If you're looking for a new series to get stuck into, the best BBC period dramas are now all streaming on iPlayer. From Dickens adaptations to Call the Midwife and The Luminaries, there is something there for everyone to enjoy.
Here is our round-up of the best BBC period dramas available, how many series there are, and how long each episode lasts.
Also, don't miss our best BBC dramas, best CBBC shows for kids, best BBC podcasts, and best BBC documentaries guides as well!
What are the best BBC period dramas available to stream on BBC iPlayer right now?
Call the Midwife
Since it arrived on our screens back in 2012, Call the Midwife has become something of a national treasure, and not only are there 10 series to enjoy on iPlayer, but it has also become a tradition that we are treated to a Christmas special each year, too. The first series was set in 1957 and the drama follows the day-to-day lives of a group midwives working in poverty-stricken Poplar in the East End of London.
Call the Midwife has also seen some huge names on the cast over the years such as Helen George, Miranda Hart, Jessica Raine, Jenny Agutter, Charlotte Ritchie, Jennifer Kirby, Leonie Elliott and Pam Ferris to name but a few.
Season 10 has just aired on BBC1, and we've also got Season 11 to look forward to at the end of the year. Here is everything you need to know about the new series.
Number of seasons: 9
Number of episodes: 79
Average episode length: 59 minutes
The Pursuit of Love
The Pursuit of Love is another must-see BBC1 period drama. The star-studded series, set in the 1920s and 1930s, follows the lives of spirited Linda Radlett (Downton Abbey's Lily James) and her more reserved cousin and best friend Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham) as they come of age and dream of meeting their perfect man.
Nancy Mitford’s much-loved novel The Pursuit of Love has been a firm favourite since it was first published in 1945 and while it has been given a new twist by the BBC, the story of Linda and her dreams to escape the family home in a bid to find true love still remains. Definitely one not to be missed.
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 3
Average episode length: 59 minutes
An Inspector Calls
This feature-length drama sees the mysterious Inspector Goole walking in during a family's party to tell them a young woman died by suicide that night. But the question remains, what has it got to do with them, and why is he bringing this news to their door? One by one they will discover the answers and soon earth-shattering secrets are revealed.
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 1
Average episode length: 86 minutes
The Luminaries
The Luminaries tells an epic story of love, murder, and revenge, as men and women travel across the world to make their fortunes. Set on the Wild West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island in the 1860s gold rush, The Luminaries is a 19th-century tale of adventure and mystery.
The story follows a defiant Anna Wetherell, who has sailed from Britain to New Zealand to begin a new life. There, she meets the radiant Emery Staines, an encounter that triggers a strange kind of magic that neither can explain.
Former Bond star Eva Green leads the cast, playing calculating brothel madam Lydia Wells. Eve Hewson stars as Anna and EastEnders star Himesh Patel plays Emery.
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 2
Average episode length: 56 minutes
Our World War
This tense drama reveals the first-hand experiences of British soldiers who served in World War One, showing viewers exactly how being on the battlefield affected them. Each episode sees the war through the eyes of a different soldier, each story taking place during a different time and in a different place in the conflict. The drama stars Nicki Vickery, Rob Townsend, and Gerard Kearns.
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 3
Average episode length: 57 minutes
A Suitable Boy
Prepare for a heady cocktail of passion, politics, and stunning scenery as we’re transported back to 1950s India. A Suitable Boy is based on Vikram Seth’s acclaimed coming-of-age 1993 novel charting the fortunes of four interwoven Indian families as the country explores its newfound independence from Britain.
The first episode introduces the parallel stories of free-spirited literature student Lata Mehra and enchanting courtesan Saeeda Bai. Lata’s widowed mum Rupa is determined to arrange the perfect marriage for her 19-year-old daughter, but Lata has other ideas and soon has three potential suitors vying for her attention…
Number of seasons: 1
Number of episodes: 6
Average episode length: 59 minutes
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