Done with ‘The Buccaneers’? Watch these next
Done with ‘The Buccaneers’? Watch these next
Period setting, modern attitude — these dramas are anything but old-fashioned.
Historical dramas aren’t usually my thing. I’ve always thought of them as stiff and overly proper — think “Downton Abbey,” with all the quiet tension and formal dinner scenes. But there’s a new wave of period dramas that feel way more fun and chaotic in the best way. “The Buccaneers” on Apple TV+ is a perfect example: bold, fast-paced, and full of modern flair. If that one caught your attention and you just finished watching Season 2, here are four more shows that hit a similar vibe: period setting, but with a lot more bite.
The Buccaneers
A group of fun-loving American girls burst onto the scene in tightly corseted 1870s London, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash. Sent to secure husbands and status, the buccaneers’ hearts are set on much more than that.
Loved ‘The Buccaneers’? Watch: ‘The Gilded Age’
If “The Buccaneers” hooked you with all the money, scandal, and high-society rule-breaking, “The Gilded Age” is an easy next watch. It’s still all about rich Americans trying to claw their way into elite circles — only this time it’s New York in the 1880s, and the tension between old money and new is just as brutal. There’s less modern flair here (no pop soundtrack or Gen Z vibes), but the drama? Still delicious. You’ve got petty rivalries, social climbing, and fierce women who know exactly how to play the game.
What makes “The Gilded Age” stand out is how big it feels. Every costume, every mansion, every party is over-the-top in the best way. And while it leans more traditional than “The Buccaneers,” the show knows exactly when to stir things up — especially with its younger characters pushing back against all the rules they’re supposed to follow. If you’re into the idea of old New York being just as cutthroat as modern reality TV, this one’s for you.
Watch next: ‘Bridgerton’
Gossip has never looked this good. “Bridgerton” takes all the corsets and courtship of a traditional period drama and cranks up the color, the chemistry, and the chaos. From the very first ball, the show makes it clear this isn’t your grandma’s Regency romance. It’s fast, flirty, and full of slow-burn tension that somehow still feels modern. There’s a mysterious gossip columnist stirring the pot, forbidden romances, and more steamy glances than you can count.
What really sets “Bridgerton” apart is how much it lets its characters want things — power, passion, independence — and then actually go after them. Each season dives into a different love story, but there’s also a bigger world at play, with siblings, scandals, and shifting social rules that mirror some of the themes “The Buccaneers” digs into. It’s stylish, dramatic, and totally addictive in the best way.
Bridgerton
Wealth, lust, and betrayal set in the backdrop of Regency era England, seen through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.
Watch next: ‘Sanditon’
Not every period drama gets a second chance, but “Sanditon” pulled it off — and then some. Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, the show starts out feeling like a classic Austen setup: a young woman arrives in a seaside town full of secrets, suitors, and strong opinions. But what unfolds is more emotionally layered and unpredictable than you might expect. It leans into the messiness of ambition, heartbreak, and class politics, while still giving you sweeping romance and beachside longing looks.
What makes “Sanditon” special is how much freedom the characters are given to change. Charlotte, the lead, isn’t stuck in a neat, tidy arc — her story twists, resets, and evolves over the seasons. There are losses that actually sting and love stories that don’t always go the way you think. And even though it’s a quieter, more grounded show than “The Buccaneers,” it still taps into that same energy of young women pushing against what’s expected of them. It’s thoughtful, romantic, and full of surprises.
Sanditon
The spirited and impulsive Charlotte Heywood moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort.
Wild card: ‘The Great’
No one’s rewriting history quite like “The Great.” It’s technically a period piece, but the second anyone opens their mouth, you realize this show is fully unbothered by being accurate — and that’s what makes it so good. Elle Fanning plays Catherine the Great with a perfect mix of optimism, rage, and sarcasm, while Nicholas Hoult turns Emperor Peter into one of the most ridiculous (and weirdly likable) man-children ever put on TV. It’s fast, filthy, and full of jaw-dropping moments that somehow still manage to feel grounded in real emotional stakes.
What makes “The Great” a perfect wild card is how confidently it swings between absurd comedy and actual pathos. One second, someone’s getting poisoned at dinner, the next, you’re watching Catherine quietly question whether power is worth the cost. It’s loud, stylish, and totally unhinged — but underneath all that chaos is a sharp exploration of gender, politics, and ambition. If “The Buccaneers” left you wanting something a little meaner, a lot funnier, and just as visually stunning, this one’s hard to beat.
The Great
A genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th century Russia following the rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great and her explosive relationship with husband Peter, the emperor of Russia.
More to watch after finishing ‘The Buccaneers’:
‘Dickinson’ | Apple TV+
Dickinson
Emily Dickinson. Poet. Daughter. Total rebel. In this coming-of-age story, Emily’s determined to become the world’s greatest poet.
‘Vanity Fair’ | Prime Video
Vanity Fair
In a world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having, no one is more determined to climb to the heights of English society than Becky Sharp.
‘Sense and Sensibility’ | Hulu
Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility is a 2008 British television drama, based on Jane Austen’s 1811 novel of the same name. The screenplay was written by Andrew Davies, who said that the aim of the series was to make viewers forget Ang Lee’s 1995 film version. As such, this series was more overtly sexual than previous Austen adaptations, and Davies included scenes featuring a seduction and a duel that are suggested in Austen’s novel but absent from the feature film.
A story of two sisters attempting to find happiness in the tightly structured society of 18th century England. Elinor, disciplined, restrained and very conscious of the manners of the day, represents sense. Outspoken, impetuous, emotional Marianne represents sensibility.
‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ | Netflix
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Young Queen Charlotte’s marriage to King George of England sparks an epic love story and transforms high society in this “Bridgerton” universe prequel.