No one does early 20th-century English country house drama like Julian Fellowes. Before he adapted the form to America with HBO's current cult hit The Gilded Age, he wrote the script for the 2001 Oscar-winning film Godford Park, then rolled those vibes right into Downton Abbey, perhaps the highest peak the upstairs/downstairs subgenre will ever reach.
The best books like Downton Abbey
There’s always been a literary vibe around Downton, so one of the best ways to dive into a similar fictional universe is to read a great novel. Here are some suggestions for perfect read-a-likes.
Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro $9.69 at Amazon $19.00 Save $9.31 Shop Now Shop Now $9.69 at Amazon $19.00 Save $9.31 Belgravia, by Julian Fellowes $9.24 at Amazon $24.99 Save $15.75 Shop Now Shop Now $9.24 at Amazon $24.99 Save $15.75 The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson $9.59 at Amazon $27.00 Save $17.41 Shop Now Shop Now $9.59 at Amazon $27.00 Save $17.41 Howards End, by E.M. Forster $5.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $5.99 at Amazon The Sisters, by Mary S. Lovell $12.00 at Amazon $22.99 Save $10.99 Shop Now Shop Now $12.00 at Amazon $22.99 Save $10.99 SEE 2 MOREBelgravia, by Julian Fellowes
Downton Abbey wouldn’t exist without Julian Fellowes, so Belgravia is the perfect choice. It’s set in a different historical era—Victorian England, mainly the 1840s—but it offers the same trenchant examination of the ways class and money work among the highest levels of English society. It's set in the Belgravia district of London near Buckingham Palace, focused on two families—the aristocratic Bellasises and the new money Trenchards. The Trenchards are social climbers, and the Bellasises look down on them, and that sturdy plot engine delivers the same charms as Downton in a slightly different context.
Howards End, by E.M. Forster
If you enjoyed the slow burn of social change explored on Downton Abbey, Forster’s celebrated 1910 novel will hit the spot. Focused on three families in Edwardian England—the wealthy, stuffy Wilcoxes, the poor and ambitious Basts, and the half-German Schlegels—the story revolves around Howard’s End, the Wilcox family’s country house. Written contemporaneously, it perfectly captures the positives and negatives of the time period.
The best movies like Downton Abbey
Half the fun of Downton Abbey lies in the sumptuous visuals—the majesty of the Abbey itself (the very real Highclere Castle) and its beautiful grounds, the fashions, the interior design. To get more of that in your life, check out these great movies.
Gosford Park (2001)
Written by Julian Fellowes and directed by the late, great Robert Altman, Gosford Park is similar to later seasons of Downton Abbey, especially the stories where American Hollywood invades. In 1932, Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon) hosts a shooting party with a guest list that includes Hollywood producer Morris Weissman (Bob Balaban). There’s plenty of upstairs/downstairs gossiping and intrigue, a dead body, and silent class warfare—everything a Downton fan could want. Rent Gosford Park on Prime Video.
Gosford Park (2001) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoA Room with a View (1985)
Set in 1907, A Room with a View takes place in both Italy and England, following upper-class Lucy Honeychurch, who meets and falls in love with a young man while on vacation, upending her plans to marry into a family higher on the social pecking order than her own. The struggle around class expectations and the social constraints of the time are explored in dramatic fashion, and fans who loved Mary and Matthew’s rocky romance will swoon for this. Stream A Room with a View on HBO or rent it on Prime Video.
A Room with a View (1985) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoBrideshead Revisited (2008)
If you want more drama centered on an incredible, gorgeous English country manor, this film, based on Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel, is a good option. The story follows student Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode), who befriends the wild and alcoholic Lord Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw). When Sebastian invites Charles to come home to his family’s estate, called Brideshead, Charles is immediately smitten both with the beautiful property and Sebastian’s sister, Julia (Hayley Atwell). Stream Brideshead Revisited on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video.
Brideshead Revisited (2008) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoThe Go-Between (1971)
Another film that explores the simultaneously vast and narrow chasm between social classes in early 20th-century England, The Go-Between is about Leo Colston, a 12-year-old boy who is invited by his friend Marcus Maudsley to spend his summer at his family’s country estate, Brandham Hall. Feeling out of place among the aristocratic Maudlseys, Leo begins acting as a messenger between Lady Marian and a tenant farmer, Ted, as they carry on an extremely forbidden affair not unlike the romance between Lady Sybil and chauffeur Tom Branson in Downton Abbey. Rent The Go-Between on Prime Video.
