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10 Must-Watch TV Shows Like Downton Abbey: The Ultimate List For 2025

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Are you searching for a new period drama to fill the aristocratic void left by the Crawley family? As of late 2025, the landscape of high-quality historical television is richer than ever, offering sumptuous costumes, complex class dynamics, and sprawling estate settings that will instantly transport you back in time. The enduring appeal of Downton Abbey lies in its masterful "upstairs/downstairs" structure, a theme that has been brilliantly replicated in several new and ongoing series, many from the same creative genius, Julian Fellowes.

This ultimate list moves beyond the obvious choices to bring you the freshest and most critically acclaimed historical TV shows that capture the essence of Downton Abbey’s charm, drama, and high production value. From the American Gilded Age to the scandals of Regency London, prepare to settle in for your next great binge-watch.

The New Aristocracy: Julian Fellowes' Spiritual Successors (2024/2025 Updates)

For fans craving the specific narrative touch of Downton Abbey’s creator, Julian Fellowes, there is no better starting point than his recent projects. These series maintain his signature focus on social hierarchy, generational shifts, and the clash between old money and new ambition.

1. The Gilded Age (HBO/Max)

Set in 1880s New York City, The Gilded Age is perhaps the closest spiritual successor to Downton Abbey, moving the high-stakes class drama across the Atlantic. The series centers on the arrival of young Marian Brook into the rigid society of her old-money aunts, Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook, just as the aggressively ambitious new-money railroad tycoon George Russell and his wife, Bertha Russell, attempt to buy their way into the elite circle.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It features a clear, compelling "upstairs/downstairs" dynamic, with detailed storylines for both the ultra-rich families and their servants, mirroring the lives of the Crawley family and their staff.
  • Latest Update: The series has been a massive critical success, with the Season 3 finale breaking audience records and receiving its best-to-date reviews. Season 4 is officially confirmed, ensuring this opulent historical drama will continue its reign on television.
  • Key Entities: Bertha Russell, Agnes van Rhijn, Marian Brook, George Russell, New York society, Old Money vs. New Money, 1880s, Julian Fellowes.

2. Belgravia: The Next Chapter (MGM+/ITVX)

The original Belgravia (2020) was a miniseries set 30 years before Downton Abbey. Its 2024 sequel, Belgravia: The Next Chapter, is the freshest series on this list, premiering in January 2024. This eight-part series jumps another 25 years forward to 1871, focusing on the next generation of the Trenchard family. It delves into the troubled marriage of Frederick Trenchard, the third Lord Trenchard, and his new wife, Clara Dunn, as they navigate the secrets and scandals of 19th-century London society.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It carries the DNA of Julian Fellowes’ world-building, focusing on a wealthy family's secrets, a love story under duress, and the intricate social codes of the Victorian era.
  • Latest Update: The series is a completed 2024 release, making it a perfect, high-quality, contained binge-watch for fans who appreciate a clear beginning and end to their historical sagas.
  • Key Entities: Trenchard family, Clara Dunn, Lord Frederick Trenchard, 1871, Victorian London, High Society, Family Secrets, MGM+.

The High-Budget, Must-Binge Period Dramas

These shows offer a similar level of spectacle, romance, and character-driven storytelling as Downton Abbey, but often explore different historical eras or focus more intensely on specific themes like romance or social change.

3. Bridgerton (Netflix)

While stylistically different—embracing a more modern, diverse, and overtly romantic tone—Bridgerton has become the global phenomenon for period drama fans. Set in the Regency era of London, the series follows the eight Bridgerton siblings as they navigate the marriage market, with each season focusing on a different sibling's quest for love. The lavish balls, stunning costumes, and the omnipresent social commentary of Lady Whistledown make it an addictive watch.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It shares the intense focus on aristocratic family life, the pressure of social expectations, and the importance of a grand estate (Bridgerton House) as a central setting.
  • Latest Update: Fans are eagerly awaiting Season 4, which is confirmed to be released in two parts, starting on January 29, 2026. The next season will focus on the love story of the second-oldest Bridgerton son, Benedict.
  • Key Entities: Regency London, Lady Whistledown, Benedict Bridgerton, Shondaland, Marriage Market, Aristocratic Family, Netflix.

4. Sanditon (PBS Masterpiece)

Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished final manuscript, Sanditon is a charming and often overlooked period drama. It tells the story of the spirited Charlotte Heywood, who moves from her quiet country home to the titular seaside resort, a town rapidly transforming into a fashionable holiday destination. The series explores the clash between tradition and progress, much like Downton Abbey’s post-WWI era, all set against a backdrop of coastal elegance.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It provides a compelling mix of class-conscious romance, family drama, and the beautiful, immersive setting of a historical English town.
  • Latest Update: The series concluded with its third season, which premiered in 2023. While there will be no Season 4, the three seasons offer a complete and satisfying narrative arc for fans to binge from start to finish.
  • Key Entities: Charlotte Heywood, Jane Austen, Seaside Resort, Masterpiece, Regency Era, Social Transformation.

