7 Shows Like The Great

Created by The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, The Great thumbs its nose at historical authenticity. Touting a piercingly cynical brand of comedy, it offers a fictionalized depiction of Russian empress Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning), covering her messy marriage to Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult) and a tumultuous tangle of conspiracies and love affairs in the Russian royal court. 

To be absolutely honest, The Great is a unique show. Nothing quite measures up to its foul-mouthed viciousness and over-the-top storytelling, pushing the boundaries of historical TV. That being said, there are plenty of shows that scratch similar itches, whether you enjoy feuding aristocrats, absurd satirical humor, or an anachronistic view of history. Here are some of our favorites, from scandalous Renaissance popes to (hear me out!) the cutthroat world of corporate mergers.

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Mary & George

Given its overlap with the conniving courtiers and queer love-triangle of The Favourite, Mary & George is an obvious choice for fans of Tony McNamara's work. Gen Z heartthrob Nicholas Galitzine stars as George Villiers, lover of King James VI/I of England and Scotland. George's mother Mary (Julianne Moore) is the second title character, an ambitious widow who plots to get her handsome son as close to the throne as possible.

Packed with amoral characters who will stop at nothing to grab more power, Mary & George embraces an irreverent attitude to real historical figures, leaning into R-rated humor and a raunchy tone. And Julianne Moore is, of course, having a whale of a time playing a manipulative social climber.

Harlots

Set in 1760s London (around the same time that Catherine the Great took the throne), Harlots is a fantastically well-conceived drama about women working in the sex trade. Flipping the typical script of sex workers playing supporting roles in male-dominated stories, it features an ensemble cast of female characters led by two rival madams. Margaret (Samantha Morton) runs a successful brothel in London's red light district, while Lydia (Lesley Manville) caters to a more aristocratic clientele. Some of their employees are astute social climbers. Others are just making the best of a bad lot. It's a gripping and underrated show, managing to avoid either glamorizing or demonizing an often misrepresented topic. 

Dickinson

Bearing little resemblance to typical depictions of the poet Emily Dickinson, Apple TV+'s Dickinson is a teen dramedy with distinctly modern vibes. Hailee Steinfeld stars as the young Emily, in a quirky setting that comments on 19th century social values while utilizing 21st century slang, music, and aesthetic choices. Earning a dedicated following during its three-season run, Dickinson was praised both for its unique style and for its sincere exploration of Emily's interior life and creative drive. 

Our Flag Means Death

Another show with a passionate fanbase! A runaway hit in 2022 and 2023, this queer historical comedy stars New Zealanders Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby as a pair of iconic 18th century pirates, Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. In real life these guys did in fact co-captain a crew, but otherwise Our Flag Means Death plays fast and loose with historical fact, pairing the two pirates in a melodramatic yet adorable romance. Our Flag packs a wealth of material into 18 half-hour episodes, balancing goofy hijinks with sociopolitical commentary, pirate genre parodies, and an addictively compelling love story. Plus, it's widely seen as one of the best queer shows of the past few years.

The Borgias

If you enjoy stories about despicable nightmare people, The Borgias certainly delivers. While it's not exactly satirical like The Great, this 2010s-era drama is deliciously fun, covering the scandalous lives of (you guessed it) the notorious Borgia family of Renaissance Italy. Jeremy Irons chews the scenery as the dastardly Borgia patriarch Pope Alexander VI, while François Arnaud and Holliday Grainger play his morally bankrupt children Cesare and Lucrezia. Think of it as a glitzy soap opera about the Lannister family from Game of Thrones, except rooted in an extraordinarily corrupt era of the Catholic Church. It's got all the backstabbing and salacious affairs you could possibly want or need. 

Succession

In a brief detour from historical settings, the acclaimed HBO drama Succession has a surprising amount in common with The Great. Following the power struggles around a Rupert Murdoch-inspired media tycoon and his emotionally stunted offspring, Succession combines nail-biting drama with a satirical tone. Similar to The Great, it skewers the idea that the ruling classes must be smart or competent, constantly depicting society's 1% as stupid, irrational, and out of touch. Considering how much praise this show has earned over the past few years, it feels almost like overkill to recommend it again. But if you need that extra push to start watching, this is it!

Blackadder

The O.G. historical satire. Airing for four seasons in the 1980s, this beloved anthology sitcom stars a host of British comedy icons including Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, and of course Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) as the title character, Blackadder. Each season takes place in a different historical period, positioning Blackadder as a scheming and manipulative antihero. Co-created by Atkinson and rom-com legend Richard Curtis, it's an obvious precursor to The Great, poking fun at airheaded aristocrats and parodying several generations of the British royal family.