10 Best Shows Like Outlander While Waiting For Season 8

The Outlander season 7 finale left audiences shocked and brimming with anticipation for the final installment of this iconic fantasy romance TV show. Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic historical, romantic, and adventure-filled TV series to watch in the interim between seasons. There are lots of elements that make Outlander so popular, but no matter what part of the story catches the audience's eyes, there's a show out there that will scratch the same itch. Outlander is not the only series that can keep viewers guessing and make them care deeply about the characters.

There's no official release date for Outlander season 8, but hopefully, since filming has wrapped, the wait won't be too long. Unfortunately, Outlander season 8 will be the last time audiences are swept up in Jamie and Claire's epic love story, but these shows might be the next best thing to get hooked on as Outlander winds down. Though some were short-lived, that doesn't make them any less watchable, and plenty are still airing, giving viewers additional seasons to look forward to. If anything, Outlander's success has helped pave the way for exciting and innovative new works within its genre.

10 My Lady Jane (2024)

My Lady Jane shares the romantic and fantasy elements of Outlander

My Lady Jane and Outlander are two of the best period romance TV shows ever made, and while My Lady Jane leans further into comedy than Outlander, their central romances have a lot in common. Despite garnering critical and audience acclaim, My Lady Jane was cut short after just one season, but the narrative arc reached a satisfying conclusion, leaving viewers with a touching ending for Jane (Emily Bader) and Guildford (Edward Bluemel). Based on the book of the same name, My Lady Jane also shares a literary background with Outlander.

Though time travel isn't the fantasy element in My Lady Jane, the magic system does play a key role in the story and serves as a metaphor, similar to Outlander. External circumstances and other people's animosity are what threaten to tear apart Jane and Guildford throughout the story, imbuing the series with action and adventure that elevate the stakes. My Lady Jane's story might have ended, but it will live on in the hearts of all the viewers who watch it.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
My Lady Jane (2024)	95%	90%

9 Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017)

Like the later seasons of Outlander, Turn engages with the Revolutionary War

Turn: Washington's Spies gained recognition as the seasons progressed, developing into a tense and compelling drama. Though the story of the American Revolutionary War is well-known among many audiences, the hidden tale of the network of spies who helped win the conflict is less prominent. Jamie Bell leads the cast as the historical figure Abraham Woodhull, who was instrumental in cultivating the Culper Spy Ring. Combining old-fashioned espionage with real-life stakes and events makes Turn the perfect follow-up to Outlander.

Though Outlander centers on Jamie and Claire's relationship first and foremost, the historical conflicts that make up their world are also a significant part of the story. After the couple makes the trek across the Atlantic and settles in what will become the United States, it doesn't take long for the seeds of the revolution to start brewing, putting them at the heart of the issue, as the characters are in Turn. For a more historically accurate account of these events, Turn: Washington's Spies will provide details while building character relationships.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Turn: Washington's Spies (2014–2017)	81%	92%

8 Bridgerton (2020–Present)

This sweeping historical romance series has the heart of Outlander, without the blood and gore

Since it premiered in 2020, Bridgerton has been one of Netflix's biggest hits, especially within the historical romance genre. Adapted from the hit novel series by Julia Quinn,Bridgerton follows the trials and tribulations of the prominent Bridgerton family in Regency-era England as they search for their true loves. Like Outlander, Bridgerton doesn't shy away from showing the more intimate scenes between its lead couples but simultaneously elevates the importance of other relationships and familial connections.

Though Brigerton doesn't have the violence or bloodshed of Outlander, it's ideal for viewers who enjoy the romance angle of the story the most.

It will be interesting to see what changes Bridgerton makes to Benedict's book story, as every season of Bridgerton has successfully expanded upon the original text to make the stories more universal and better suited to television. So far, viewers haven't been disappointed by the drama of Bridgerton, as the series has managed to shake up its formula with every season. Though Brigerton doesn't have the violence or bloodshed of Outlander, it's ideal for viewers who enjoy the romance angle of the story the most.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Bridgerton (2020–Present)	84%	74%

7 Black Sails (2014-2017)

Black Sails leans into the danger and intrigue of history

Though Toby Stevens' Flint is much more morally ambiguous than the heroic Jamie Fraser, he's a compelling and romantic figure to watch in Black Sails. A loose prequel to the events of the classic novel Treasure Island, Black Sails expands upon the darkest and grittiest parts of Outlanderas the series chronicles the Golden Age of Piracy and the characters' heart-pounding adventures on the seven seas. Though there's plenty of treasure hunting in Black Sails, there's also lots of character-building and enduring narratives about the fight for freedom.

Since Starz is the network behind both Outlander and Black Sails, it's not surprising that the two series have elements in common, especially since they premiered the same year. Though Black Sails didn't prove to have the longevity of Outlander, its four-season run is tightly crafted and never loses momentum. Even without a fantastical aspect of the story, Black Sails doesn't lose the audience at any point, slowly revealing the secrets at the heart of the story and making the narrative much more than a typical pirate tale.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Black Sails (2014–2017)	81%	83%

6 Doctor Who (1963–Present)

A sci-fi adventure series perfect for Outlander fans who can't get enough of the time travel

There have been many eras of Doctor Who, the latest of which stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. While every take on the mysterious Time Lord is different, the heart of Doctor Who has endured since the series first hit the small screen in 1963. Claire might be thrown back in time with no idea what happened to her in Outlander, but most of the characters in Doctor Who willingly embark on their adventures and join the Doctor in the dangerous but life-changing journeys of Doctor Who.

This makes the friendship and familiar love in Doctor Who closer in tone to the later seasons of Outlander.

