Television series
The Pillars of the Earth
An epic medieval drama about the building of a cathedral in 12th-century England, weaving together the fates of nobles, clergy, craftsmen and peasants as they navigate war, ambition and faith. Visually sumptuous and emotionally raw, it's a sweeping story of power, desire and redemption that takes its own grandeur seriously without losing sight of intimate human stakes.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love big, old-fashioned costume epics where a cathedral, a feud and a handful of ambitious lives are woven together over eight hours of sustained, unhurried storytelling.
Skip it if you want a tight, fast plot or a short commitment, since this runs to eight hour-long episodes of intrigue, violence and slow-building rivalries.
What it asks of you: It asks for an evening-by-evening commitment across one complete season, with patience for dense political scheming and a steady pace that lets relationships and grudges accumulate.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Outlander2014
A similarly ambitious historical romance that braids together political intrigue, passionate relationships, and a richly imagined past. The scope is epic but the emotional centre is always the characters you care about.
But The time-travel premise might feel gimmicky, and some storylines stretch across seasons in ways that test patience.
The White Queen2013
Focused, intricate period drama about the Wars of the Roses with stunning production design and female characters you can't stop thinking about. As addictive and morally complex as *Pillars* at its best.
But Only three seasons and doesn't feel complete. The narrative jumps around in time, which can be confusing early on.
The Tudors2007
Irreverent, sensual, sometimes trashy take on Henry VIII's reign. It knows when to be serious and when to embrace the soap-opera intensity of power and desire.
But Occasionally prioritizes spectacle over historical accuracy, and some supporting characters are thinly sketched.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Pillars of the Earth
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Andrei Rublev1966
Both take the creation of religious art—cathedral, icon—as the emotional and spiritual core of an epic, asking what it means to make beauty in the midst of chaos.
Tarkovsky's masterpiece about a 15th-century Russian icon painter confronting faith, violence and artistic creation. Like *Pillars*, it's about building something sacred in a time of suffering—but filmed as a series of visions rather than plot.
But 205 minutes, black and white, virtually no dialogue for long stretches. Demands patience and rewards it, but not everyone wants their history to move at liturgical pace.
More like this (8)
Game of Thrones2011
The obvious spiritual successor: huge casts, medieval politics, genuine stakes, violence that matters. First four seasons are some of television's finest.
But Later seasons collapse spectacularly, and the ending ranks among TV's most divisive. Also, it's everywhere—you've probably already made a decision.
Knightfall2017
Fewer pretensions than *Pillars*, more willing to get weird and brutal. Good action, strong performances, and a genuine mystery at its centre.
But Cancellation leaves the story incomplete. Sometimes leans too hard on modern sensibilities.
The Miniaturist2017
A tense, gorgeously shot mystery set in 17th-century Amsterdam with a supernatural edge. Smaller scale than *Pillars* but equally immersive and strange.
But Deliberately obscure and unsettling in ways some find more frustrating than rewarding. Very deliberately paced.
Wolf Hall2015
Masterly adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels, with Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell. Understated, intellectually fierce, and visually stunning.
But Assumes you're paying close attention; the plot is dense and it doesn't hold your hand. Only two seasons adapted so far.
The Crown2016
Meticulous production design, career-best performances from Claire Foy and others, and the emotional weight of watching history happen to people you can't help but care for.
But Increasingly takes fictional liberties with recent events in ways that blur the line between drama and speculation. Some find the scope too grand for intimacy.
Poldark2015
Swoon-worthy romance wrapped in Cornish landscape and post-American Revolution politics. Warm-hearted without being saccharine, and the cast is utterly charming.
But Lighter in tone than *Pillars*—if you want moral darkness and genuine tragedy, this leans toward redemption and hope.
The Name of the Rose1986
Both centre on monastic life as a crucible where power, knowledge, faith and human weakness collide. Both use the monastery as a world unto itself.
Medieval monastery mystery that combines intellectual rigour with genuine suspense. Annaud's film is visually baroque, philosophically dense, and more entertaining than it has any right to be.
But The plot twists require attention; it's a puzzle rather than a pageant. And it's much darker in tone than you'd expect from something this gorgeous.
The Serpent Queen2022
Both explore how the powerless—and the ambitious—navigate medieval and Renaissance politics through guile, sexuality and faith. But where *Pillars* takes the world seriously, *Serpent Queen* winks at it.
Deliberately irreverent, bitingly funny take on Catherine de' Medici's rise to power. More interested in psychological survival than historical reverence, and the writing is sharp enough to make you laugh and wince in the same scene.
But Treats historical accuracy as optional. If you want your period drama to respect the sources, this will irritate you constantly.
People
Cast
Recommended by
The Last Kingdom, Vikings, Enola Holmes, Robin of Sherwood, Knightfall, The Borgias, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, The Red Tent, Les Rois Maudits, Burning Paradise, The Dovekeepers, The Name of the Rose, Sword of Freedom, Banished, Who Do You Think You Are?, Lilies, Hyperion