12 Shows to Binge While You Agonize Over the Wait for Bridgerton S3

With no release date yet for Bridgerton 's S3, here are some awesome shows to fill the corset-and-fan-shaped holes in your heart.

1. Poldark (2015)

8.3 on IMDb

In 1781, Redcoat soldier Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall. There he finds his father dead, the family business in tatters, and his love engaged to another. Soon Ross meets Demelza Carne, an illiterate girl destined to become one of your favourite heroines of all time.

Although the series eventually drops off in quality, the first few seasons offer truly gripping and heartfelt drama.

Watch if you love: Brooding hunks and incredible scenery.

2. Emma (2009)

8.1 on IMDb

If you liked the 2020 movie you'll love the miniseries. This Austen adaptation manages to give us an Emma Wodehouse who is incredibly likable in spite of being a spoiled brat. Meanwhile, Johnny Lee Miller is the best Mr Knightly of all time (fight me). He's scolding but funny, sweet but manly, quirky but firm. The banter between the two of them is top-notch.

Watch if you love: A friends-to-lovers romance.

3. The Great (2020)

8.2 on IMDb

This Hulu show made a small but mighty splash when it premiered, and continued with an incredible second and third season (both have 100% on Rotten Tomatoes). Catherine is young and naive when she is married off to Tsar Peter III of Russia – but it doesn't take long before she's staging a coup.

This historical drama follows the real-life story of Catherine the Great, but peppers it with 21st century dialogue.

Watch if you love: Kick-ass women, dark comedy, and the F-word.

4. Sanditon (2019)

7.7 on IMDb

Fans are divided between those who love Sanditon's first season and those who prefer the 'rebooted' version, which came about after a cancellation interrupted filming and caused the loss of some cast members. If S1 isn't to your liking, jump ahead to Seasons 2 and 3. It's a clean slate with brighter colours, fewer gothic vibes, and a kinder, gentler romantic interest for spunky Charlotte Heywood.

Watch if you love: A modern-feeling and loose Jane Austen adaptation.

5. Victoria (2016)

8.2 on IMDb

Victoria was only 18 when she became the Queen of England. The series follows her early years on the throne and the ins and outs of her marriage to love-of-her-life (and cousin, but don't worry about it) Prince Albert. Neither as contemporary nor as soapy as Bridgerton, Victoria is a thoughtful epic about a woman who changed the world.

Watch if you love: Your cousin.

6. The Gilded Age ( 2022)

8.0 on IMDb

After the success of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellows moved his signature blend of melodrama and style to New York in the 1880s. After the death of her father, Marian Brook travels to the big city and gets caught up in the battle between old and new money.

Watch if you love: A period drama that doesn't take place in England, for once.

7. North & South (2004)

8.6 on IMDb

Margaret Hale grew up in the idyllic countryside of Southern England. When her family moves to a factory town in the North, her genteel upbringing clashes with the hard new realities of life in an industrial town. She also clashes with 'new-money' mill owner Mr Thornton, who turns that Brooding Hero Energy up to 10.

Watch if you love: Light social commentary and an epic train station kiss.

8. Pride & Prejudice (1995)

8.8 on IMDb

This classic miniseries launched a wave of Austenmania and made Colin Firth an international sex symbol. Although it has none of Bridgerton's contemporary flavour, this adaptation is funny, romantic, and filled with hilarious side characters. Not to mention some serious chemistry between the leads.

Watch if you love: A Regency romance that's true to the period.

9. Reign (2013)

7.5 on IMDb

On the other side of the 'true-to-the-period' spectrum is Reign, a teen soap opera about the life of Mary Stuart. It's not even close to historically accurate – but then again, it's not trying to be. The show takes the life of a historical figure who is often reduced to a footnote and gives it the glossy CW treatment.

Watch if you love: Old-Timey Sex & the City vibes.

10. All Creatures Great and Small (2020)

8.6 on IMDb

James Harriot's books about life as a country veterinarian spawned a beloved BBC series back in the 70s, but this updated version is just as sweet and cuddly. Harriot joins an eccentric group of Yorkshire friends as he learns how to handle horses, cows, and life in the Dales.

Watch if you love: Animals.

11. Doctor Thorne (2016)

7.3 on IMDb

The penniless Mary Thorne lives with her uncle in the quaint village of Greshamsbury. She falls in love with the heir to a powerful nearby estate, but her poverty and a secret about her past threaten to overcome their happiness. With only three episodes (or four, as recut for American audiences), this is a short and sweet binge that you can do in one evening.

Watch if you love: Sweet romances and dramatic reveals.

12. Miss Scarlet and the Duke ( 2020)

7.7 on IMDb

When she inherits her father's business, Eliza Scarlet braves thugs and rampant sexism to become Victorian London's first female detective. (It's a running joke that every time she introduces herself as an investigator, people look blank and say, 'you're a WHAT?') Eliza's reluctant sometimes-partner is Police Inspector William 'Duke' Wellington.The two frequently lock horns as they banter their way through crimes both petty and serious.

Watch if you love: Mysteries and suspense.