Though Outlander is more fantasy than sci-fi, Doctor Who uses time travel in a similar way, taking the Doctor and their companion to major historical events of the past and giving the audience insight into the conflicts and dramas of those periods. Unlike Outlander, Doctor Who uses its romantic storylines as secondary plot points, and the Doctor is rarely involved in these storylines, and their character has always been more focused on platonic relationships. This makes the friendship and familiar love in Doctor Who closer in tone to the later seasons of Outlander.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Doctor Who (1963–Present)	90%	64%

5 The Spanish Princess (2019–2020)

The politics of life in court rise to the forefront of The Spanish Princess

The Spanish Princess is also a Starz production and tackles the familiar story of King Henry VIII's bloody and tragic rule through a new lens. Told from the perspective of Catharine of Aragon, played by Charlotte Hope, Henry's first wife,The Spanish Princess sees Catharine arrive in England unsure of her place at court and anxious to prove that she can handle the games. Catharine is similar to Claire, the heroine of Outlander, as she's smart and ahead of her time and goes head-to-head with the men who try to control her.

Though The Spanish Princess received some criticism regarding its historical accuracy, its drama and romantic plot lines don't disappoint. The events of The Spanish Princess are the closest to Outlander season 2, as this is when Jamie and Claire travel to the French court and attempt to find allies there while navigating the perils of court politics. Like Outlander, the gorgeous period costumes and set designs make The Spanish Princess a visual feast for viewers and make an intriguing backdrop for the lies and betrayals onscreen.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Spanish Princess	75%	53%

4 The Empress (2022–Present)

The iconic Empress Sisi of Austria makes for a compelling protagonist who fights as hard as Claire does

There have been many films and TV shows made about the life of the infamous Empress Elisabeth "Sisi" of Austria, the famed monarch world-renowned for her beauty and eccentricities. Devrim Lingnau brings Sisi to life in The Empress, a German historical drama distributed by Netflix that has taken the world by storm. The love that blossoms between Sisi and the Emperor, Franz (Philip Froissant), is touching and beautiful at first, but the duties of their titles and Sisi's adjustments to being the Empress don't make their lives simple.

Sisi's struggle for independence and to be taken seriously as a political figure parallels Claire's journey in adapting to the treatment of women across time.

The Empress season 2 recently dropped on Netflix and expands on the trials of Sisi and Franz's lives, moving on from their early romance and digging into the difficulties of raising heirs and maintaining their expansive empire. Though Franz and Sisi don't have the enviable relationship of Jamie and Claire in Outlander, their connection is real. It allows the viewer to empathize with both of them throughout the series. Sisi's struggle for independence and to be taken seriously as a political figure parallels Claire's journey in adapting to the treatment of women across time.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Empress (2022–Present)	83%	91%

3 The Great (2020–2023)

A satirical historical drama that's not as serious as Outlander, but turns out to be just as romantic

Audience members looking for a historically accurate period TV show won't find that in Hulu's The Great. However, what The Great does deliver is a hilarious and blood-curdling good time with a surprisingly tender romance thrown into the middle of the story. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult have amazing chemistry as Catherine The Great and Peter III of Russia. The pair begin the series as a couple as a result of a political marriage and end it begrudgingly in love.

Their development as an enemies-to-lovers couple is one of the best in TV history, and it's only elevated by the dark satire at the heart of The Great. There are plenty of action sequences and graphic moments of violence in The Great, like Outlander, but they're typically played for laughs rather than dramatic effect. However, that isn't to say that The Great doesn't have emotional moments throughout the story, as Peter and Catherine's romance demonstrates how much people can change.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Great (2020–2023)	96%	85%

2 Dickinson (2019–2021)

Fans of period pieces and more modern stories can come together to appreciate Dickinson

Hailee Steinfeld stars as Emily Dickinson in Apple TV+'s anachronistic retelling of the life of the famed poet. With plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor and a beautiful exploration of the relationship between Emily and her sister-in-law and rumored lover, Sue (Ella Hunt), Dickinson is a period piece for modern audiences, making plenty of references to the major historical figures and works of its time. Like Outlander,Dickinson doesn't shy away from letting its characters come into contact with iconic people throughout history.

As a budding poet, Emily wants to explore the best parts of life and meet her literary heroes, even if they don't always live up to her expectations. The women in Dickinson are unafraid to speak out against the way their society stifles them, and Emily and Sue are just as willing to explore their feelings for each other. Sue and Emily might not have to contend with time travel like Jamie and Claire, but their love pushes boundaries and is inspiring to witness.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Dickinson (2019–2021)	92%	92%

1 A Discovery Of Witches (2018–2022)

Witches, time travel, and forbidden romance make A Discovery of Witches the ideal companion to Outlander

Based on the book series of the same name by Deborah Harkness, A Discovery of Witches has all the fantasy, drama, and romance that fans of Outlander could ask for. Even when the story becomes a little unbelievable, A Discovery of Witches is anchored by the incredible chemistry between Diana (Terese Palmer) and Matthew (Matthew Goode), a witch and a vampire who find themselves on a perilous journey together. Though witches and vampires are mortal enemies in their world, this doesn't stop the sparks from flying between them.

While a mystical and ancient grudge is a bit more intense, this foundation of uncertainty is similar to the beginning of Jamie and Claire's relationship, as Jamie isn't sure he can trust an Englishwoman. However, in both shows, it's clear from the beginning that these couples were fated to be together. Additionally, A Discovery of Witches takes a page from Outlander's book and features time travel in season 2, journeying to London in the late 1500s and meeting many historical figures along the way.

Series	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
A Discovery of Witches (2018–2022)	87%	79%

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