20 Underrated Period Dramas to Stream on Netflix in December 2023

These period dramas may not have garnered the fame of their counterparts, but their storytelling prowess is undeniable.

1. "Anne with an E" (2017-2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

An imaginative, talkative orphan named Anne is mistakenly sent to live with aging siblings on Prince Edward Island, where she transforms their lives and the small community with her unique perspective and spirit.

2. "Frontier" (2016-2018)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

Set in the late 18th century in North America, this series portrays the violent struggle over the control of the fur trade, featuring a part-Irish, part-Native American outlaw campaigning to breach the Hudson's Bay Company's monopoly.

3. "Medici" (2016-2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 81%

A historical drama focused on the rise and fall of the Medici family in Renaissance Florence, highlighting their political and economic influence and the art and culture patronage that shaped Italian history.

4. "The Highwaymen" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%

Two former Texas Rangers come out of retirement to track down the notorious criminals Bonnie and Clyde during the Great Depression, challenging the hero-worship narrative of the infamous duo.

5. "Cable Girls" (2017-2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 68%

Set in 1920s Madrid, this series follows four women working at the National Telephone Company as they navigate romance, friendship, and modern workplace challenges while fighting for independence and equality.

6. "Women at War" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Set in 1914, this French drama focuses on the lives of four women from different backgrounds who face personal and collective challenges as they navigate the onset of World War I.

7. "Marco Polo" (2014-2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

A historical drama that follows the adventures of the famous explorer Marco Polo at the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, depicting political intrigue, betrayal, and cultural clashes in the Mongol Empire.

8. "Mr. Queen" (2020)

A modern-day South Korean chef finds his soul trapped in the body of a Joseon dynasty queen, leading to humorous and dramatic situations as he navigates palace life, politics, and an unexpected romance.

9. "Against The Ice" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Based on a true story, "Against The Ice" serves up a gripping narrative about two early 20th century adventurers who, in the unforgiving chill of Greenland's Arctic expanse, risk it all to recover misplaced cartography and endure nature's harshest trials, putting their stamina and bond under the ultimate test.

10. "Harriet" (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

A biographical film about Harriet Tubman's brave escape from the shackles of slavery and her subsequent rise as an American hero – masterminding daring operations to free hundreds via the Underground Railroad.

11. "Bolívar" (2019)

This series dramatizes the life of Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan military and political leader who played a key role in Latin America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire.

12. "The Empress" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

In "The Empress," we're given a ringside seat to the dramatic life of Austria's Empress Elisabeth, from her surprising rise in power to tackling the tricky Viennese court politics and navigating through her fiery yet stormy love story with Emperor Franz Joseph.

13. "Blood Ties" (2022)

This Portuguese drama follows two sisters who become embroiled in a web of dark secrets, intense emotions, and dangerous liaisons when they discover they are connected by more than just blood.

15. "Alias Grace" (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%

Grace Marks is an Irish immigrant turned servant in Upper Canada, accused and convicted for horrifically ending her employer's and his housekeeper's lives. Unfolding from Margaret Atwood's lauded novel, the show follows Grace Marks' twisted journey – a young Irish girl who migrates to Upper Canada and serves as a housemaid, only to get tangled in an atrocious crime: the violent death of her employer and his caretaker.

15. "The Irregulars" (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

Set in Victorian London, the series follows a group of misfit teenagers who are manipulated into solving crimes for the sinister Doctor Watson and his mysterious business partner, Sherlock Holmes.

16. "Heirs to the Land" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 50%

"Heirs to the Land" is a historical drama series set in 14th-century Barcelona, focusing on Hugo Llor's life following the death of Arnau Estanyol. Hugo, initially against the idea of revenge, finds himself entangled in a quest for vengeance against the Puiges, driven by his bond with Bernat Estanyol, who seeks retribution for his father's execution.

17. "Rebellion" (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

This series chronicles the birth of modern Ireland during one of the most tumultuous and dangerous periods in history, beginning with the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule.

18. "Blood, Sex & Royalty" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 58%

A dramatized documentary that gives a modern twist to the stories of Anne Boleyn and other key women of the Tudor era, combining historical facts with scandalous and intriguing tales from the royal court.

19. "Alchemy of Souls" (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Audience score: 91%

A fantasy Korean drama where the fates of various characters are intertwined through the practice of soul-shifting magic, leading to a mix of romance, action, and intrigue in a historical setting.

20. "Luna Nera" (2020)

Set in 17th-century Italy, this series follows a teenage girl who is forced to join a coven of witches after being accused of witchcraft, uncovering family secrets and a larger conspiracy against women accused of being witches.