20 Best History TV Shows to Stream Right Now
Stream standout historical series from Band of Brothers to Chernobyl, plus drama, war, fantasy, and new picks updated regularly for 2026.
If you’re hunting for the best history TV shows to stream, this list is built to save you time and point you toward series worth your queue. You’ll find war epics like Band of Brothers and The Bombing of Pan Am 103, sharp political drama in Mrs. America, and striking period storytelling in The Tudors. There’s also a wider mix here, from the spiritual sweep of The Chosen to the fantasy-tinged world of One Hundred Years of Solitude and the dark procedural intensity of Chernobyl. With 20 titles on the page, the selection spans action, drama, history, war, and fantasy, so it’s easy to match your mood to the right series.
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01
The Lowdown
biography · drama · history
A determined bookstore owner in Tulsa moonlights as an investigative journalist, digging into local corruption. When his reporting uncovers sinister connections, he must protect both his family and the truth.
Directed by Sterlin Harjo, Macon Blair, Danis GouletCast Ethan Hawke, Keith David, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyle MacLachlanHuluMore details on IMDb → -
02
The Apothecary Diaries
animation · drama · history · mystery · romance
Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she's sold as a lowly servant to the emperor's palace. But she wasn't meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial heirs fall ill, she decides to step in and find a cure! This catches the eye of Jinshi, a handsome palace official who promotes her. Now, she's making a name for herself solving medical mysteries!
Directed by Norihiro Naganuma, Akinori Fudesaka, Jun Ôwada, Wataru Nakagawa, Akira KoremotoCast Aoi Yûki, Emi Lo, Takeo Otsuka, Katsuyuki Konishi, Kaiji TangNetflixHuluMore details on IMDb → -
03
The Chosen
drama · history
The life of Christ through the eyes of those who encountered him.
Directed by Dallas JenkinsCast Elizabeth Tabish, George H. Xanthis, Shahar Isaac, Jonathan Roumie, Paras PatelAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
04
The Story of Film: An Odyssey
documentary · history
A worldwide guided tour of the greatest movies ever made and the story of international cinema through the history of cinematic innovation.
Directed by Mark CousinsCast Mark Cousins, Mario Cordova, Lars von Trier, Paul Schrader, Norman LloydAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
05
Chernobyl
Won 10 Emmys 19 nominations
drama · history · thriller
The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.
Directed by Johan RenckCast Jessie Buckley, Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Adam Nagaitis, Emily WatsonMaxMore details on IMDb →
Not quite it? Ask WattaWatch for history →
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06
Warrior
3 Emmy nominations
action · crime · drama · history
A gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. The series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who immigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances, and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s most powerful tongs.
Directed by Loni Peristere, David Petrarca, Dennie Gordon, Dustin Nguyen, Lin OedingCast Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, Kieran BewMaxMore details on IMDb → -
07
El problema final
crime · drama · history · mystery & thriller
In 1959, 13 people are stranded on an islet near Mallorca during a storm. At their small hotel, English tourist Elisa Mander is found dead. When suicide seems unlikely, retired actor Basil, once Sherlock Holmes on screen, investigates.
Directed by Félix ViscarretCast Jose Coronado, María Valverde, Martiño Rivas, Gonzalo de Castro, Pepón NietoNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
08
Band of Brothers
Won 6 Emmys 19 nominations
action · drama · history · war
Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as their journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men from paratrooper training in Georgia through the end of the war. As an elite rifle company parachuting into Normandy early on D-Day morning, participants in the Battle of the Bulge, and witness to the horrors of war, the men of Easy knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear - and became the stuff of legend. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose's acclaimed book of the same name.
Directed by David Frankel, Mikael Salomon, Tom Hanks, David Leland, Richard LoncraineCast Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor, Donnie WahlbergMaxMore details on IMDb → -
09
Shōgun
Won 18 Emmys Outstanding Drama Series (2024) · 25 nominations
action · adventure · drama · history · war
In Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.
Directed by Frederick E.O. Toye, Jonathan van Tulleken, Charlotte Brändström, Takeshi Fukunaga, Hiromi KamataCast Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Yûki KedôinHuluMore details on IMDb → -
10
Prens
history · comedy
Following the suspicious death of the Bongomian king, his disregarded prince assumes the throne, initiating an intricate tale.
Directed by Bülent Isbilen, Gökdeniz UsluCast Giray Altinok, Canberk Gültekin, Çagdas Onur Öztürk, Onur Özaydin, Bahadir VatanogluMaxMore details on IMDb → -
11
Drunk History
Won 1 Emmy 17 nominations
comedy · history
Historical reenactments from A-list talent as told by inebriated storytellers. A unique take on the familiar and less familiar people and events from America’s great past as great moments in history are retold with unforgettable results.
