need recommendations for other similar shows

I would maybe give Poldark a chance? A classic period drama which also involves family and hierarchy, which often makes you wanna see more. It has a nice soundtrack like Downton. It's based on novels instead of being original and doesn't have as many people involved, tough I think you would like it.

Some familiar faces in this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KtzkENzR7c
but try and find a better print.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Missionary

Country Matters was an anthology of stories by A. E. Coppard and H.E. Bates about early 20th century English country life. Many are on YouTube.
The Sullens Sisters is a romantic comedy featuring the dark-eyed stunner who grew up to be Penelope Wilton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8B8dGXlt80
But most are darker, bleaker tales. The Mill is the story of what happens to naive country girls who grow up without the benefit of Mrs. Patmore's care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNxQQkTHldA

I liked Doctor Thorne.

The Buccaneers -joint BBC/A&E miniseries about four American heiresses hunting for titled English husbands in the 1880s. On disc.

Brideshead Revisited (the miniseries, not the awful movie) - on YouTube the last time I looked, and on disc.

The Lord Peter Wimsey miniseries from the 70s and the other series from the 80s.

Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-75)

The series is set in a London House so it is on a much more modest scale than Downton Abbey but it has the same upper class family and their live-in servants dynamic. The time setting is around WW1 so it is similar to DA in that regard as well.

The biggest problem is the relatively low quality of the visual recordings from back in those days. So while nowhere near as nice to look at as 'Downton Abbey' the story lines and characters are richer, more complex and more realistic than DA in my opinion. No rose coloured glasses for 'Upstairs, Downstairs'.




The Players of The Game are the scum of the earth.

The 2009 BBC version of The Turn Of The Screw features pre-Downton Michelle Dockery and Dan Stevens, and the time frame has been updated from the 1860s to the 20s. I didn't like some of the changes they made to the story but it was good to see them together before they became Matthew and Mary, and the sets are gorgeous.