“Bridgerton” is once again on hiatus after its fourth season concluded in February. The fifth season will focus on the newly widowed Bridgerton sister Francesca as she grows closer to her late husband’s cousin Michaela.
But while the “Bridgerton” fam are busy filming, you can still get your regency fix with these similar titles.
“Pride & Prejudice” (2005)
You can’t talk about “Bridgerton” without first recommending a few classic Jane Austen tales. “Pride & Prejudice”, of course, is the most famous.
We’ll let you pick your favorite. Maybe you’re more partial to the 2005 adaptation with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. Or maybe you can’t unsee that couple as Elizabeth Swann and Tom from “Succession”, so you prefer the 1995 movie with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.
You can go the nontraditional route, too: Hulu’s “Fire Island” is a great reimagining of the story in the modern day. We won’t even judge you if you go for “Pride and” “Prejudice and Zombies”, although you’ll have to rent that one.
Where to stream “Pride & Prejudice”
“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” (2023)
Chances are, if you’ve watched all of “Bridgerton,” you already know about “Queen Charlotte.”
But if you’re a newer fan or somehow missed the cultural phenomenon, “Queen Charlotte” is the “Bridgerton” spinoff based on real historical events. Of course, it takes as many liberties as the main show does, but Charlotte and George were real people, and this show portrays their love story in a much more grounded way than the fairytale couples in “Bridgerton.”
“Bridgerton” makes lots of “Queen Charlotte” references in its subsequent seasons, so you won’t want to miss this one if you’re a completionist.
Where to stream “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story”
“Emma” (2020)
While a lot of Austen’s work is perfect rom-com material, “Emma” leans heavy on the “com.” The story is about a woman who gets too involved in her friends’ love lives, and is chock-full of all the regency-era misunderstandings and shenanigans that mark the genre.
Filmmakers have also adapted “Emma” a lot over the years, but the most recent is the 2020 flick with Anya Taylor-Joy (of “The Queen’s Gambit” fame). You might recognize the plot from the 1995 adaptation, though—better known as “Clueless”.
Where to stream “Emma”
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“Dickinson” (2019–2021)
“Dickinson” is the show for you if your favorite character is Penelope Featherington or Eloise Bridgerton. Emily Dickinson was the OG independent woman with a secret writing career.
Plus, “Dickinson” has the same campy, anachronistic energy that made Bridgerton use classical covers of “Thank U, Next” and “bad guy.”
“Dickinson” ran for three seasons before finally stopping for Death.
Where to stream “Dickinson”
Here’s a bonus recommendation: “Gentleman Jack” on Max (formerly HBO Max). It’s based on the romantic exploits of Anne Lister, a wealthy landowner from the 1800s. Unfortunately, the show was recently canceled and won’t receive a third season.
“The Great” (2020–2023)
On the other hand, if your favorite character is Queen Charlotte, you might like “The Great”. It’s more of an anti-romance; don’t expect any love between Catherine and her jerk husband. Instead of a romance between people, main relationship in “The Great” is between Catherine and the throne of Russia.
Like “Dickinson,” “The Great” ran for three seasons, which are all available to stream.
Where to stream “The Great”
“Mr. Malcolm’s List” (2022)
Much like “Bridgerton”, “Mr Malcolm’s List” is a regency romance with colorblind casting. It has all the elements of a good Austen–esque romp: a rich man with snobbishly high standards, the headstrong heroine who plots to humiliate him, and a lot of empire-waist gowns.
Where to stream “Mr. Malcolm’s List”
Olivia Bono loves entertainment, and she’s never going to shut up about it. Here at CableTV.com, you’ll find her writing about the wild world of streaming. Her specialty is animation—you can find much of her work at our anime hub page. Olivia previously wrote for the Cornell Daily Sun, where in addition to television, she reviewed movies, albums, and video games. Outside of work, she loves to listen to audiobooks, make art, and spend time outdoors.
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