Netflix kicked off its fall 2026 season with the release of Zoe Kazan’s limited series adaptation of East of Eden, the classic novel by John Steinbeck. Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh leads the stellar ensemble cast in a fresh interpretation of the story’s antihero Cathy Ames, a mysterious woman with a life full of secrets who shows up on the doorstep of the Trask brothers.
The period drama tackles rich themes like brotherhood, family, choice, and good vs. evil across its seven episodes, remaining true to Steinbeck’s classic while also building upon its foundation. Pugh’s performance packs a punch throughout East of Eden as these themes unravel in unexpected and impactful ways, leading to an ending full of gut-wrenching emotion.
East of Eden is the kind of period drama, which takes place over the course at least 50 years, that’s immersive in its realism and will leave you wanting watch even more shows set in the past. Whether you want to stay in 1900s or throw it back even further back in time, Netflix has plenty of period drama options to escape into, but we have compiled three great recommendations!
Little House on the Prairie
A fellow adaptation of a book as well as a new take on the beloved television series of the same name, Little House on the Prairie premiered on Netflix this summer and won over a whole new generation. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s story is back on the small screen and better than ever.
Little House on the Prairie centers on the Ingalls family as they travel across the frontier and experience all kinds of conditions on their journey. The series takes place in the late 1800s like East of Eden,though it’s much, much more family-friendly and not nearly as mature in its themes.
Even though Little House on the Prairie currently only has one eight-episode available to binge-watch on Netflix right now, Netflix renewed the show for a second season, which is already in production. If you catch up with the family period drama now, you will be ready for season 2 next year.
House of Guinness
East of Eden and Little House on the Prairie are period dramas that are cut from the same cloth as they are explorations of American families in the late 1800s. But if you’re looking for a show set in the same time period but with a different setting, check outHouse of Guinness.
Netflix debuted the historical drama series from Peaky Blinderscreator Steven Knight back in September 2025, and it’s remained an underrated binge-watch. The series centers on the history of the Guinness family as the patriarch dies and leaves his brewing company to his four children.
House of Guinness might have themes revolving around family, but this isn’t one to watch with the family like Little House on the Prairie. It’s about as mature as East of Eden, but not as heavy. Netflix renewed the show for season 2, and while there’s still a long wait ahead, it’s still worth watching now.
The Empress
Obviously, one of the biggest aspects that are often present in period dramas is royalty. It’s no surprise that The Crown was one of Netflix’s most popular original series. But the streamer has another original period drama about royalty that’s set for its return this fall.
The Empress returns with its third season this fall, and since it’s been two years since the period drama last dropped new episodes, it’s the perfect time to catch up. The German historical romance follows Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth “Sisi” von Wittelsbach’s love affair with Franz Joseph I of Austria.
Each season tackles a new chapter of their romance, leading to their marriage in the second season and the pressures they face to start a family. The third and final seasonbrings the story to a close on Nov. 12, and with six episodes per season, it’s an incredibly quick but entertaining watch!
