Historical accuracy in movies and TV has been a source of fierce debate for decades, with some period dramas getting it surprisingly right while others eschew accuracy at the risk of criticism. In 2023, for example, Napoleon director Ridley Scott clapped back at British historian Dan Snow, after the latter had listed the movie’s many historical inaccuracies, telling him to “Get a life” (via The Slate). Of course, historical accuracy is not necessarily the factor that makes any given movie or TV show good, but it can help to add to an atmosphere of authenticity and realism that many audiences look for.
Some period dramas in both movies and television have been extremely successful at impressing audiences with their historical accuracy. Whether that is in the way that a certain historical event is portrayed, or just how the culture of the time is depicted, these productions have been greatly praised for their ability to faithfully capture the essence of their respective eras. In these dramas, the history is not just part of the backdrop, but an intrinsic part of what makes the narrative great.
10 Chernobyl (2019)
Based Upon The Chernobyl Disaster
HBO is a production company renowned for making some of the greatest TV shows in history, including The Sopranos and Game of Thrones. However, it was in 2019 that they truly hit the ball out of the park with their retelling of the events during and following the Chernobyl disaster, which saw a reactor at the titular nuclear power plant explode and radiation to leak for hundreds of miles. Chernobyl is centered around Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), the man brought in to assist the highly costly cleanup of the incident.
Besides the praise for Chernobyl‘s incredible storytelling and performances, the show was also masterful in its historical accuracy. According to historian Adam Higginbotham, author of Midnight In Chernobyl, some of the shots from the show felt like authentic documentary footage rather than something fictitious (via CBS). From the frustrating depiction of Soviet bureaucracy, misinformation, and the efforts to conceal the disaster, Chernobyl truly earns its spot as one of the most historically accurate TV shows out there.
9 Lincoln (2012)
Based Upon The Life Of Abraham Lincoln
Steven Spielberg’s historical epic, Lincoln, tells the story of the final months of the titular 16th President of the United States. Featuring a standout performance from Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, the movie delves into the story of the president’s attempts to pass the 13th Amendment to outlaw slavery in the nation. Lincoln excels in what it sets out to do – capturing the true essence and complexities of the man often regarded to be one of the greatest American presidents ever.
Expert on the president, and a historian who consulted Lincoln‘s production, Harold Holzer, has said that while there are some historical inaccuracies, on the whole the movie succeeds in providing an authentic experience for audiences (via Politico). The screenplay in particular was highly commended for its ability to discuss the political quagmire of passing the 13th Amendment. Besides this, the set design, costumes, and attention to detail have also been praised for their exceptional accuracy.
8 Downton Abbey (2010-2015)
Set In Early 20th Century England
A true cultural phenomenon of British television, Downton Abbey presents audiences with a glimpse of the life of the aristocracy in the early 20th century. Centered around the Crawley family and their servants at the titular family home, Downton Abbey is set between 1912 and 1926. Across six series, various historical events, such as the sinking of the Titanic and the Beer Hall Putsch.
From the costumes, to the set design, and the relationships on display, Downton Abbey may be a work of complete fiction, but has been praised by the experts for its attention to historical accuracy. The show heavily employed the expertise of historian Alastair Bruce, who, among having a cameo in the show, was “ruthless” in his attempts to make Downton as realistic as possible (via Town and Country). From the correct way to curtsy to how to speak to royalty, Darling was able to employ his knowledge of the British aristocracy to great effect here.
7 Titanic (1997)
Based Upon The Sinking Of The Titanic
James Cameron’s Titanic was more than just a movie, it was a watershed moment for the genre. Telling the true story of the doomed Titanic as it set sail from Southampton, Titanic has become one of the most commercially successful and iconic movies of all time. Of course, Titanic‘s flagship romance between Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) was completely fictional, but this does not hold the movie back from being praised for its accuracy in other areas.
Besides this,
Titanic
has also been praised by Don Lynch, a member of the Titanic Historical Society for its dedication to historical accuracy in a movie so large in scale.
The design of the ship and set itself was made in heavy consultation with Robert Ballard, the man often credited with discovering Titanic’s shipwreck on the ocean floor. Besides this, Titanic has also been praised by Don Lynch, a member of the Titanic Historical Society for its dedication to historical accuracy in a movie so large in scale. Lynch, besides often being seen as the foremost historian on all-things Titanic, helped to advise Cameron on how best to preserve the accuracy of the disaster (via Media Awareness Network).
6 The Queen (2006)
Based On The Queen’s Response To Princess Diana’s Death
The Queen is a unique biographical drama that chronicles the response of Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and the rest of the Royal Family to Princess Diana’s death in 1997. The movie delves into the fraught relationship between the Queen and the British public at the time, exploring the nationwide tension following Diana’s death. It’s a compelling movie that tackles the death of the Princess with the utmost respect while also providing audiences with a sound narrative.
Aside from this, The Queen has also been heavily praised for its historical accuracy. In particular, Mirren’s performance as the Queen, for which she won Best Actress at the Academy Awards, was highly successful in capturing the monarch’s quiet and polite mannerisms. Labeled as “almost too realistic” by The Guardian, The Queen expertly captures the chaotic and grieving spirit of the nation in 1997, particularly in its depiction of Tony Blair’s (Michael Sheen) government response (via The Guardian).
