10 Best Historical Dramas Like Apple TV+'s Manhunt

April 22, 2024, 2:40 p.m.

Movies

10 Best Historical Dramas Like Apple TV+'s Manhunt

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The historical drama miniseries Manhunt was a fascinating look at the pursuit to track down President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth, and, following its conclusion, many viewers may be looking for a similarly great historical drama series to watch. Luckily, there have been plenty of fantastic historical dramas that dealt with similar themes and present extraordinary depictions of real-life historical figures. Lots of these explored the incredibly varied history of the United States, but several historical dramas looked at other locations, periods, and themes.

From high-quality Westerns like Deadwood, which explored the formation of modern American civilization and the disintegration of the Wild West, to fascinating chronicles of other United States presidents like the miniseries John Adams, historical dramas have the power to both entertain and inform. Outside of America, there were also highly engrossing series dealing with other cultures, including Ancient Rome in Rome or feudal Japan in Shōgun. Over the years there have been so many great historical dramas similar to Manhunt on Apple TV+.

10 Deadwood (2004 – 2006)

Deadwood was a Western series about the way civilizations were formed

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buy Not available Not available Not available Deadwood is a western drama series created for HBO by David Milch. The series takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, where corruption runs rampant in the gold-mining era as the settlement existed outside the U.S. territory expansion following the Civil War. As the town was the site of a major gold find, it continues to attract people from all walks of life - especially opportunistic criminals. Cast Timothy Olyphant , Ian McShane , Molly Parker , Jim Beaver , Brad Dourif , John Hawkes , Paula Malcomson , Leon Rippy , William Sanderson , Robin Weigert Release Date March 21, 2004 Seasons 3 Showrunner David Milch

While Manhunt was based on the assassination of a president who changed America, the HBO historical drama Deadwood was about America during a point of intense change. Set in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, this Western series featured real historical characters and explored a Wild West camp's expansion into a town and the creeping incorporation of law and order into the last remnants of the Wild West. A powerful, profane, and provocative series, Deadwood was a highly engrossing and unique look at the way that civilizations were formed.

With a talented ensemble cast, the standout performance in Deadwood came from Ian McShane as Al Swearengen, the wise and cunning owner of the Gem Saloon, around which much of the series was based. Famous outlaws such as the Calamity Jane and gunslingers like Wild Bill Hickok also appeared throughout the three-season run of Deadwood, which was sadly a TV show that was canceled right when it was becoming great. Exploring themes of race, politics, and immigration, Deadwood was primarily about the way that order was created out of chaos.

9 The Crown (2016 – 2023)

The Crown was a decades-spanning series about the life of Queen Elizabeth II

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buy Not available Not available Not available The Crown is a Netflix Historical Drama created by Peter Morgan and starring Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton. The series follows the life of ruler Queen Elizabeth II, outlining different points in her life. Cast Claire Foy , Olivia Colman , Imelda Staunton , Matt Smith , Tobias Menzies , Jonathan Pryce , Vanessa Kirby , Helena Bonham Carter , Lesley Manville , Victoria Hamilton , Marion Bailey , Marcia Warren Release Date November 4, 2016 Seasons 5

On the other side of the pond, the British monarchy also dealt with its fair share of political unrest in The Crown. As a historical drama that spanned the life of Queen Elizabeth II from her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947 to the early 21st century, The Crown tracked some of the most important social and political events of modern times through the unusual lens of the British Royal Family, as they struggled with modernity amid an increasingly changed world. With plenty of high-stakes drama throughout, The Crown was an ensemble series that addressed personal and political issues.

While Manhunt explored the search to track down President Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth, The Crown also featured a real-life assassination, as in the fourth season, the bomb planted by the Irish Republican Army that killed the Queen’s second cousin Lord Mountbatten was depicted. This storyline was just one of the many ways The Crown showcased how real political turmoil impacted the royal family. The Crown was an interesting series that gave great insight into the inner workings of the British monarchy, although there were plenty of times The Crown made changes to the true story.

8 Shōgun (2024)

Shōgun followed an English sailor struggling to survive in 1600s feudal Japan

Shogun Shogun is an FX original mini-series set in 17th Century Japan. Shogun follows John Blackthorne, who becomes a samurai warrior but is unknowingly a pawn in Yoshii Toranaga's plan to become Shogun. The series stars Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne and Hiroyuki Sanada as Yoshii Toranaga, along with Anna Sawai, Tadanobu Asano, and Yûki Kedôin. Cast Cosmo Jarvis , Hiroyuki Sanada , Anna Sawai , Tadanobu Asano , Yûki Kedôin Seasons 1 Writers Maegan Houang , Rachel Kondo , Justin Marks , Emily Yoshida Directors Frederick E.O. Toye , Jonathan van Tulleken

Shōgun was a historical drama produced by FX on Hulu that dealt with a period of history entirely removed from Manhunt in both its period and geographical location. Set more than 250 years before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in Japan during the early 1600s, Shōgun was an unflinching look at clashing cultures as an English sailor named John Blackthorne found himself caught up in the shrewd and dangerous world of Japan during the Edo period. A highly entertaining adaptation of a novel by James Clavell, the latest version of Shōgun managed to outshine the previously highly acclaimed 1980 miniseries.

