While there is still a long time before season 5 is released on Netflix, many The Last Kingdom are desperately looking for another show to watch to fill the void. As The Last Kingdom is full of entertaining battle sequences, forbidden romances, and intense political storylines, it’s likely that they will be looking for something similar.
Although some fans might not believe it, there are actually several shows around that echo Uhtred’s quest for justice and glory. However, only a few of them have proven to be memorable since they have added their own refreshing twists to the plot (that are even better than those seen in The Last Kingdom at times). There’s certainly a great selection to choose from on Netflix, Amazon, and HBO Max.
Updated on January 17th, 2022 by Kayleigh Banks: With news that The Last Kingdom will end after its fifth season and a two-hour movie, there is a lot of mixed emotions among the fans. While many fans are ecstatic that they will have more time to see Uhtred’s story and for the writers to come up with a satisfying conclusion for all the characters, there are some that are feeling a little lost as to what they do next.
Although it’s still a way off, some Last Kingdom followers are already looking for the next series to binge as they desperately look for a protagonist who is as intriguing as Uhtred or as empowering as Brida and Æthelflæd. However, luckily for them, there are plenty of period pieces around that fill that criteria.
Running for a total of 3 seasons, The Musketeers is a BBC show that was based on Alexander Dumas novel, The Three Musketeers. Featuring Merlin’s Santiago Cabrera and Skins’ Luke Pasqualino, the series follows the life of d’Artagnan (Pasqualino) and several soldiers in the Musketeers of the Guard, who work day-in-day-out to uncover conspiracies and threats made against King Louis XIII.
Like Uhtred’s iconic bond with Finan, Sihtric, and Osferth, The Last Kingdom fans will be delighted to know that this kind of dynamic is also replicated in The Musketeers as d’Artagnan forms a great friendship and loyalty with the other soldiers. Although the battle scenes aren’t as violent, The Musketeers manages to keep the audience compelled with its tales of forbidden romances and calculating villains.
There might have only been one season, but the BBC’s War & Peace was certainly full of high-end drama and battle sequences. Based on Tolstoy’s infamous novel of the same name, the show follows five aristocratic families as they find themselves embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars.
Like The Last Kingdom, there is plenty of political discourse and scandals as the characters battle it out for power and glory. The amazing costumes and set designs will also draw in the viewers as they help actors, such as Cinderella’s Lily James and Batman’s Paul Dano, keep their roles as authentic and real as possible.
Starring Jodie Comer and Michelle Fairley, The White Princess is another television series that was based on a book. Set in the 15th-century, the show follows the life of Elizabeth of York and how she came to marry Henry VIII.
Like The Last Kingdom’s Æthelflæd, the viewers will find an empowering female lead in Elizabeth of York as she earns the love of the people and becomes a strong queen. While there are a couple of historical inaccuracies, many viewers still found it quite enjoyable as the plot proved to be quite intriguing and dramatic.
Although many people are familiar with the four-time Oscar-winning movie, there might be a few who have yet to watch Starz’s portrayal of the eponymous gladiator. Starring Arrow’s Manu Bennett and Xena: Warrior Princess actor Lucy Lawless, Spartacus followed the life of several enslaved men, including ‘Spartacus,’ who wage war with the Roman army after they rebel against their enslavers and start a revolution.
Like Uhtred, Spartacus proves to be an intriguing protagonist as the viewers get an in-depth grasp of his thoughts and motivations. It might also be a bit more graphic and violent than The Last Kingdom (especially in terms of subject matter), but the battle scenes are quite epic and entertaining.
While there are plenty of iconic Hollywood movies that focus on Greek mythology, it’s surprising that there aren’t as many tv shows. However, the BBC had done its best to try and change that. The latest one they released was Troy: Fall of a City, which showed how Paris and Helen’s affair was the catalyst in starting the Trojan War.
The Last Kingdom viewers will certainly see some resemblance between Uhtred and Paris as they make some very impulsive choices that end up having huge ramifications for all. However, while Paris and Uhtred do have their flaws, some may find Paris’ bravery very admirable, as, like Uhtred, he tries to defend his loved ones from harm.
Carnival Row is more inclined fantastically than The Last Kingdom. It deals in the realm of the fae, including legitimate fairies, men with goat horns, witches, and much more.
That said, it is a dark and action-packed show with a lot of historical aspects and it’s a little like Game of Thrones in its political dealings, as the fae must deal with racist remarks made against them from many of the humans. Although there is only one season on Amazon Prime, it has already been renewed for a second season so viewers can easily catch up on the events of the show before this airs.
The Witcher has definitely more fantasy elements than The Last Kingdom. That said, they’re both Netflix series and The Witcher is a bloody and magical good time. Based on the popular book series of the same name (and the very popular video game series) the world shouldn’t miss out on this series about monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (played by Henry Cavill).
It should definitely sate The Last Kingdom’s desire to find another historical and epic adventure series complete with awesome fight sequences and a vast world of exploration. Like Uhtred and Æthelflæd’s relationship, The Witcher is also full of romantic scenes and great friendships.
Black Sails is painfully underrated. It’s a fantastic show and perfect for those who love gritty historical television series. It’s a show about pirates — a surprisingly rare topic to find on television.
It’s a little more like Vikings than The Last Kingdom in its subject matter but tonally, it shares a lot of similarities with The Last Kingdom. It also has good LGBTQ+ representation with the characters and a lot of iconic friendships that could easily challenge Uhtred and Ragnar’s.
Tonally, Penny Dreadful, is pretty different from The Last Kingdom. It’s a horror series that contains many classic literary characters from the public domain, such as Jekyll and Hyde, Dracula, Dorian Gray, and more. It is set in the Victorian era and full of bloody goodness.
