While history books will tell you the accurate version of what happened in the past, sometimes it's more fun to "indulge" in a fictional "historical" series or two to help you get a more "entertaining" version of how our society was formed. While the shows listed below by no means should be used as historical evidence in your next term paper, they can make your study breaks that much more enjoyable.
Game of Thrones
Based off of the number one selling American quasi-medieval series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones is HBO's newest number one hit show. In fact, Game of Thrones even won an Emmy for its debut season. Shot mostly on the hills of Northern Ireland, "Game of Thrones" is an intense fantasy drama that showcases the rivalries of seven Nobel families fighting over the mythical kingdom of Westeros—a land where winters last for decades.
The show stars: Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey and Maisie Williams. Unfortunately if you do not have a subscription to HBO it may be hard to access since the show isn't available on Hulu or Netflix yet, but season one is available for purchase on iTunes.
Loosely modeled after the 1970's UK television series Upstairs, Downstairs, Downton Abbey is a British television series based shortly before World War I. It showcases the interaction of two different social classes residing in the same estate (Abbey): the royals and servants. It made a huge splash when it premiered in 2010 on PBS. Currently it's nominated for 16 Emmy nominations. The show stars: Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, Dan Stevens and Hug Bonneville. Producers are currently in the works of creating season 3 which will premiere January 6, 2013. But until then, viewers can play catch up and watch previous seasons on Netflix, HuluPlus, or iTunes.
Last but not least is The Borgias-- a fictional historical drama based during the Renaissance era that follows the Borgia family ( an Italian dynasty of Catalan origin) as it tries to keep its new found power within the Roman Catholic Church in tact. The characters use briery and deceit to subdue enemies. The show stars: Jeremey Irons, Francois Arnaud, Holly Grainger and Lotte Verbeek It's important to note that The Borgias is an American take on Borgia: Faith and Fear—a French/German produced series that tells the same story. Some critics say it's superior to its American counterpart. The American series can be watched on Showtime. Producers are in the midst of working on a third season. In the meantime, previous seasons (both American and European) can be viewed on Netflix.
Other series that are currently not on television but should be considered watching online is: The Tudors and Spartacus: God of the Arena.
Samantha Gray freelances for various websites and publications, and her writing often focuses on providing information about obtaining an online bachelor degree. She also enjoys writing poetry and short fiction as well as loves to dig into a historical narrative or two. She welcomes your samanthagray024@gmail.com