Travel Back In Time With These 5 Historical Dramas For Fantasy Lovers
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Camille Williams. Find her on Instagram at @camiiwilliamss. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
If you’re a fan of a good historical drama as much as I am and love a little bit of fantasy added to the plot, then these shows are a perfect binge-watch. I love watching historical fiction because sometimes documentaries and historically accurate tv shows can be a little too dull. Period pieces loosely based on real events and people give me the perfect amount of history and storytelling. I also love when a period piece adds aspects of fantasy into its plot, it creates a world where I can learn about the characters and events but there is still always an element of surprise. Keep scrolling for 5 of my top historical fantasy shows.
Outlander (Starz)
At the top of my list is “Outlander.” This series focuses on a WWII nurse and her journey in Scotland. It has twists, turns and hurdles in what seems to be a never-ending path for Claire. The creative liberties taken add to the sense of fantasy and adventure, but it’s a great show for moderate historical accuracy in terms of the costumes and the events during the periods which line up well with what happened.
Reign (Prime)
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“Reign” will forever be one of my favorite historical dramas because of the emotion, the romance, and the amount of character development that everyone went through. This is a retelling of Mary, Queen of Scots during her time in France. Now, this show is probably one of the most historically inaccurate ones on this list, but the plot makes up for it. There are supernatural aspects that created a semi-fantasy-like feel to a more historically based storyline. This is a fun show to watch if you’re a fan of the Renaissance era and the House of Tudor but aren’t too bogged down with wanting an authentic portrayal of history.
Vikings (Hulu)
Shifting to something with a little bit faster pace, this show is a great watch for someone who likes an action-packed plot. It is set in medieval Scandinavia and follows the Norsemen on their journey for conquests. Because Vikings didn’t have a written language to chronologize these things, this show is not exactly historically accurate and uses a lot of creative license to create a more entertaining story arc. The Vikings believed in Norse mythology, and the show highlights some of the mystical traditions and practices they used to do.
The White Queen (Starz)
“The White Queen” is the first series produced in the trilogy. This is set in England during the War of the Roses, a conflict between the House of York and the House of Lancaster over the true heir to the throne. I think it does a good job of being historically accurate while still using liberties to add moments of enchantment. “The White Princess” is the next series, following the White Queen’s daughter, and retells the end of the War of the Roses. This spin-off moves a little bit slower in my opinion, but has the drama and still some of that supernatural aspect. “The Spanish Princess” is the third installment and one of my favorite historical dramas, but it doesn’t have much of a fantasy feeling so I would only suggest the first two if that’s what you’re looking for.
Game of Thrones (Max)
Moving on to probably one of the most epic shows of all time, in my opinion. “Game of Thrones” is the least historically accurate show on this list, but the one with the most fantasy and intrigue. It is vaguely based on the events of War of the Roses and the families have a lot of similarities to those of Lancasters and the Yorks if you pay close attention. This show brings elements of magical creatures, supernatural, etc. for those who love fantasy and adventure. There is also the recent prequel, “House of the Dragon” which is packed with just as much much magic and action.
Which of these historical fantasy shows is on your watch list? Let us know in the comments!