8 swoon-worthy period dramas to watch while you're waiting for Bridgerton.

We are in a romantic crisis. And I blame Shonda Rhimes.

Because it has been a whopping 18 months since Bridgerton Season 3 aired and here I am, still waiting. Thankfully, we have been given a premiere date for the fourth season — but we still have another month to go.

So, I have taken matters into my own hands and gathered some seriously good options for the divas who need to see someone yearn and someone else flex their hands in a dramatic ye olde fashion.

I'm not going to jump in here and recommend that you watch The BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries. I do think you should watch that. But I fear it is the most-recommended romantic period drama of all time.

I'm not going to tell you to check out Little Women or Emma, either. If you're a fan of the genre, I know you've already seen the classics.

So, if you're in search of something else to watch, then I am here to try my darn hardest to help!!

I've rounded up some of the shows, movies and miniseries that you may not yet have seen (but definitely should) that could try and fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in your heart.

The Artful Dodger, Disney+

Image: Disney Plus.

This Australian-based period drama is one of my favourite TV shows of the last few years — boasting a host of local and international talent to bring this Oliver Twist spin-off to the screen.

Set in 1850s Australia, 15 years after the events of Oliver Twist, the series follows Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) a reformed pickpocket turned Navy surgeon. He's now working as a doctor in a small hospital in Port Victory, living a respectable life within the local community. But when someone from his past returns to haunt him in the convict colony, he returns to a world of crime.

The series blends high-stakes crime with high-stakes medical drama — warning, things can get a little graphic as this is a pre-modern-medicine story.

But more than work and chaos, the series centres on the relationship between Dawkins and his friend/potential love interest/medical protégée, the Governor's daughter, Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell).

Season 1 is available to stream on Disney+ with a second season coming in 2026. No time like the present to get into it!

My Lady Jane, Prime Video

Image: Prime Video.

Introducing My Lady Jane, where period drama meets fantasy!

My Lady Jane is a British historical fantasy television series, loosely based on the true story of the successors to King Henry VII: his son, King Edward VIII, and his niece, Lady Jane Grey, in the 16th century.

In real life, Jane ascended the throne following Edward's untimely death and was promptly beheaded nine days later. But the TV series asks the question: what if she did not die and also she lived in a world filled with magic?

It follows Lady Jane Grey (played by Emily Bader) as she enters into an arranged marriage with Lord Guildford Dudley (Edward Bluemel), just before ascending the throne (and quickly finding herself amidst a convoluted plot to overthrow her rule).

Sadly, it wasn't renewed for a second season, but the first is able to stand on its own — and you can check it out on Prime Video.

Mr. Malcom's List

Image: Universal Pictures.

I love, love, LOVE this film.

Mr Malcom's List is a regency-era period film with a very Bridgerton-esque vibe in comedy, tomfoolery, and sweet romance.

Mr Malcom (Sope Dirisu) is one of the most eligible bachelors in the ton, with an intense list of requirements for his potential future bride — with standards that are too high for any woman to meet.

When Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is rejected by Mr Malcom, she enlists the help of her cousin, Lord Cassidy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), and her childhood friend, Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto), to trick him into falling in love before ultimately breaking his heart.

Chaos ensues, love prospers, and Theo James is there and looks incredibly dapper. It's a swoon-worthy good time.

It's currently available to rent or buy on Google Play, Apple TV+ or Prime Video.

Sanditon, Britbox and Stan

Image: Stan

Oh, did I just mention Theo James? I'm going to do it again! Because he stars in this lovely series.

In this Jane Austen adaptation, her unfinished novel Sanditon is given new life with a romantic, devastating, continued storyline.

In this beachside tale, Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) leaves behind her rural upbringing to move to the growing fishing village of Sanditon — where she encounters society rules, enchanting balls, and eligible bachelors (including Sir Sidney Parker, played by Theo James).

The season was briefly cancelled in December 2019 before being resurrected in 2022, but that did lead to some casting and tone shifts between the first season and the next two. So… bear that in mind.

But if you can move past the sudden shift it's still an entertaining show, and if not, maybe just wrap things up after your first binge of Season 1.

Dickinson, Apple TV+

Image: Apple TV.

This series is a cult-favourite with a big fandom on social media — but it even won a prestigious Peabody Award for its first season in 2019.

It stars Hailee Steinfeld in the titular role, portraying the acclaimed author Emily Dickinson in the 19th century.

Across three seasons, it explores Emily's work, her artistic endeavours in society, and her relationships with family, friends, and most significantly, romantic partners — with the series exploring the long-held understanding that Emily was queer.

It's funny, moving, and deeply bingeable.

Rosaline

Image: Disney.

This twisted take on Romeo & Juliet is, quite simply, a bit of fun. Yes, it's a period drama set well before the regency era of Bridgerton and the like — but it's similar in some of its uses of modern music and romantic banter.

The film follows Rosaline, the girlfriend of Romeo and the cousin of Juliet — who was the former's love interest until the latter entered the picture.

It questions what the experience would have been like from her perspective (with more than a few tweakments to the original source material).

Kaitlyn Dever stars as Rosaline, with supporting parts played by Minnie Driver, Bradley Whitfield, Christopher McDonald, Isabela Merced and more.

It's very funny and just a bit ridiculous — but a good time will be had by all. Recently removed by Disney+ the movie is currently available to rent or buy on Google Play, Apple TV+ and YouTube.

Vanity Fair, ABC iView

Image: ITV.

A miniseries based on the iconic novel by William Thackeray, Vanity Fair is an exploration of society against the backdrop of the Napoleonic War — with particular focus on the cunning, impoverished orphan Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) who schemes her way up society's ladder.

Bridgerton's Claudia Jessie stars as Becky's best friend, Amelia Sedley, and they're joined by Tom Bateman, Johnny Flynn, Charlie Rowe and more.

It's a seven-part drama, leaving just enough time to dive deep into the complex friendships, feuds, and romantic rendezvous of the time.

The Buccaneers, Apple TV+

Oh, this delightfully odd and chaotic show!

The Buccaneers is also a period drama based on a novel — the book by Edith Wharton, to be exact.

In the 1870s, the "Buccaneers" are five ambitious young women and daughters of the American nouveau riche—Nan and Jinny St. George (Kristine Froseth and Immy Waterhouse), Conchita Closson (Alisha Boe), and Lizzy and Mabel Elmsworth (Aubri Ibrag and Josie Totah).

The women temporarily relocate to London following Conchita's marriage to a nobleman — all in the hopes of securing husbands (at least, that's what their mothers hope to see happen).

The series blends modern tunes, extravagant costumes, and wild love stories — much like Bridgerton. It can get a little bit ridiculous at times, but it's all part of the fun.

Feature Image: Prime Video.