Shōgun took viewers on a journey through Japan as Blackthorne struggled to make sense of the customs and traditions he was exposed to.

As a big-budget period piece, Shōgun was incredibly well-written with memorable three-dimensional characters, but was also notable for the beauty of its cinematography and the scope and magnitude of its storytelling. With a cinematic quality, Shōgun took viewers on a journey through Japan as Blackthorne struggled to make sense of the customs and traditions he was exposed to under the powerful daimyo Lord Yoshii Toranaga. Shōgun was a thought-provoking look at a fascinating period in history before the East and West had truly understood one another and global culture had yet to be formed.

7 The Tudors (2007 – 2010)

The Tudors dealt with the reign of King Henry VIII

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Jonathan Rhys Meyers , Henry Cavill , Natalie Dormer Release Date April 1, 2007 Seasons 4

While Manhunt dealt with the consequences of the end of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency in the United States, The Tudors focused on the rule of King Henry VIII in the United Kingdom. The steamy series dealt with the international conflicts and political intrigue of Henry VIII’s reign, but also the complexities of his relationships and six marriages, which famously led to English formation and the separation of the Church of England from Catholicism. With Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry VII, The Tudors also featured standout performances from Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill.

Over four seasons, The Tudors explored King Henry’s marriages to women such as Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, and Anne of Cleeves, and the intense political fallout of these acts, for which he was forced to defy the Pope for the right to annul. The goal of The Tudors was primarily to entertain rather than be an entirely accurate depiction of history, as it embellished and changed many things from the true story. Despite its faults, The Tudors was highly engrossing and showcased the dramatic life of one of the British royal family’s most notorious kings.

6 Rome (2005 – 2007)

Rome explored Ancient Rome’s transition into the Roman Empire

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Although the historical drama Rome was hundreds of years before Manhunt in the 1st century BC, it was just as powerfully entertaining as it depicted Ancient Rome’s transition from a Republic into an Empire. As a truly important moment in history, the period that was dramatized in Rome ultimately contributed to the formation of modern society as we know it and was an era of battles, conflicts, and warfare. Like Manhunt, Rome featured many real historical figures as its complex characters, magnificent production values, and reasonably accurate depiction of history drew viewers into its ancient setting.

Running for just two seasons on HBO, Rome received widespread critical acclaim as Roman officers struggled to balance their personal beliefs with their political duties and important figures like Julius Caesar, whose ambitious aims and motives tested the loyalties of those around him. With an ensemble cast, characters like Polly Walker’s Atia of the Julii stood out as her opportunistic manipulations turned her into an influential figure throughout Rome. Full of enjoyable drama, Rome was an impressive historical drama about an important moment in the history of the world.

5 The Pacific (2010)

The Pacific followed three Marines during the Pacific War

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buy Not available Not available Not available A companion piece to the WWII miniseries Band of Brother, The Pacific chronicles the lives of three Marines in the 1st Marine Division and their actions in the Pacific Theater of the Second World War. Based on the lives of real men who fought in the war, The Pacific focuses on some of the war's most well-known battles, such as Guadalcanal and the Battle of Iwo Jima. James Badge Dale, Jon Seda, and Joseph Mazzello star as the three main focuses of the series. Cast Rami Malek , Tom Hanks , Joseph Mazzello Release Date March 14, 2010 Seasons 1

The companion series to HBO’s Band of Brothers, The Pacific focused on the Marine Corps’s action in the Pacific War during World War II and, like Manhunt, featured real historical characters throughout. As the most expensive miniseries ever produced at the time of its release (via HR), The Pacific was produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman and cost over $200 million. A visual spectacle that represented the true horrors of warfare, The Pacific was not a series for the faint of heart.

The Pacific focused on the stories of three Marines named Robert Leckie, Eugene Sledge, and John Basilone, who were enrolled in three different regiments. This allowed the series to explore the vast complexities of the Pacific War. As a complex and difficult conflict that pitted the Americans against the Japanese, The Pacific was a powerful representation of a side of the war rarely depicted on screen. While The Pacific was less character focused that its companion series, it was still one of the greatest TV shows ever made about World War II.

4 Band of Brothers (2001)

Band of Brothers depicted American soldiers during WWII

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buy Not available Not available Not available Band of Brothers tells the dramatized story of World War II's "Easy" company, as they go through training together, participate in major wartime events in Europe, all the way until the end of the war. Cast Kirk Acevedo , Eion Bailey , Michael Cudlitz , Dale Dye , Scott Grimes , Frank John Hughes , Damian Lewis , Ron Livingston , James Madio , Neal McDonough , David Schwimmer , Richard Speight Jr. , Donnie Wahlberg , Matthew Settle , Rick Warden , Marc Warren , Dexter Fletcher , Colin Hanks , Ross McCall Release Date September 9, 2001 Seasons 1 Showrunner Steven Spielberg , Tom Hanks

Band of Brothers has regularly ranked among the greatest TV shows ever made as its dramatization of the difficulties in World War II for the "Easy" Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division has yet to be matched by any wartime series. With incredible characterization, fantastic writing, and a connection to real people, Band of Brothers took viewers on a journey from military training right through the horrors of battle. As each episode begins with interview excerpts from the real survivors, Band of Brothers had a level of realism rarely seen on screen.

