Shows Like Outlander – 9 Amazing Historical Fantasy Series To Watch Now

Outlander is a hugely popular tv show that is based on a series of historical fiction novels by American author Diana Gabaldon.

Filled with fantasy, adventure and romance, it has become one of the most successful among fans.

It follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously transported back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world with her life threatened.

Forced to marry Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), a Scottish noble warrior, a passionate relationship is sparked, leaving Claire's heart torn between two completely different men in two irreconcilable lives.

If you're a fan of epic plots full of drama and fantasy, the list of shows like Outlander that we've come up with is perfect for you.

From all the intriguing drama of reigns to the imagination and action of Viking times, there's an adrenaline rush for everyone.

Let yourself be captivated by these series where the most challenging thing will be which one you will start first!

If you have any more suggestions for shows like Outlander, please do not forget to leave them in the comments below.

Poldark

Poldark is a British historical drama series based on the novels of the same title by Winston Graham and starring Aidan Turner in the lead role.

It is 1783 and Captain Ross Vennor Poldark has returned from the American War of Independence to his home of Nampara in Cornwall after three years in the army.

He then discovers that his father Joshua has died, his estate is in ruins and in considerable debt, and his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth is engaged to his cousin Francis.

He meets and marries a young woman called Demelza Carne and throughout the five series, the story continues to follow the lives of Ross and Demelza, Elizabeth and Francis as they deal with their marriages, lost loves, death and war.

Versailles

Set during the construction of the Palace of Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV, Versailles has three incredible seasons to delve into.

It's 1667 and the French nobility have begun to defy and disobey the monarchy. Young King Louis XIV (George Blagden) decides to move the court from Paris to the hamlet of Versailles as a means to force their submission.

As Louis renovates his new Palace, the nobles become embroiled in increasingly dangerous intrigues.

The Great

The Great is a brilliantly sharp historical and satirical black comedy-drama.

Loosely based on the rise to power of Catherine the Great, Empress of All Russia, the series stars Elle Fanning as Empress Catherine II and Nicholas Hoult as the Emperor Peter III.

With two seasons in the bag, the good news for fans is that The Great has been renewed for Season 3 so watch this space!

Is Outlander Based On A True Story?

Outlander is a television phenomenon based on the books by Diana Gabaldon. The books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and while it is a fictional show, some parts of the plot are actually based on historical truths.

Many of the filming locations in the show are authentic destinations, and some of the characters are recreated from true stories.

The infamous Fort William Castle, for example, is Castle Black in Scotland, about half an hour from Edinburgh.

Scotland's real Doune Castle also plays an essential role in the series as a tribune for the home of Clan MacKenzie, Castle Leoch.

The book series author also disclosed that Lord Lovat was a real person. On her website Diana reveals that “I have made no changes to his life or personality, except to graft an illegitimate and wholly fictitious branch onto his family tree, making him Jamie Fraser's grandfather”.

The character is a little strange in the serial, but his existence based on reality made the fans like him more.

Another one of the events that happened was the Battle of Culloden. As the story tells, a British government force led by Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, defeated the Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart on 16 April 1746.

This will forever be known as the Battle of Culloden, which was portrayed in the season three premiere of Outlander.

Is There A Season 7 Of Outlander?

Outlander has a total of six seasons with 75 episodes.

However, due to restrictions on filming during the pandemic, season 6 had to be reduced to just eight episodes.

But fans do not need to worry as an extended season 7 of Outlander has already been announced with sixteen pure romance and fantasy episodes.

Does Outlander Use Doubles?

Outlander is highly appreciated by fans, not only for the love story but also for its exciting action scenes.

So it is only natural for there to be a great interest in finding out more about how the show is filmed and how much the actors do themselves.

Although it may not be perceptible, stunt doubles are often used in shows for many different reasons. This includes great stunts and lighting, stand-ins, and rehearsals.

Therefore, as normal in this type of series, stunt doubles are used in Outlander. One of them was Kirstin Gribbin, who did several scenes as Claire (Caitríona Balfe), mainly because the actress was filming other scenes in a different place.

Are Colum MacKenzie's Legs Real?

Outlander was produced with full detail, making the viewer feel like they were in a genuinely realistic environment.

Thanks to its top-quality production team and UK artists Double Negative (Dneg), keeping the series authentic and genuine was one of the first commands from the show's producers.

One of the main characters in the show, Colum MacKenzie (Gary Lewis), suffers from Toulouse-Lautrec Syndrome, causing his legs to become horribly deformed and curved.

Dneg had to replace the actor's real legs with digital limbs to achieve this effect. Thus, Lewis wore special socks that they could manipulate to make them look bent.

In addition, the wedge shoes worn by the actor also helped create Colum's unique walk caused by his deformity.

Using a combination of tools, including ZBrush, RenderMan, Maya and Dneg's creation tool, Privett describes working on Colum's legs as “technically most interesting as it's not something that is done very often at that level for television.”

The standard for visual effects is quite high with a series of such a high production value, so the next season should be pretty interesting.

Overall

For years we have been spoiled with intense historical drama so choosing a select few shows like Outlander is not easy.

We've tried to give you the best of history, fantasy and adventure but if you think we've overlooked some gems let us know in the comments!