Classy, engaging but not sacharine period dramas

[HippyKayYay]

Can anyone recommend something (recent-ish) to watch based on this criteria:

I'm a sucker for a high-quality period drama with good production values. I enjoyed Miss Austen, for example. I'm also partial to a bit of Bridgerton/ Queen Charlotte. But things like Poldark and Lark Rise to Candleford are veering a bit too soapy for me. (I know that Bridgerton falls into this category, but for some reason I don't mind that!).

Anyway - I need something new to watch on days I need something comforting to sink into. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

The Empress on Netflix is good as long as you don’t mind subtitles.

My favourite is The Gilded Age on Sky.

Belgravia is on ITVX but I haven't watched yet. Victoria with Jenna Coleman is also on ITVX.

Sounds good. I love Edith Wharton...

The BBC has several period dramas on iPlayer including Middlemarch, Bleak House, and Little Dorrit which I really enjoyed.

Middlemarch and Bleak House, both BBC.

Middlemarch and Bleak House, both BBC.

Middlemarch and Bleak House, both BBC.

The Leopard, Netflix, hence my username.

Not sure how I posted x3 !!

Also, Cranford very good. Dr Thorne if you can find it anywhere.

Ooh - good call. I saw the film version years ago.

The Forsyte Saga (1967 version). On Amazon Prime or Apple TV.

My Brilliant Friend. Now TV (I think!)

Neither is anything close to saccharine.

Good calls - I think I've seen all of those when they were first on!

Although a BBC series this isn't currently available but is I think on Prime and Apple but you have to pay(?).

Or wait for it to come back to the BBC.

Death and Nightingales. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0btj23l

Beautifully shot, but do not expect many laughs.

Makes Far From the Madding Crown seem quite light hearted.

Sanditon on itvx, three series, easy viewing

Victoria with Jenna Coleman. So good!! It’s on Netflix

Another recommendation for The Leopard. The Netflix series is really good.

Downton Abbey seems too obvious, but I haven't seen it mentioned.

War and Peace on iplayer it was on a few years ago but I only watched it recently. Was really good with a great cast.

The Gallows Pole - Shane Meadows directed it. About a currency counterfeiting gang in hebden Bridge in the 1700s. Really multi layered and gripping.

Freud, The Alienist and 1899 (though the latter very frustrating because it ended after series 1. No idea why, it was excellent. Some film/tv commentators thought it was because it was just too complicated for some viewers to follow).

North and south was good, but quite soppy

Bleak house. Little Dorrit. Cranford.

The White Queen, The White Princess, The Spanish Princess (in that order). Some were available through MGM subscription on Prime, or Netflix if watching outside the UK.
Great drama series, I enjoyed them a lot

I did love the first series of this, which I watched when it first came out, but then it just got too cloying and twee and I couldn’t watch it anymore!

I enjoyed the Hardacres on c5 and gentleman jack. The gilded age is great.