With three-dimensional and believable real characters, Band of Brothers began at boot camp and depicted important historical moments like Normandy landings on D-Day, right up until the end of the war. A remarkable homage to those who fought for their country, Band of Brothers paid tribute through individual stories to the countless soldiers who gave their lives for the greater good. With a theatrical quality, Band of Brothers pushed the boundaries of television at the time of its release and contributed to the Golden Age of contemporary television.

3 Boardwalk Empire (2010 – 2014)

Boardwalk Empire explored bootlegging and illegal activity during the era of prohibition

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buy Not available Not available Not available Based on Atlantic City in the 1920s and 1930s, Boardwalk Empire follows political heavyweight "Nucky" Thompson as he battles mobsters, politicians, government agents, and the common folk who look to take him on. Now, with the federal government cracking down on bootlegging and other illegal activities, and everyone looking to take over control of the city, Nucky's lavish lifestyle is in danger of collapsing. Cast Shea Whigham , Kelly Macdonald , Stephen Graham , Steve Buscemi , Michael Stuhlbarg , Michael Shannon Release Date September 19, 2010 Seasons 5 Showrunner Terence Winter

While President Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth in Manhunt was the most notorious criminal of his time, the intense criminal underworld of prohibition-era America was explored in the historical drama Boardwalk Empire. The pilot episode was directed by Martin Scorsese and Boardwalk Empire had the aesthetic quality and talented cast that would be expected from a feature-length production, as it told its story based on real historical characters. With Steve Buscemi as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, Boardwalk Empire depicted how crime and politics came together in Atlanta during the 1920s and 1930s.

Boardwalk Empire featured real criminals such as Arnold Rothstein, a mob kingpin involved in major racketeering schemes, or even the notorious Al Capone, who was one of the most feared crime bosses of all time. Featuring a fantastic ensemble cast, Boardwalk Empire had a fantastic five-season run and stood as one of the greatest historical dramas ever produced. With a beautiful aesthetic and tone that were set by Scorsese in the very first episode, Boardwalk Empire maintained its high quality and unique style throughout.

2 John Adams (2008)

John Adams depicted the political life of the 2nd President of the United States

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Paul Giamatti , Laura Linney , Mamie Gummer , David Morse , Rufus Sewell , Sarah Polley , Tom Wilkinson , Danny Huston Release Date March 16, 2008 Seasons 1

While Manhunt dealt with the social and political fallout of the assassination of a United States president, John Adams explored an important figure’s contribution to the formation of modern America itself. As a chronicle of the life of the founding father, John Adams, this miniseries starred Paul Giamatti as the man who would become the second President of the United States and all the challenges and achievements that came with this. Over seven episodes, John Adams was a vast series that cataloged the years 1770 right up until Adam died in 1826.

The winner of four Golden Globes and thirteen Emmy Awards, John Adams was a highly acclaimed series, with particular praise going towards the performances of Giamatti and Laura Linney, who played Adam’s wife and closest advisor, Abigail Adams. An important representation of the dawning of American democracy, John Adams acted as a thrilling exploration of one of the most important figures of the American Revolution. A high-quality historical drama, John Adams showcased the important legacy of the men and women who forged the United States, and that this formation did not come easily.

1 Franklin (2024)

Franklin explored Benjamin Franklin’s quest to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778

Franklin (2024) Franklin is a 2024 AppleTV+ mini-series focusing on Benjamin Franklin as he travels to France on a secret mission to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778. Starring Michael Douglas, Franklin is based on the book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff. Cast Michael Douglas , Noah Jupe , Thibault de Montalembert , Daniel Mays , Ludivine Sagnier , Eddie Marsan , Asaad Bouab , Jeanne Balibar , Théodore Pellerin Release Date April 12, 2024 Seasons 1 Creator(s) Kirk Ellis

As one of the founding fathers of the United States, the political influence of President Abraham Lincoln seen in Manhunt would never have been possible without the influence of Benjamin Franklin and his pursuit of French King Louis XVI’s support of the American Revolutionary War. This pursuit served as the basis for Franklin, an Apple TV+ miniseries that starred Michael Douglas as Franklin. A major political gamble that Franklin took at the age of 70, the eight years that Franklin spent in France served as the basis for the series.

Douglas gave an incredible performance as Franklin, which revealed the hidden depth of a fascinating, intelligent, and eccentric man.

With strong performances by the entire cast, Franklin carefully unveiled a little-known but extremely important part of the American Revolution as the French supplied arms, ammunition, and troops to support the Continental Army between 1778 and 1782 (via US Gov.) Douglas gave an incredible performance as Franklin, which revealed the hidden depth of a fascinating, intelligent, and eccentric man. An enjoyable companion show to Manhunt, both series have showcased the incredible work Apple TV+ has produced regarding important moments in the history of the United States.

Source: Hollywood Reporter, US Gov