15 Best TV Shows Like ‘The Last Kingdom’

The Last Kingdom is one of the most popular Netflix originals, despite the fact that it doesn’t have the highest budget when compared to other shows. In that regard, there are plenty of different fans of this series, which was adapted from Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Stories. As such, it is very similar to a lot of different shows that were also adapted from novels.

If you have binged through all of the five seasons of The Last Kingdom and are looking to find a way to scratch your itch for historical drama shows, the good news is that there are plenty of different shows that are similar. That said, we have a good list of the best TV shows like The Last Kingdom.

15. Rome (2005 – 2007)

Like The Last Kingdom, Rome is a historical drama series that chronicles some of the events that happened during the height of the Roman Empire during ancient times. This is where we will see how the series is able to showcase a lot of different events that allowed Rome to become what it was during its height. And that aspect is what has allowed it to become quite similar to The Last Kingdom, which talks more about the conflicts between the Danish Vikings and the Saxons of England.

The story of Rome revolves around the turbulent political infighting that happened during the days of Ancient Rome. This means that it has the same political infighting that you can see in The Last Kingdom, which tells the story of different Earls and leaders vying for land and power in the divided kingdoms of England long ago.

14. The Musketeers (2014 – 2016)

The first thing that makes The Musketeers similar to The Last Kingdom is the fact that it was also adapted from books. Based on the timeless tale of Alexander Dumas, The Musketeers is simply the live-action series version of The Three Musketeers, as we get to see different stars that play the classic characters that we all know and love. On top of that, the fact that it is a fictional story that was able to tie its narrative to historical events is what makes it very similar to The Last Kingdom.

Of course, the story of The Musketeers revolves around the iconic Three Musketeer who all work together to try to stop a plot against the rightful king of England. There have been a lot of adaptations of this story, and The Musketeers is the newest live-action version of this timeless story.

13. Troy: Fall Of A City (2018)

Troy: Fall of a City tells the tale of one of the most iconic stories in Greek mythology, as we get to see the story behind how the successful kingdom of Troy fell during the time of the Greek Empire that flourished in ancient times. Of course, like The Last Kingdom, it is based on a fictional story we all know as Homer’s Iliad.

This series is a great retelling of the story between Paris and Helen’s affair and how it was the catalyst of a war that forced a fleet of Greek ships to attack the impregnable walls of the city of Troy. Like a lot of the different shows on this list, Troy: Fall of a City is merely one of the different adaptations of this amazing story, but it proves to be one of the best versions, even though it only lasted for a single season.

12. Barbarians (2020)

Barbarians really isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing shows you can find on television because it does feel like it doesn’t have the same kind of budget that the other shows on this list have. There were a lot of people who actually saw this series as a Vikings (more on that later) copy, but that isn’t necessarily true because it actually is a great story that was able to tell the narrative behind the battles between the German warriors of Europe and the dominant Roman Empire.

The thing that makes this very similar to The Last Kingdom is the fact that we are seeing invaders in a war against a more established yet struggling kingdom. We see the cultural differences between the barbarians and the Roman Empire in this series, as these German warriors struck fear into the hearts of the Romans no matter how dominant this ancient empire was.

11. Knightfall (2017 – 2019)

Another great historical drama that we have on this list is Knightfall, which might not be entirely historically accurate but was able to tell a great story regarding the different events that happened during the 14^th century, especially when you factor in how the Knights Templar, a society of Christian knights, saw their fall long ago. The fact that this is a historical drama is what makes it similar to The Last Kingdom as you get to see a lot of medieval action in this amazing story about the struggles that the Knights Templar had to go through.

The story of Knightfall revolves around the leader of a Knights Templar sect as he got involved with an affair with the queen of France and in a war against the Roman Catholic Church itself. It’s a story that is quite intriguing due to the different political strategizing that the different factions had to do in this story about secrets and personal quarrels between a knight and a king.

10. Peaky Blinders (2013 – Present)

Peaky Blinders isn’t the same as The Last Kingdom when you simply look at it on its face, but there are a lot of similarities between them when you factor in how they happen in time periods that are far apart from one another. However, watching Peaky Blinders will allow you to see just how similar these two are. Peaky Blinders is also a fictional drama series that takes historical events and creates a story out of them. This is why it may be similar to The Last Kingdom.

The story of Peaky Blinders revolves around an early 20th-century gang that basically controls the city of Birmingham through the shady dealings that the leader of the gang does behind the backs of the authorities. It’s a story that combines drama, action, and a bit of political maneuvering. 

9. Black Sails (2014 – 2017)

Black Sails may not be similar to The Last Kingdom on its face because pirates and Vikings lived in different eras. However, pirates are essentially similar to Vikings in the sense that they love raiding but do so on the seas. As such, this is what makes Black Sails similar to The Last Kingdom, which is a show that has a lot of Vikings that invaded England.

This series is all about the different factions that fight for the same thing, which is a treasure. Black Sails is actually a story that follows the events before the popular story Treasure Island, as we get to see different characters that are prominent in the beloved Treasure Island story, such as Long John Silver and Captain Flint. So, while Black Sails may be fictional, it still is similar to The Last Kingdom due to the fact that it happens during a set period in history while revolving around different characters that may or may not have existed long ago.