5 12 Years A Slave (2013)
Based On The Kidnapping And Enslavement Of Solomon Northup
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave tells the harrowing true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an African American man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 years. It is based on Northup’s 1853 memoir of the same name, and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful portrayals of slavery in the US ever put to film. 12 Years a Slave is unflinching in its depiction of slavery, and does not shy away from the horrors faced by slaves during this shameful part of history.
12 Years a Slave
‘s commitment to historical accuracy is brutally honest, and its refusal to downplay the horrors of slavery makes it a landmark part of period drama moviemaking.
The primary historical consultant for 12 Years a Slave was Professor Henry Louis Gates, an academic with a history of working on movies about slavery, such as Spielberg’s Amistad. Gates praised McQueen’s direction for being a “refreshingly honest depiction of slavery“, with multiple aspects of the movie, from the dialect of the characters to the depiction of plantation life (via The Guardian). 12 Years a Slave‘s commitment to historical accuracy is brutally honest, and its refusal to downplay the horrors of slavery makes it a landmark part of period drama moviemaking.
4 The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
Based On The Crimes Of Jordan Belfort
Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street is based upon the titular memoir of Jordan Belfort, a financial criminal who defrauded Americans during his time as founder of a brokerage house, Stratton Oakmont. Belfort, who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, used the fraudulent money to live a life of lavish parties, drugs, and excess.The Wolf of Wall Street serves as a cautionary tale about moral decay and corruption, and while it certainly exaggerates some aspects of Belfort’s life for either comedic or dramatic effect, has been praised for its authenticity.
From the depiction of Matthew McConaughey’s character, Mark Hanna, to Belfort’s sinking of a yacht owned by Coco Chanel, it’s hard to believe that the debauchery onscreen really happened.
Belfort himself served as an advisor on the movie, and has since claimed that Wolf of Wall Street accurately reflects the true story of what really happened during his time on Wall Street. From the depiction of Matthew McConaughey’s character, Mark Hanna, to Belfort’s sinking of a yacht owned by Coco Chanel, it’s hard to believe that the debauchery onscreen really happened. Of course, we may take Belfort’s word with a pinch of salt, but it must also be said that the accuracy of the chaotic, unregulated atmosphere on Wall Street at the time has also been praised by the experts for its realism (via The Independent).
3 Pride And Prejudice (1995)
Adapted From Jane Austen’s Novel
It would be impossible to write a list about the historical accuracy of period dramas and not mention the one that is often regarded as the gold standard for such a feat. The BBC’s miniseries adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a heartfelt depiction of the fictional love story between Elizabeth Bennett (Jennifer Ehle) and Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth). While the Pride and Prejudice miniseries is perhaps not as commercially popular as the 2005 adaptation, an online poll showed that an overwhelming majority of audiences found the 1995 adaptation to be more historically accurate (via Regency Reader).
Almost every detail of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries has been meticulously crafted to reflect the culture and romance of early 19th century England. Costume designer Dinah Collin’s attention to detail on the costumes, which accurately reflected the social status of each character, is nothing short of incredible. Austen expert, Janet Todd, has also commended the series for not romanticizing the era in which Pride and Prejudice is set, instead remaining true to the nuances of marriage as a social contract and class distinctions present within the story (via Cambridge University Press).
2 The Big Short (2015)
Based On The Subprime Mortgage Crisis
Based on Michael Lewis’ book of the same name, Adam McKay’s The Big Short is a shocking, scathing, and sometimes hilarious account of the 2008 financial crisis. It follows the story of different groups of finance experts in the months leading up to the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the subprime mortgage crisis, as each of them began to realize that they could make millions by “shorting” different mortgage-backed securities. With a star-studded cast, meta fourth-wall breaking, and a tone that is conversational rather than condescending, The Big Short has become a landmark in period drama production.
Aside from telling a truly compelling story, The Big Short also maintains a strong semblance of historical accuracy. While certain characters had their names changed from their real-life counterparts, the movie remains an authentic depiction of these people, with Michael Burry claiming that Christian Bale did a fantastic job at capturing his socially awkward demeanor (via Vulture). Michael Lewis himself has also commended The Big Short for being a faithful adaptation of the chaos of the financial world at this time, and The Guardian’s review praises the movie for being self-aware, in some aspects, that some parts of the story have been fictionalized for dramatic effect (via The Guardian).
1 Boyhood (2014)
Richard Linklater’s Boyhood is a movie that breaks away from traditional expectations of period dramas, redefining the genre for a new generation. It tells the fictional story of Mason Evans Jr. (Ellar Coltrane) as he grows up from the ages of six to eighteen. However, what sets this movie apart from other coming-of-age period dramas is that Linklater retained the same cast of characters for 12 years of filming and production. Boyhood is an extraordinary piece of moviemaking.
The realism of this period drama is unmatched, as it shows audiences the true meaning of coming-of-age, with an authentic story of maturity that is told in real-time.
Aside from its unique premise, Boyhood was also praised for its sheer authenticity of growing up in the 2000s. It has been commended to no end for its dedication to trying to be as relatable as possible to as wide a possible audience, with its radical production methods truly helping the movie here. The character of Mason in particular was praised for “doing what little boys do”, before eventually growing up before viewers’ very eyes, not through special effects or makeup, but “by time itself” (via Southern Spaces). The realism of this period drama is unmatched, as it shows audiences the true meaning of coming-of-age, with an authentic story of maturity that is told in real-time.
Sources: The Slate, CBS, Politico, Town and Country, Media Awareness Network, The Guardian, The Guardian, The Independent, Regency Reader, Cambridge University Press, The Guardian, Southern Spaces.