While it’s not exactly medieval, it does contain tons of gritty drama and horrifying witches and monstrosities. It’s a fantastic series that was undervalued in its time. The acting is absolutely phenomenal, with Eva Green stealing the show more often than not.
Peaky Blinders is another critically-acclaimed Netflix series that definitely maintains the same gritty aura that The Last Kingdom does so well. Cillian Murphy is sublime on the series as Tommy Shelby.
It’s a gangster crime drama set in Birmingham in the 1890s and it follows the criminal endeavors of the infamous Shelby crime family. There are five seasons right now (with a sixth on the way) but they’re relatively short so it wouldn’t take viewers very long to get all caught up.
When it comes to gratuitous violence and romance, Game of Thrones can definitely scratch that dark, gritty itch while fans are waiting on the next season of The Last Kingdom to arrive.
Even if some have already seen it, they’ve probably forgotten almost everything that happened in season one because GoT’s storyline is so legendarily vast. However, if they haven’t seen it, then they are in for a real treat, as there are plenty of great battle sequences that will have viewers on the edge of their seats (like those in The Last Kingdom) and enthralled by the fantasy elements.
Marco Polo didn’t exactly receive the warmest reception as the world was informed that it had lost Netflix $200 million. However, over the years, it has accrued a bit of a cult following, with many followers coming back to rewatch it whenever they can.
The series was inspired by Marco Polo’s early years in the court of Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongol Empire and the founder of the Yuan dynasty. No expense was spared, and the series was praised for its accuracy. Like The Last Kingdom, there is also much political drama and action sequences that fans will enjoy.
Outlander, originally a book series by Diana Gabaldon, is a historical romance about a World War II nurse who accidentally time travels back in time to Scotland in 1743. Set amidst the Jacobite rebellion, this show has its fair share of war scenes and historical intrigue as there is much tension between the Scottish clans and the English Regiment.
Like Uhtred in The Last Kingdom, the viewers will be introduced to a compelling protagonist as Claire attempts to prevent the rebellion from going ahead while also trying to keep the truth about her identity a secret. There’s certainly plenty of life and death moments, and fans should prepare themselves emotionally as no character is safe.
The Borgias follows the lives of the notorious Borgia family and their rise to power in the 15th century. The real House of Borgia was suspected of many crimes, including murder, incest, bribery, and adultery; so all of the ruthlessness and intrigue viewers will see in this series is based on true events.
Like The Last Kingdom, this show follows ambitious historical figures as they battle for control, power, and succession while surrounded by enemies. It’s truly amazing what people did do (and continue to do) for the sake of personal glory.
HBO’s Rome follows the life of two common Roman soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. As Uhtred’s experiences under Alfred and Edward, Lucius and Titus witness several key historical events take place as the power and influence in Rome shifts numerous times among the people.
Everything about this show is epic; the costumes, the set locations, the fight scenes, and the cinematography. Viewers feel like they’re traveling back in time.
Medici, which starred Game of Thrones actor Richard Madden and Teen Wolf’s Daniel Sharman, is an Italian-British TV drama series that focuses on the powerful Medici family and how they rose to power in 15th-century-Florence.
Like The Last Kingdom, the Medici dynasty is full of protagonists, dark intrigue, and ruthless ambition. There are also several memorable (and real) rivalries the Medicis endured, with one resulting in a heartbreaking climax that ended up affecting history for years to come. Lovers of The Last Kingdom will get sucked right in as there is just the right amount of political drama, romances and action scenes.
With a Vikings spinoff on the way, what’s a better way to get a grasp of its tone and storylines than watching its predecessor? Vikings was a show that was inspired by the sagas of Ragnar Lothbrok, a notorious Norse hero who eventually became a Scandinavian King.
Like The Last Kingdom’s Brida and Æthelflæd, Vikings is full of powerful women who are just as skilled in battle as the main protagonists. They challenge their patriarchal society by constantly questioning the decisions made by the male characters and eventually become strong leaders themselves. There are also some gritty and violent battle scenes too if fans are looking for something action-packed too.
For those who haven’t seen The Tudors, this was a dramatic Showtime series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII. While The Last Kingdom does touch upon the murders and scandals during Alfred the Great and Edward’s reign, it’s not as in-depth as The Tudors (which fully explores the ramifications of Henry’s split from the Catholic Church and the increasing political tensions between England, France, and Spain).
Not every event in the show is historically accurate, but the series is a good look at the Tudor dynasty and 16th century England as a whole. It also stars Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill, Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (who plays the infamous king).
Starring Jason Momoa, Frontier chronicles the North American fur trade of the late 1700s. Like Uhtred’s quest to retake Bebbanburg, Declan Harp (Momoa) has his own mission, as he campaigns to single-handedly destroy the Hudson’s Bay Company’s monopoly on the fur trade in Canada.
It’s violent, raw, and emotional (and the set locations are gorgeous), so fans of The Last Kingdom are sure to love it. There are also only 18 episodes so it would be a great choice for someone who wants to binge a show over the weekend.
For those who are historical drama aficionados and haven’t yet seen Versailles, then break out the popcorn and get ready to binge, because this series is right up their alley. Many people know about the Palace of Versailles, but how much do they know about the all-powerful king who built it?
Set during Versailles’s construction in the mid-1600s, the series follows the reign of Louis XIV and all the ambition, arrogance, affairs, and political intrigue surrounding him. While it probably sounds similar to Alfred the Great’s reign in The Last Kingdom, Versailles shows a lot more insight to the king’s mind and the decisions he makes.