Shows like Bridgerton: what to watch after you finish season one

We hear you: if you’re trawling for shows like Bridgerton right now, look no further – we’ve got you covered.

Season one of the Netflix series, which dropped on Christmas Day, was everything we needed from our Christmas TV this year: the eight-episode series contained heaps of escapism, heated romance, stellar acting and dazzling costumes. 

While we wait for official confirmation on a second season of Bridgerton, we’ve listed all the best shows to binge-watch now, with similar themes to our beloved period drama. 

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SHOWS LIKE BRIDGERTON: what to watch after Bridgerton

Gentleman Jack 

If you're in need of another period drama, then Gentleman Jack is sure to give you your historical fix. Based on the the decoded diaries of Anne Lister, a British landowner who became a queer icon, it's a love story like no other.

VANITY FAIR

Craving another period drama? Vanity Fair – a seven-episode mini-series adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel of the same name – is just the thing. Follow ruthless social climber Becky Sharp as she charms her way through British upper-class society. Set in the early 19th century, the same time period as Bridgerton (which begins around 1813), this show is a perfect follow-up with its gripping plot and dazzling costumes. 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Time for a rewatch of this 1995 TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel – another one set in the same period as Bridgerton. We don’t know about you, but the relationship between the Duke of Hastings (the dreamy Regé-Jean Page) and Daphne (played by Phoebe Dynevor) reminds us of lively Elizabeth Bennet and stubborn Mr Darcy. 

The Great

Elle Fanning stars in this drama about Catherine the Great, Russia's longest running female leader, alongside Nicholas Hoult. Between the costumes, great performances and sexy scenes, it has all the ingredients that made us fall in love with Bridgerton.

DOWNTON ABBEY

This award-winning British period drama set in the post-Edwardian era follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family: cue soap opera levels of gossip and comic snooty one-liners – ’What is a weekend?’ and a stellar cast including Maggie Smith and Lily James. The best part? There’s a whole six seasons to binge. 

GOSSIP GIRL

OK, it’s not a period drama – but Gossip Girl has many of the same ingredients that make Bridgerton so addictive: beautiful people falling in love (albeit from the New York elite rather than the British aristocracy), edge-of-your-seat drama, with vibrant wardrobes and stunning interiors to boot. Plus, the Gossip Girl narrator gives Lady Whistledown a run for her money.

EMILY IN PARIS

Netflix's hit series Emily in Paris offers one thing we’re all looking for right now: escapism, which can be easily found in idyllic modern-day Paris. We’re borderline obsessed with marketing-executive Emily Cooper’s designer wardrobe (who cares if it’s implausibly expensive?), and the sexual tension between her and neighbour Gabriel is enough to rival Bridgerton’s Daphne and the Duke of Hastings. 

SCANDAL

This American political thriller is a much-loved offering from Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes (also the woman responsible for Grey’s Anatomy, FYI). It follows Olivia Pope – played by Kerry Washington – who heads up a crisis management firm in Washington D.C. If you loved Bridgerton’s fast-paced drama, you’ll love Scandal.

Outlander 

If you flustered by the steamy sex scenes in Bridgerton, then wait until you watch Outlander. The show  follows British army nurse Claire Randall  who is enjoying a second honeymoon with her husband in Scotland  after World War II. However, her life changes forever when she's suddenly transported to 1743 and thrown into a mysterious new world where she meets a new man and finds herself caught between her two loves. 

Sanditon 

The eight-part ITV period-drama first aired back in 2019 and just like Bridgerton, it focuses on a romantic lead who is bound by his strong moral code. The show is based on Jane Austen's final novel, which was written just two months before her death. The plot follows protagonist Charlotte (played by Rose Williams) who moves to the quiet fishing village of Sanditon for a fresh start, only to almost immediately meet Sidney (played by the incredibly handsome Theo Campbell)  - a charming man who has ambitions to turn the tranquil seaside residence into a luxury resort. 

Dickinson 

Starring Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, this Apple TV period drama set in the 1850s focuses on the teenager as she struggles to follow her dreams of becoming a poet at a time when female writers were frowned upon (much like Eloise Bridgerton). In a coming of age story, Emily explores the constraints of society, gender, and family from her own creative an wonderfully imaginative perspective - one that is far beyond her time.