The Go-Between (1971) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoAtonement (2007)
Based on Ian McEwan’s heartbreaking novel, the film opens in 1935, where 13-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) observes her older sister Cecilia (Kiera Knightley) and the housekeeper’s son Robbie (James McAvoy) having a forbidden tryst. She misinterprets what she sees, setting a tragic series of events into motion. Compared to Downton, the story is much bleaker and more emotionally crippling, but it suggests where some of the series' class and gossip-centered stories could have gone if the show hadn’t been so committed to happy endings. Stream Atonement on Netflix or rent it on Prime Video.
Atonement (2007) $3.99 at Prime Video Learn More Learn More $3.99 at Prime VideoThe best video games like Downton Abbey
There actually was a Downton Abbey video game released back in 2015 for mobile platforms—Downton Abbey: Mysteries of the Manor—but it’s defunct now. If you want to play some games set in the same period that echo some of the show’s style and feel, here are a few suggestions you can actually play.
80 Days
Platforms: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Steam
80 Days $12.99 at Nintendo Shop Now Shop Now $12.99 at NintendoThe Invisible Hours
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Steam
The Invisible Hours $29.99 at Playstation Shop Now Shop Now $29.99 at PlaystationSecrets of Blackrock Manor
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Secrets of Blackrock Manor $9.99 at Nintendo Shop Now Shop Now $9.99 at NintendoBotany Manor
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Steam
Botany Manor $24.99 at Nintendo Shop Now Shop Now $24.99 at NintendoManor Lords
Platforms: Xbox, Steam
Manor Lords $39.99 at Steam Shop Now Shop Now $39.99 at SteamThe best podcasts like Downton Abbey
Half the fun of Downton Abbey is its gossipy tone and recreation of a bygone era. These podcasts will deepen your appreciation of the show and give you a taste of the same experience.
Lords of Grantham
Credit: Podcast logoIf you’re looking for a fan-focused podcast that’s like hanging out with friends who obsess over the show, pick the Lords of Grantham. Dave and Corey break down episodes, power-rank characters, and goof around from a distinctly American perspective. This isn’t a podcast where you’ll get a lot of historical research or in-depth analysis—but you’ll have a lot of fun.
Up Yours, Downstairs!
Credit: Podcast logoA slightly more researched examination of Downton Abbey (and other period-set shows and films) and its characters, history, and themes, Up Yours, Downstairs! is presented in a rowdy, off-color tone that’s equal parts hilarious and insightful. It’s like hanging out with fans who also happen to be very knowledgeable (and slightly inebriated) anglophiles and historians.
The Gilded Gentleman
Credit: Podcast logoIf you want to learn more about what life was like for the aristocracy and their servants in Victorian/Edwardian England and the Gilded Age in America, this is the perfect podcast. Cazrl Raymond digs into the culture, the social customs, and the social contracts involved, offering key insights that will enhance your appreciation for shows and films like Downton Abbey, because you’ll understand all the little details and subtleties baked into the stories.
Beacon Hill
Credit: Podcast logoThis audio drama from the Colonial Radio Theater is set in 1898 Boston, but Downton fans will love it because it explores the lives and complications of the wealthy Prescott family as well as their servants downstairs in Gilded Age America. Just like Downton Abbey, the drama weaves real historical events and people into its stories, and recreates a time and place that no longer exists.
Beacon Hill - Series 1: Episodes 1-4 (Beacon Hill, 1) at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now at AmazonStephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets
Credit: Podcast logoNarrated by the ever-delightful Stephen Fry, this is a deep dive into Edwardian England, offering a wider view of the time period that shaped the early years of Downton. Stephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets delves into subjects like racism, politics, sex, and religion to give you a fully-formed idea of what it was actually like to live in England at the time, as either a wealthy landowner or a downstairs servant tied to an estate in ways we can’t really comprehend in the modern day.
Hence then, the article about the books movies video games and podcasts to check out after watching downton abbey was published today ( ) and is available on Live Hacker ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Books, Movies, Video Games, and Podcasts to Check Out After Watching ‘Downton Abbey’ )
Also on site :
- Paris Fashion Week Men’s Cheat Sheet: Spring/Summer 2027
- Disney+ & A24 UK Teaming For First Time On Clem Garritty Comedy-Drama About Siblings Whose Father Is Accused Of Murder
- Insilico Medicine And SK Biopharmaceuticals Achieved AI-powered Drug Discovery Collaboration Worth Up to 2.5 Billion for Neuroimmune Disorders