Downton Abbey is one of the most beloved period dramas ever to grace the screen. Full of a diverse collection of characters, from the high-brow aristocracy to the common servants downstairs. Its convoluted plot threads and high drama captured the imagination of the world over.
Now that the series is over and fans have finished the hotly anticipated first film, perhaps they're in need of something new to watch? Do they need more of these excellent British actors but in a new genre? Or perhaps they want some more of that period drama goodness but with a brand new set of characters following their viewing of the 2022 film? These shows are perfect additions to a fans' list of what to watch after Downtown Abbey.
Updated on May 23rd, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: The recent release of Bridgerton on Netflix.
Cable Girls (2017-2020)
- Available to stream on Netflix
This Spanish Netflix series isn't set in the English countryside, but in Spain, and in the 1920s. It doesn't have a lot in common with Downtown Abbey if fans are looking for the same setting, but it does in of social dynamics and the era.
If what intrigues fans about Downtown Abbey are the complex relationships between the show's female characters and the stories of women figuring out their place in society, then Cable Girls is certainly for them. It centers on four women who get jobs working for the phone company, but for very different reasons, as their stories intersect.
Bridgerton (2020- )
- Available to stream on Netflix
Set in a very different era as Bridgerton combines the real history of Regency England with fictional stories adapted from romance novels, the series is certainly steamier than Downtown Abbey.
The relationships amongst the Bridgerton family, however, give the stories the same insular feel of Downtown's being centered on the same household. Both series also follow the relationship dynamics of several characters over years, not just romantic, but familial and professional. Bridgerton is the soapier successor to Downtown.
Foyle's War (2002-2015)
- Available to stream on Prime Video
Foyle's War is a British series for the mystery-lovers in the Downtown Abbey audience. It's not all set in the English countryside, but it's still got plenty of the same charm.
The series takes place in the aftermath of World War II for the most part, but it's not a war series. Instead, it focuses on Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle while he investigates all manner of crimes on English soil. The bulk of the stories are focused on everyday crime, but there are plenty of counterintelligence threats to investigate in the wake of the war as well.
Dickinson (2019-2021)
- Available to stream on AppleTV
For fans who wish Downtown Abbey featured more poetry and queer love stories, there's Dickinson. While it centers on famous poet Emily Dickinson as a young woman, it does take a lot of liberties with history, like events happening in the wrong order or changing the ages of people to better serve the story being told.
All of that can be forgiven because the series is both charming and dramatic, highlighting just how social conventions stifled so many people in Dickinson's day just as some characters find themselves trapped by societal rules in Downtown Abbey.
Reign (2013-2017)
- Available to stream on Netflix
Like both Dickinson and Bridgerton, Reign takes a lot of liberty with history, but it is inspired by real historical figures. Set primarily in instead of England, the bulk of the story focuses on the love life of Mary, Queen of Scots, while she lives in and still tries to maintain her connections to Scotland.
Of course, the series features plenty of scandal amongst Mary and her ladies in waiting, but it also highlights the tensions created when the different royal families of the era had different religious beliefs. Much of the conflict in the story is centered on that particular social divide.
All Creatures Great And Small (1978-1990)
- Available to stream on BritBox
Based on the books by veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, All Creatures Great and Small is a mix of country living in the 1930s and watching cows give birth. Premiering in 1978, the show focuses on James Herriot, a veterinarian who s a practice in the Yorkshire Dales. The first run of the series was based on the books while the second contained original stories that led up to World War II.
All Creatures is a quiet show with glorious filmed views of the British countryside. It also features Peter Davidson as another vet -- the owner's little brother. Fans of Doctor Who know Peter as the fifth Doctor. It might be interesting to see how his character on the All Creatures differs from the one he portrayed later. The series also has a 2020 remake now airing.
The 1900 House (1999)
- Currently unavailable to stream
The 1900 House placed a late-20th century family into an early-20th century environment for a three-month period. During that time, they had to dress, eat, and do chores families would do in the late Victorian era. Actually, the ladies would do all the chores, as was the norm in 1900.
The award-winning UK version of the show, which aired on BBC Channel 4, revealed how family dynamics were changed as they lived in a setting where refrigerators, portable phones, and indoor plumbing were not available. A few years later, Channel 4 created The Edwardian Country House. This featured a family of five and 14 servants who lived in a Scottish country home.
EastEnders (1985- )
- Available to stream on BritBox
There is no quiet British charm in this series. Instead, viewers of EastEnders get a daily dose of the soap opera drama that Downton Abbey did so well. Based in the East End of London, the show has been on the air since 1985. It continues to be not only popular, but also an award-winning program.
The show's initial family, the Beale-Fowlers, continue to remain the focal point. It's around them that the daily activities of the borough of Walford spin. Like American soaps, there are good and bad times for those who live in the area. Fans might not initially see the series as a show like Downtown Abbey, but, EastEnders is a program that shows how life might have been for the Crawley family if their fortunes had turned.
Home Fires (2015-2016)
- Available to stream through Prime Video
Home Fires is a drama that looks at life as World War II starts to ramp up for the UK. It focuses on of the Women's Institute, a charitable organization formed at the end of the 19th century. With a rural setting, Home Fires has the insular feel that Downton Abbey had.
The show really digs into this community setting. For instance, the first episode shows the WI ladies gathering wild blackberries to make homemade jam. As war is declared, these women worry about their husbands and children going into battle and how they will deal with day-to-day activities when it happens. Through its two series, Home Fires shows how people tried to maintain their daily routines in the midst of regular bombing raids.
Mr. Selfridge (2013-2016)
- Available to stream through Prime Video
Set in the same timeframe of Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge looks at London's retail world in the first two decades of the 20th century. The series stars Entourage actor Jeremy Piven as the real-life Harry Gordon Selfridge. For 20 years, the man became a retail magnate by opening and managing the London-based Selfridge's department store.
Selfridge's goal was to bring the American style of shopping to London. He made it an adventure instead of a chore. The series focuses on the rough start of his venture and how it survived during World War I and the Roaring Twenties.
