual Christmas specials airing from 2011 to 2015. Though some historians have noted the unlikely warmth between nobility and their staff and others have complained about upsetting content in the 3rd and 4th seasons, "Downton Abbey" is nonetheless a crowd-pleasing and cozy drama that depicts the lives of the rich and the poor and how they intertwine during times of great societal change.

Though modern audiences are more familiar with the record-breaking reign of Queen Elizabeth II, she was preceded by another long-ruling female monarch, Queen Victoria. The 18-year-old princess ascended to the British throne in 1837 after the deaths of her father and older brothers left her the sole member of the House of Hanover. In addition to presiding over the Victorian era, the backdrop against which many entries on this list are set, Queen Victoria is known for having a deeply loving relationship with her husband, Prince Albert. This story is brought to life in the ITV series "Victoria," starring Jenna Coleman as the revered queen and Tom Hughes as her beloved spouse. The series follows the young monarch through her coronation, courtship, marriage, and motherhood during a time when death in childbirth was frighteningly common.

Despite mostly positive reviews, "Victoria” failed to connect with audiences and took an indefinite break after its third season. Though conceived as a six-season arc, it now seems unlikely that the show will continue. Representatives from ITV have stated there are currently no plans for a fourth-season revival. Perhaps that's for the best, as the final years of Queen Victoria's life were scarred by Albert's untimely death, which plunged her into prolonged mourning. Season 3 concludes in 1851, a full 10 years before death would rip apart the passionate couple.

The British monarchy enters the modern age with the Netflix prestige drama "The Crown." Chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the series from creator Peter Morgan begins with the young princess's marriage to Philip Mountbatten in 1947 and follows a rapidly changing Great Britain into the 21st century through the eyes of its monarchy. Reinventing itself with a fresh cast every two seasons, Morgan focuses on events within the royal family, like Princess Margaret's scandalous relationship with Peter Townsend and those that rocked the country, such as the unprecedented fog of 1952 and the devastating Aberfan disaster in which a colliery spoil tip collapsed and slid into the tiny town, claiming 144 lives.

A bit more serious than "Reign," "The Crown" includes its fair share of scandal. Season 5 features the bitter divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana due to Charles's continued affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles. The inclusion of recent events has also garnered its share of controversy, with many confidants of the late Diana Spencer taking issue with how she's portrayed. Exquisite attention to detail and stellar performances have earned "The Crown" 21 Primetime Emmy wins, including outstanding drama series for its fourth season and a slew of acting awards and nominations for its central cast. The fifth season premiered just two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, adding a bittersweet touch to Imelda Staunton's performance. The sixth and final season is currently in production and will depict the equally heartbreaking death of Princess Diana.

No matter how many historical dramas and documentaries we watch, most of us will never have the opportunity to peer into the private lives of real royalty. The Netflix documentary "Harry & Meghan" gives us this chance in a six-part documentary created by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. Beginning with their individual lives in the spotlight, the series includes interviews with the world-famous couple, their friends and family, and experts on the British monarchy giving an intimate look into the couple's decision to leave their royal lives behind.

Early episodes describe the couple's meeting on Instagram, followed by their lavish and stressful royal wedding. The show's back half takes a dark turn, as Meghan is relentlessly harassed by the British media — including numerous attacks with racist undertones. The couple claims a desire to set the record straight regarding their decision to renounce their royal titles and move to North America. The controversial series ignited a firestorm of media coverage, with some attacking the British media and royal family for its cruel treatment of Meghan and others accusing the princess of narcissism and airing family grievances in the public eye. Love it or hate it, "Harry & Meghan" offers an insider's look into a real historical drama playing before our very eyes.