Based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth,Call the Midwifeis a beloved BBC television series that explores the lives of nurse midwives and nuns working in London between the 1950s and the 1970s.Call the Midwifeboasts an impressive 14 seasons. The latest aired in America on PBS this year, and Season 15 has already been approved by the studio. There’s even a feature film and a prequel series in the works.
Call the Midwifetakes the procedural medical drama and transports audiences back to another time and place, with a rotating cast of characters viewers really care about. Having 123 episodes and counting makes it perfect for binging, too. For those historical fiction fans who have already watched every episode and are looking for a new drama to fall in love with, there are some lovely, well-reviewed historical dramas with four seasons or more from which to choose.
10’The Durrells in Corfu' (2016 - 2019)
The Durrells
The Durrells in Corfuis a delightful family comedy-drama based on the books by Gerald Durrell. Beginning in 1935, the series follows a widow and her children as they leave a coastal English town for a more affordable life on the Greek island of Corfu. Keeley Hawes stars as Louisa Durrell (Upstairs, Downstairs), with Milo Parker (Mr. Holmes), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), Daisy Waterstone (Testament of Youth), and Callum Woodhouse (All Creatures Great and Small) playing her four children.
Fans ofCall the Midwifewill love the mid-20th-century setting and the strong family ties which drive the series. “The PBS drama is full of sibling squabbles, an exasperated mother andgorgeous beach scenery,” writes Kelly Lawler forUSA Today. “Despite the family drama,Durrellsalways maintains a sweet, loving tone.“The Durrells in Corfufeatures 26 episodes total and received four BAFTA Award nominations during its run.
9’Cable Girls' (2017 - 2020)
Cable Girls
Cable Girlsis a Spanish period drama set in the late 1920s in the office of a telecommunications company in Madrid. Created by Ramón Campos and Gema R. Neira, the series stars Blanca Suárez (Breathless), Ana Fernández (The Protected: The Return), and Nadia de Santiago (One Year and One Day). The show ran for five seasons, with Season 5 divided into two parts.
LikeCall the Midwife, Cable Girls focuses on working women during a time when most women were expected to stay at home. The show leans on thesoap operaelement, but does so in all the best ways. “Sometimes you just want to zone out and watch something that’s soapy, a little ridiculous, and a lot of fun,“writes Kayla Cobb for Decider. “If that’s what you’re in the mood for, Netflix’s latest international original needs to be your next binge.” There are 42 episodes.
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8’All Creatures Great and Small' (2020 - Present)
All Creatures Great And Small
Set during the 1930s and 1940s,All Creatures Great and Smallfollows the everyday lives of veterinarians in Northern England. The drama is based on the book series by veterinary surgeon James Herriot and the 1970s television series of the same name. This remake was created by Ben Vanstone (A Gentleman in Moscow) and stars Samuel West (Darkest Hour), Anna Madeley (Anatomy of a Scandal), Nicholas Ralph (Outlander), Rachel Shenton (Switched at Birth), and Callum Woodhouse fromThe Durrells in Corfu.
The 1978 series ran for seven seasons with 90 episodes and while the 2020 remake has only had five seasons so far, totaling 35 episodes. Theanimal-centeredshow is still running and has been renewed for a sixth season.Call the Midwifefans looking for a cozy medical drama with a charming historical setting will findAll Creatures Great and Smallan absolute delight.
7’Agatha Christie’s Marple' (2004 - 2013)
Based on the adventures of Agatha Christie’s famous amateur detective,Agatha Christie’s Marpleis an ITV television series that follows Miss Jane Marple as she solves mysteries across the English countryside. Geraldine McEwan (Vanity Fair) stars as Miss Marple in the first three seasons, with Julia McKenzie (Cranford) taking over the role starting with Season 4. There are only 23 episodes in the entire series, but each episode is about an hour and a half long and features its own unique mystery.
Agatha Christie’s Marpleis a cozy mystery series with plenty of charm. The procedural format and 1950s setting are likely to appeal toCall the Midwifefans and McEwan shines as Miss Marple with a knowing smile on her lips and a twinkle in her eye.