5. Poldark (BBC/PBS Masterpiece)

For a period drama with a bit more rugged passion and breathtaking scenery, Poldark is an excellent choice. Set in Cornwall in the late 18th century, it follows Captain Ross Poldark as he returns home from the American Revolutionary War to find his estate in ruins and his fiancée engaged to another man. The series is a sweeping saga of love, social justice, and the struggles of the working class against the landed gentry.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It shares a focus on the fate of a grand estate, the complexities of marriage, and the deep-seated tension between the upper and lower classes, particularly through Ross's relationship with his maid, Demelza.
  • Key Entities: Ross Poldark, Demelza, Cornwall, 18th Century, American Revolutionary War, Mining Industry, BBC Drama.

The Classic & Under-the-Radar Gems

To truly achieve topical authority, an expert list must include the foundational and lesser-known historical TV shows that share the same DNA as Downton Abbey.

6. Upstairs, Downstairs (Original 1971 & Revival 2010)

You cannot discuss Downton Abbey without mentioning its primary inspiration. The original 1970s series and its 2010 revival chronicle the lives of the aristocratic Bellamy family and their servants at 165 Eaton Place in London. It is the definitive "upstairs/downstairs" show, covering a period from 1903 to 1930, overlapping significantly with the Downton Abbey timeline.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It is the blueprint. It offers the same meticulous attention to historical detail, the interwoven lives of the staff and the family, and the impact of major world events on a single household.
  • Key Entities: Bellamy Family, 165 Eaton Place, Edwardian Era, WWI, Servants' Lives, British Television History, Revival Series.

7. Call the Midwife (BBC/PBS)

While it lacks the aristocratic setting, Call the Midwife is a British historical series that excels at the character-driven, emotionally rich storytelling that Downton Abbey fans adore. Set in the impoverished East End of London in the late 1950s and 1960s, it follows a group of nurse midwives and nuns who face the harsh realities of poverty and social change with resilience and compassion.

  • Why It's Like Downton: The focus is on a close-knit community (Nonnatus House), the deep emotional bonds between characters, and the powerful, episodic exploration of social history, all delivered with impeccable production quality.
  • Key Entities: Nonnatus House, Nurse Midwives, East End London, 1950s, Social History, BBC, Sister Monica Joan.

8. The Crown (Netflix)

If your primary interest in Downton Abbey is the historical and political context of the British aristocracy, The Crown is the natural next step. This globally acclaimed series chronicles the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, offering a stunningly detailed look at the inner workings of the British Royal Family and the political forces that shaped the post-war world. The sheer scale and budget of the show ensure the same visual opulence as Downton.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It provides a fascinating, high-drama look at the highest echelon of British society, dealing with tradition, duty, and the painful transition into the modern era.
  • Key Entities: Queen Elizabeth II, British Royal Family, Post-War Era, Political Intrigue, Buckingham Palace, Historical Accuracy.

9. Howards End (Starz/BBC)

Based on the classic E.M. Forster novel, this miniseries is a superb choice for those who enjoyed the societal commentary and literary quality of Downton Abbey. It explores the lives of three families—the wealthy Wilcoxes, the idealistic Schlegels, and the working-class Basts—whose lives become intertwined through property and passion in early 20th-century England.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It is a profound exploration of class divisions, social mobility, and the changing values of Edwardian England, all revolving around the ownership of a beautiful country home.
  • Key Entities: E.M. Forster, Schlegel Family, Wilcox Family, Edwardian England, Class Division, Literary Adaptation.

10. The House of Elliott (BBC)

For a true deep-cut that satisfies the craving for historical fashion and entrepreneurial spirit, The House of Elliott is a fantastic discovery. This BBC series from the 1990s follows two sisters in 1920s London who, after the death of their father, must use their talent for design and fashion to establish a successful couture house.

  • Why It's Like Downton: It captures the same post-WWI era of social liberation, focusing on women finding their place in a changing world, all set against a backdrop of impeccable historical fashion.
  • Key Entities: 1920s London, Couture House, Fashion Design, Sisters, Post-WWI Era, BBC Classic.
10 Must-Watch TV Shows Like Downton Abbey: The Ultimate List for 2025
tv shows like downton abbey
tv shows like downton abbey

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