2026 watch guide

The best history TV shows to watch in 2026

The history series worth your time this year — ranked by real viewer rating, what's airing now first, with where to stream each in your country.

Pick me a history showUnderrated history picksUpcoming premieres

Genre

On the air now

Currently-airing history series you can start this year.

Shōgun8.5
Shōgun
Peaky Blinders8.5
Peaky Blinders
NOVA8.4
NOVA
Call the Midwife8.1
Call the Midwife
Lucy Worsley Investigates8.1
Lucy Worsley Investigates
Who Do You Think You Are?8.0
Who Do You Think You Are?
Rise of the Nazis8.0
Rise of the Nazis
Hazardous History with Henry Winkler7.9
Hazardous History with Henry Winkler
Secrets of the Dead7.9
Secrets of the Dead
Lost Treasures of Egypt7.9
Lost Treasures of Egypt
SAS: Rogue Heroes7.8
SAS: Rogue Heroes
American Experience7.8
American Experience

The 2026 ranking

  1. Shōgun posterShōgun (2024–present)hulu · Drama · Adventure8.5Airing now
  2. Chernobyl posterChernobyl (2019–2019)hbo max · youtube tv · Drama8.9
  3. Vikings posterVikings (2013–2021)netflix · Drama · Action8.6
  4. Peaky Blinders posterPeaky Blinders (2013–present)netflix · Drama · Crime8.5Airing now
  5. Spartacus posterSpartacus (2010–2013)netflix · starz · Drama8.5
  6. Cosmos posterCosmos (1980–2020)Mystery · Nature8.5
  7. Hazardous History with Henry Winkler posterHazardous History with Henry Winkler (2025–present)Comedy · Thriller7.9Airing now
  8. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty posterBon Appétit, Your Majesty (2025–2025)netflix · Drama · Food7.9
  9. NOVA posterNOVA (1974–present)youtube tv · pbs · Nature8.4Airing now
  10. The Crown posterThe Crown (2016–2023)netflix · Drama · History8.4
  11. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena posterSpartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011–2011)Drama · Action8.4
  12. Blackadder posterBlackadder (1983–1989)amazon prime video · peacock · Comedy8.4
  13. In the Eye of the Storm posterIn the Eye of the Storm (2024–present)hbo max · discovery plus · Action7.8Airing now
  14. The Proof Is Out There: Unexplained Edition posterThe Proof Is Out There: Unexplained Edition (2025–present)hulu · history vault · Mystery7.8Airing now
  15. Lucy Worsley Investigates posterLucy Worsley Investigates (2022–present)britbox · youtube tv · History8.1Airing now
  16. Merteuil posterMerteuil (2025)hbo max · youtube tv · Drama7.8
  17. Heweliusz posterHeweliusz (2025–2025)netflix · Drama · History7.8
  18. Masters of the Air posterMasters of the Air (2024–2024)apple tv · Drama · War7.7
  19. Yellowstone: One-Fifty posterYellowstone: One-Fifty (2022–2022)fubotv · youtube tv · Nature8.0
  20. Leonardo da Vinci posterLeonardo da Vinci (2024–2024)pbs documentaries · History7.7
  21. Walking with Dinosaurs posterWalking with Dinosaurs (2025–2025)Nature · History7.7
  22. Victoria posterVictoria (2016–2019)netflix · pbs · Drama8.3
  23. Prehistoric Planet posterPrehistoric Planet (2022)apple tv · Nature · History7.9
  24. A Small Light posterA Small Light (2023–2023)amazon prime video · Drama · War7.9
  25. The Last Kingdom posterThe Last Kingdom (2015–2023)netflix · Drama · Action8.2
  26. Death by Lightning posterDeath by Lightning (2025–2025)netflix · Drama · History7.6
  27. Last Samurai Standing posterLast Samurai Standing (2025–present)netflix · Drama · Action7.6Airing now
  28. M. Il figlio del secolo posterM. Il figlio del secolo (2025–2025)mubi · Drama · History7.6
  29. Kevin Costner's The West posterKevin Costner's The West (2025–2025)hulu · philo · War7.6
  30. History's Deadliest with Ving Rhames posterHistory's Deadliest with Ving Rhames (2026–present)philo · history · History7.6Airing now
  31. SAS: Rogue Heroes posterSAS: Rogue Heroes (2022–present)fubotv · mgm plus · Drama7.8Airing now
  32. Call the Midwife posterCall the Midwife (2012–present)netflix · Drama · Medical8.1Airing now
  33. The Apothecary Diaries posterThe Apothecary Diaries (2023–present)netflix · hulu · Anime7.8Airing now
  34. North and South posterNorth and South (1985–1994)Drama · History8.1
  35. Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy posterDevil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (2025–2025)peacock · peacock premium plus · Drama7.5
  36. Mysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America posterMysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America (2022–present)hbo max · discovery plus · Mystery7.8Airing now
  37. Civilisations: Rise and Fall posterCivilisations: Rise and Fall (2025–present)bbc select · History7.5Airing now
  38. The Tudors posterThe Tudors (2007–2010)amazon prime video · fubotv · Drama8.0
  39. War & Peace posterWar & Peace (2016–2016)amazon prime video · peacock · Drama8.0
  40. Who Do You Think You Are? posterWho Do You Think You Are? (2004–present)Family · History8.0Airing now

Best TV shows by genre, for 2026

All genresActionAdultAdventureAnimeChildrenComedyCrimeDIYDramaEspionageFamilyFantasyFoodHorrorLegalMedicalMusicMysteryNatureRomanceScience-FictionSportsSupernaturalThrillerTravelWarWestern

Good to know

What are the best history TV shows to watch in 2026?

Our top history picks for 2026 are Shōgun, Chernobyl, Vikings — ranked by viewer rating, with where to stream each.

How is this 2026 list ranked?

By real viewer rating, weighted toward series that are airing now or premiered recently, so the freshest great history shows rise to the top.

Where can I watch these history shows?

Every series links to its page with live streaming availability for your country, so you can jump straight to where it's playing.

Keep exploring

Hidden gemsUnderrated history shows

High ratings, low profile — the great series most people have missed.

The chartTop history shows, ranked

The all-time ranking by viewer rating, with where to stream.

TonightWhat's actually on

Tonight's schedule, in air-time order.