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6’Downton Abbey' (2010 - 2015)
Downton Abbey
Created by Julian Fellowes (The Gilded Age),Downton Abbeyis a critically acclaimed drama set on a Yorkshire country estate calledDownton Abbeyduring the 1910s and 1920s. The ensemble cast includes Hugh Bonneville (Paddington), Elizabeth McGovern (The Chaperone), Michelle Dockery (Anatomy of a Scandal), Brendan Coyle (Lark Rise to Candleford), Phyllis Logan (Misbehaviour), Laura Carmichael (A United Kingdom), Jim Carter (Cranford), Joanne Froggatt (Mary Shelley), and Academy Award winner Maggie Smith.
The lush costumes, sharp writing, and sweeping romances makeDownton Abbeya compelling binge. It’s certainly more luxurious thanCall the Midwife, but the drama is sure to resonate with both audiences.Downton Abbeyran for six seasons, with 52 episodes, and led tothree feature films. It was nominated for over 50 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning 15 of them.
5’Foyle’s War' (2002 - 2015)
Foyle’s War
Created by Anthony Horowitz (Midsomer Murders),Foyle’s Waris a detective drama set in England following World War II. Michael Kitchen (Mrs Dalloway) stars as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, a quiet and pragmatic detective with a strong moral compass. Foyle is aided by his driver, Samantha Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks), and Detective Sergeant Paul Milner (Anthony Howell).
There are only 26 episodes ofFoyle’s War, but each has a runtime comparable to that of a feature film. The procedural post-war drama received four BAFTA nominations, winning the Lew Grade Award in 2003. It holds a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4’Endeavour' (2012 - 2023)
Endeavouris a prequel toInspector Morse, a detective series that ran for seven seasons on ITV.Endeavourfollows a young Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) as he solves crimes in the 1960s for Oxford City Police CID.Endeavourincludes 36 episodes across nine seasons. It was nominated for two Satellite Awards.
Call the Midwifefans will enjoy the quality of this series, which isn’t particularly violent and benefits from its commitment to the1960s setting. “If you love English mysteries, and love the old Inspector Morse, you will love young Inspector Morse more,“writes Linda Stasi for New York Post.
3’Grantchester' (2014 - Present)
Grantchester
Set in a 1950sEnglish village,Grantchesterfollows a vicar and a Detective Inspector as they solve crimes together. Based onThe Grantchester Mysteriesby James Runcie, the procedural drama stars Robson Green (The Game) in the role of Detective Inspector Geordie Keating. James Norton (Little Women), Tom Brittney (Greyhound), and Rishi Nair (The Marlow Murder Club) play the different vicars Geordie teams up with throughout the seasons.
Granchester makes great use of the setting and loads on plenty of charm for that cozy mystery quality. There have been 67 episodes so far. Season 10 premieres in June 2025 with Rishi Nair playing the current vicar, Alphy Kotteram.
2’Father Brown' (2013 - Present)
12 Seasons
Father Brown
British television loves to put religious figures in mysteries, and that’s exactly what BBC One does withFather Brown. Based on the short stories by G. K. Chesterton,Father Brownstars Mark Williams (Shakespeare in Love) in the title role as a Roman Catholic priest who rides around on his bicycle, solving crimes in an English village during the 1950s.
The time period and religious element will appeal toCall the Midwifefans, who have come to know and love the nuns at Nonnatus House. Father Brown is great for family viewing and has 130 episodes so far. Season 13 is scheduled to return sometime in 2026.
1’Agatha Christie’s Poirot' (1989 - 2013)
13 Seasons
This ITV series stars David Suchet (Effie Gray) as Agatha Christie’s other famous detective, Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot. LikeAgatha Christie’s Marple,Poirottreats each episodelike its own film with a running time of an hour and a half. There are 70 episodes, which means 70 film-quality mysteries.
Poirotis a classic, and Suchet spent over 20 years playing the character. In 2015,Poirotearned 14 BAFTA nominations, winning four of them. Set primarily in the 1930s, Poirot provides plenty of historical binge-watching material based on the work of one of England’s most celebrated writers.
