The Gilded Age had a way of bringing you into its world of power and social climbing. If you're missing the highs and lows that the show had to offer or are simply craving more of those regency/Victorian arcs, then we've got all you covered.
So, what do you watch next? These five period dramas promise rich storytelling, layered characters, and all the drama you would not want to regret missing out on!
5 drama shows to watch if you loved watching The Gilded Age
#1. Downton Abbey
If The Gilded Age left you interested on class politics and big houses, Downton Abbey will feel like one of the perfect next steps.
This period drama follows the Crawley family and their staff at an English estate from 1912 to the 1920s.
There's all the drama that you would love to watch. Family scandal, love stories, and plenty of upstairs/downstairs drama. Both of the shows come from Julian Fellowes, so the writing and attention to historical detail feel extremely familiar to watch.
What makes Downton Abbey a must-watch is how it balances the big moments of history, like World War I, with extremely character-driven plots.
The show doesn't just focus on one family's story, but how a changing world shakes up traditions to their core. If you're wanting to watch the same kind of rich tension and layers you found in The Gilded Age, then Downton Abbey is a must-watch.
#2. The Buccaneers
For those who loved the glitter and glamour seen in The Gilded Age, The Buccaneers is a show that offers a fun and fresh take on social ambition. The show follows a group of American girls who land in British high society in the 1870s, bringing a lot of chaos and modern energy with them.
The show is based on Edith Wharton's novel, and while the setting is mostly based on historical drama, the vibe that it brings is still young and modern/contemporary. Think of it as being a regency core Gossip Girl. Sounds fun, right?
There's romance, cultural shocks, and the consistent pull between who these women are and who the society expects them to be. If you enjoyed watching Bertha Russell break the rules in The Gilded Age, you'll love how The Buccaneers pushes against tradition with just as charm and energy.
With its female friendships, twists, and extra visuals, it's a visual treat of old world rules and new world charm, something that you're bound to love.
#3. Sanditon
Sanditon holds onto a similar kind of romantic tension and social themes that The Gilded Age touched upon. Adapted from the most iconic literary icon, Jane Austen, and her final unfinished novel, Sanditon follows Charlotte Heywood as she finds her way to a seaside town looking for something more fulfilling for herself.
Charlotte finds herself in a world of money, ambition, and complex love stories. Set in the Regency era, Sanditon is full of heart, heartbreak, and is also a sharp commentary on wealth and gender roles of the Regency time.
If you were pulled to the way The Gilded Age showed the rise of women finding their voices in a stiff society, then Charlotte's story will speak to you. The show balances visuals with deeper emotional beats, never stepping away from the harsh realities that come with dreaming big in a society that is solely built on appearances.
For fans who want elegance with emotionality, Sanditon is the ideal follow-up show to watch next.
#4. Mr Selfridge
If what made you interested in The Gilded Age was ambition, or rather the drive to build and reshape society, then Mr Selfridge should be a certified next stop. It tells the story of Harry Gordon Selfridge, an American entrepreneur who shook up early 1900s London with his bold department store vision.
But behind the windows and fancy displays is a man struggling with scandal, family drama, and fierce competition. What makes Mr Selfridge feel like a cousin to The Gilded Age is how both shows highlight the cost of success in a world obsessed with image.
The show puts together fashion, power, and identity in a way that feels timeless, much like The Gilded Age's own take on society's surface and what lies beneath.
#5. Poldark
If the characters of The Gilded Age are what kept you interested in binge-watching the show, then Poldark is a show that brings you more of what you love to the screen, and this time with family betrayals that run deep.
Set in 18th-century Cornwall, the show begins when Ross Poldark returns from war to find his world shattered. As Ross rebuilds his life, he battles greedy foes, grief, and a society that's rigged against him. Poldark is intense, romantic, and full of that classic period drama tension.
What makes it similar to The Gilded Age is how both shows capture the pull between personal duty and what the world demands. The costumes are stunning, the tensions are high, and the characters are never just black and white.
With every episode, Poldark dives more into what it means to fight for what you believe in, whether it's love, legacy, or simply finding your place in the world.
If The Gilded Age left you wanting more period drama, then these five shows keep the elegance going strong. Each one of these shows offers a fresh world to explore with unforgettable characters and stories that linger.
So go ahead, press play. You won't regret stepping into any of these next chapters.