Directed by Jeremy Konner, Derek WatersCast Bennie Arthur, Craig Cackowski, Maria Blasucci, Mort Burke, Michael ColemanParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
12
Ghost Adventures
documentary · history · reality-tv
Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans and his crew, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin, search for haunted locations both domestically and internationally. During their investigations, Zak and crew acquaint themselves with the general area; interview locals about the hauntings; and go face-to-face with the evil spirits who reportedly haunt these locations.
Directed by Nick Groff, Zak Bagans, Milton Lage, Lauren QuinnCast Deanna Jaxine Stinson, Janice Oberding, Ciaron Davies, Adrian Alexander Gamez, Dustin AremburgHuluMaxMore details on IMDb → -
13
The Knick
Won 1 Emmy 2x Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series · 9 nominations
drama · history
Set in downtown New York in 1900, 'The Knick' is centered on the Knickerbocker Hospital and its staff, notably Dr. John Thackery, the hospital's brilliant chief surgeon who pushes medicine's boundaries, pioneering new procedures despite a severe drug addiction.
Directed by Steven SoderberghCast Clive Owen, André Holland, Jeremy Bobb, Juliet Rylance, Eve HewsonMaxMore details on IMDb → -
14
Vikings
Won 1 Emmy 14 nominations
action · adventure · drama · history · romance · war
The adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok, the greatest hero of his age. The series tells the sagas of Ragnar's band of Viking brothers and his family, as he rises to become King of the Viking tribes. As well as being a fearless warrior, Ragnar embodies the Norse traditions of devotion to the gods. Legend has it that he was a direct descendant of Odin, the god of war and warriors.
Directed by Ciaran Donnelly, Ken Girotti, Steve Saint Leger, Jeff Woolnough, Helen ShaverCast Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst, Alex Høgh AndersenNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
15
Deadwood
Won 8 Emmys Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (2004) · 28 nominations
crime · drama · history · western
The story of the early days of Deadwood, South Dakota; woven around actual historic events with most of the main characters based on real people. Deadwood starts as a gold mining camp and gradually turns from a lawless wild-west community into an organized wild-west civilized town. The story focuses on the real-life characters Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen.
Directed by Ed Bianchi, Daniel Minahan, Davis Guggenheim, Gregg Fienberg, Mark TinkerCast Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif, W. Earl BrownMaxMore details on IMDb → -
16
TURN: Washington's Spies
drama · history · war
The story of New York farmer, Abe Woodhull, who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring, an unlikely group of spies who turn the tide in America’s fight for independence.
Directed by Jeremy Webb, Eagle Egilsson, Keith Boak, Andrew McCarthy, Nick CopusCast Jamie Bell, Seth Numrich, Daniel Henshall, Meegan Warner, Kevin McNallyAMC+More details on IMDb → -
17
The Last Kingdom
action · drama · history
A show of heroic deeds and epic battles with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. Combining real historical figures and events with fictional characters, it is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home.
Directed by Jon East, Edward Bazalgette, Peter Hoar, Andy Hay, Paul WilmshurstCast Alexander Dreymon, Eliza Butterworth, Arnas Fedaravicius, Mark Rowley, Emily CoxNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
18
Underbelly
action · crime · drama · history · mystery
Underbelly is an Australian television true crime-drama series, each series is a stand alone story based on real-life events.
Directed by Tony Tilse, Shawn Seet, David Caesar, Grant Brown, Peter AndrikidisCast Caroline Craig, Paul Tassone, Dieter Brummer, Daniel Roberts, Khan ChittendenAmazon Prime VideoFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
19
Air Crash Investigation
documentary · crime · history
Major real-life air disasters are depicted in this series. Each episode features a detailed dramatized reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control transcripts, as well as eyewitnesses recounts and interviews with aviation experts.
Directed by Tim Wolochatiuk, Mark Mainguy, George D'Amato, Su Rynard, James HyslopCast Jonathan Aris, Stephen Bogaert, Von Flores, Dale Yim, Thom MarriottAmazon Prime VideoPeacock PremiumMore details on IMDb → -
20
The East Palace
action · fantasy · history · horror
A man who walks the spirit world and a court lady who hears the dead enter the East Palace by the king's orders — can they unravel its dark secrets?
Directed by Jung Kyu ChoiCast Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, Cho Seung-woo, Park Su-yeon, Jang Young-namNetflixMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
Whether you want battlefield drama, court intrigue, true events, or a series that bends history with a creative edge, this roundup gives you a strong place to start. Titles like Band of Brothers, Chernobyl, Mrs. America, and The Tudors show how varied historical storytelling can be, while newer picks keep the list fresh. Save this page and come back when you want a new series to queue up, because it’s updated regularly with more standout recommendations. If you enjoy TV that brings the past to life, this list should keep your watchlist busy for a while.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is this list updated?
We refresh this list regularly as titles are added or removed from streaming catalogs, so rankings and availability stay current.
How are these history shows ranked?
We rank by a combination of audience rating and current popularity, so you're seeing the history titles people are actually watching right now, not just an old fixed list.