From corsets and scandals to silks and candlelight, the best period romances that TV has to offer don’t just recreate an era — they truly embody it. These erotic romance dramas revel in tentative glances, forbidden touches, and power-play seduction, delivering stories rife with royal indulgence, sordid love affairs, and so much more, all while fusing lush production and meticulous designs.
Among some of the best TV has delivered are series like Bridgerton, which translates Regency restraint into an enticing slow-burn release, and The Tudors, which blends carnal appetite with political ambition — two examples that prove that erotic romance period dramas are anything but dead. On this list are eight shows that raise the temperature to the highest setting and deliver history, drama, romance, and, most of all, impeccable heat to their audience in a burst of pure eroticism.
8
‘Rome’ (2005–2007)
This drama chronicles Rome’s transition from Republic to Empire. Rome, set in the 1st century BC, centers around fictional legionary soldiers Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) as they live through real-life events such as Julius Caesar’s rise and assassination.
Rome is a historical series that excellently captures the sensuality of ancient Rome. There is a type of gritty decadence that showcases the series’ eroticism, as it depicts orgies in bathhouses, enticing dances, and sordid affairs among patricians. Rome’s entire aesthetic highlights the sensuality of the time, as it accentuates skin with togas and highlights opulence through marble villas. With a heady mix of passion and power, Rome defiantly stands tall among period dramas that give a strongly sexualized tone.
7
‘Harlots’ (2017–2019)
Harlotsis a British American period drama that is quite openly erotic. The show is set in 1760s London and follows Margaret Wells (Samantha Morton), who runs a modest brothel to support her daughters, and her wealthy rival, Lydia Quigley (Lesley Manville), who is a part of a high-class establishment.
With Harlots quite frankly revolving around sex workers, there is no doubt that the series would offer decadent, intimate moments between lovers. The show may be more about power, survival, and class in 18th-century London, but it does rely heavily on its sexual storylines and wields a strong romantic plot. Its tone is sensuous and unflinchingly so, offering viewers a story that often highlights sex as empowerment. With its bold portrayal of sexuality and femininity during such an early period, Harlots stands as one of the most unreservedly erotic dramas — one that explores sexuality without any shame.
6
‘The Tudors’ (2007–2010)
This enticing period drama may be a mix of politics and the passionate affairs that occur in between, but romance is indeed key in making the show what it is.The Tudors centers around the reign of King Henry VIII during 16th-century England.
The Tudors isn’t one of those shows that hides behind modesty in its retelling; instead, the show’s main eroticism comes from its quite bold depiction of Henry’s sexual appetite. The series displays several sex scenes, from bedroom romps to intimate bathing moments. The Tudors is one of the most unabashed sensual period pieces out there, oozing chemistry and heat between its characters. Even its dialogue gets brilliantly lewd at times. The explicit showing of the Tudor court’s sensual affairs — ranging from illicit encounters to frenzied orgies — makes the series as erotic as they come. With an emphasis on power through seduction, The Tudors achieves its tantalizingly sexy feel that cements its place amongst the steamiest romance period dramas.
5
‘Spartacus’ (2010–2013)
Spartacusmay be an action-packed historical drama that features kickass gladiators, but its romantic subplots are as erotic and entertaining as the best of them. The series, set in 73–71 BC, centers on a Thracian warrior known as Spartacus (Liam McIntyre), who is enslaved and forced to train in the arena.
Spartacus is well known for its enticingly erotic and over-the-top sexual content. The series is rather bold in its depiction of the life a gladiator leads, and the truth of it is, there isn’t much going on for them other than politics, fighting, and rather frequent orgies. Spartacus doesn’t shy away from sex and is one of the few shows from the 2010s that highlighted a steamy representation of the LGBTQ+ community. With every lingering shot of a character’s nude, sinewy body during passion or battle, as well as the story’s raw glimpses into characters’ intimate moments, Spartacus creates a truly hedonistic atmosphere.
4
‘Mary & George’ (2023)
This historical drama is based on Joan London’s novel and provides its viewers with impeccable erotic tension. The series Mary & George dramatizes the Machiavellian rise of English courtier George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine) under King James VI at the quite frequent behest of his ambitious mother, Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore).
With a rather complex love story that features a power dynamic between King James VI (Tony Curran) and George Villiers, the story is constantly rife with tension, especially since George’s mother is nearly always scheming in an effort to advance her son’s station. The courts are indeed a consistently sexually charged place, which only improves the erotic atmosphere, as the show does well in its depiction of the King’s voyeuristic glances and covert touches of his malleable lover. While the series is a compelling drama that has a heavy focus on intricate politics, it does its job to bring the heat into its romances, offering audiences forbidden relationships and scandalous affairs.
3
‘Fellow Travelers’ (2023)
This historical romance is a miniseries that centers around a passion-filled forbidden affair.Fellow Travelersfollows the lifelong queer relationship between two men, Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Timothy “Tim” Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey), who meet in 1950s Washington, D.C., during the McCarthy era.
The show’s eroticism stems from the forbidden and clandestine nature of the protagonists’ romance. Fellow Travelers doesn’t shy away from Timothy and Hawkins’ many intimate encounters, from passionate reunions after long separations to secret trysts in hidden apartments, all of which increase the show’s dangerous sensuality. Their story is truly a sight to behold as a blatant undercurrent of longing and desire is consistently stationed between the couple, showcasing an incredibly sexy and charged environment. With raw physical chemistry between its sensual leading men, Fellow Travelers is a quality romance period drama that is perfect for fans of erotic shows.
2
‘Bridgerton’ (2020–2024)
Not many romance period dramas have seen the level of success that Netflix’s Bridgerton has. The romantic drama is set in Regency-era London’s high society during the 1810s and follows the tight-knit Bridgerton family on their journey to find love and obtain a happily ever after worth writing about.
Based on Julia Quinn’s captivating novels, the series wields a memorably sultry tone — one defined by the show’s lush depiction of the era’s opulence interwoven with palpating passion beneath it. The show’s heartfelt storytelling only adds to the series’ sensuality, as it delivers intimate moments filled with both naughty business and swoon-worthy romance. Each protagonist has showcased chemistry worth talking about. With its incredible performances and elegant flair, Bridgerton stands as a fantastic series that is rather deliciously frank in its depiction of desire and romance.
1
‘Outlander’ (2014–2024)
Outlanderis a brilliantly made fantasy series that doesn’t shy away from highlighting intimate and passionate moments. The addictive series based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels follows a British Army nurse in 1945, Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe), who finds herself stranded in 1743 Scotland. There, she meets the handsome and brave young Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), who is an extremely charismatic Highland warrior.
Claire and Jamie’s love story is far from an easy one, but when the two collide, it’s with a passion that burns strongly. The show’s eroticism comes not only from its explicit love scenes, but also from its intensely sensual tone between its main couple. Though the graphic portrayal of intimacy is one of the show’s highlights, the series depicts countless fervent yet tender moments between Jamie and Claire. While the romance flares bright in this amazing fantasy series, Outlander does its job in delivering an erotically charged story, making it worthy for any fans of wondrously erotic romance period dramas.
Outlander
- Release Date
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August 9, 2014
- Showrunner
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Matthew B. Roberts
- Directors
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Metin Hüseyin, Jamie Payne
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