8. Britannia (2018 – Present)

Britannia is a series that takes place long before the events of The Last Kingdom because it shows the history behind how the first colonizers of Britain had to go through the people who have been living on the island since ancient times. As such, the fact that it takes place in the same region as The Last Kingdom makes it similar to that story.

What’s great about Britannia is that it focuses on a period of history that isn’t often portrayed on television or in movies. There are plenty of different shows and movies that allow us to see the history of the Vikings in England, but we don’t really see anything about those who lived on the island long before the Christian colonizers came to Britain. As such, it allows you to see a different side of history that isn’t often shown.

7. Vinland Saga (2019 – Present)

Yes, we have an anime series on this list because of the fact that Vinland Saga is indeed very similar to The Last Kingdom. This anime takes place in the same region and just a few centuries after the events of The Last Kingdom, and that’s why it is very similar to it. On top of that, it also showcases the story of Vikings, much like how The Last Kingdom explores the culture and personality of the Danes that invaded England centuries ago.

Vinland Saga revolves around Thorfinn, who became a Viking so that he could take his revenge on the man that murdered his father. He also gets entangled with the different political dramas surrounding the Danish monarchs who ruled England during the beginning of the second millennium.

6. Norsemen (2016 – 2020)

If you want a funny twist regarding the same people that The Last Kingdom focuses on, then Norsemen is going to be your cup of tea. This is a series that shows us the story of Vikings while adding a lot of comedy to the way the narrative is handled. So, if you are tired of watching serious historical drama shows that include the Vikings of yesteryears, then Norsemen should be the best series to watch.

The story of Norsemen revolves around Viking siblings who are in the middle of a struggle for power. But instead of portraying the series in a much more serious light, it allows us to see their story in a manner that’s funny and downright entertaining. This is why it’s a great series to watch if you simply want to laugh out loud during a boring day.

5. Game Of Thrones (2011 – 2019)

Game of Thrones is more fantasy than it is reality because this is a series that tells the story about a fictional continent that has dragons and zombies. That said, despite the fact that it has a lot of elements of fantasy, Game of Thrones belongs on this list because it has the same kind of medieval-like action that made The Last Kingdom famous. On top of that, the different political maneuverings in Game of Thrones are quite similar to how the leaders in The Last Kingdom approach the way they handled their business.

The story of Game of Thrones revolves around the fictional continent of Westeros, which is in the middle of constant warring between different ruling lords, all vying for the right to become the king after the last king died. However, what they didn’t know was that a queen from the east was on her way to claiming the throne with the help of three dragons. And there is a growing threat in the north because ice necromancers are raising the dead to kill all of the living people on the continent.

4. Frontier (2016 – 2018)

Frontier stars Jason Momoa, who became quite famous after his one-season portrayal of Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. This series has similarities with The Last Kingdom in the sense that we see the hero of the story is on a mission to try to destroy the monopoly of the fur trade in Canada during a time when people from Europe were beginning to settle in North America.

So, while the setting and the atmosphere may be different when compared to The Last Kingdom, Frontier has the same violence and raw emotions that made Uhtred’s series so popular. And the good news is that Frontier is a comparatively short series that you can easily finish over a lazy weekend at home.

3. The Witcher (2019 – Present)

The Witcher is much like Game of Thrones in the sense that it is more of fantasy than it is historical. This series doesn’t even have anything historical at all because it explores a fictional world where monsters and monster hunters exist. That said, what makes it very similar to The Last Kingdom is the fact that you see a lot of action in this series. The Witcher also explores the different political maneuverings that kingdoms and other leaders do to solidify their power.

The story of The Witcher explores Geralt of Rivia, a Witcher or a monster hunter who happened to become the destined father of a young princess by accident. However, what he didn’t know was that this princess was the descendant of a long bloodline that had the power to change the entire makeup of the world. And it is up to Geralt to see that the princess is protected.

2. Vikings: Valhalla (2022 – Present)

Vikings: Valhalla is the successor series of the popular Vikings show that became prominent during the 2010s. Valhalla is also the newest show on this list, as it only premiered in February of 2022. And what makes it similar to The Last Kingdom is the fact that it explores the continuing conflict between the Danes and the Saxons of England during the beginning of the 11^th century.

The story of Vikings: Valhalla revolves around different characters, such as Leif Erikson, King Canute, and Queen Emma of Normandy, as they all get entangled in a web of wars that all stem from the fact that the Danes and the English could never get along due to how different they are in terms of their culture and religion. There is a lot of political maneuvering and infighting going on in Vikings: Valhalla.

1. Vikings (2013 – 2020)

Of course, the series that is most the same as The Last Kingdom is Vikings, which premiered two years before the first season of The Last Kingdom and takes place during the same time period and the same location. However, the focus is shifted towards the Vikings instead of a character like Uhtred, who is both Viking and Saxon.

Vikings shows us the rise of the Viking Age when Ragnar Lothbrok and the Vikings started raiding England and conquering different cities and lands. This eventually led to a war with England, as we get to see the history behind the conflicts between the Vikings and the Saxons. However, the focus of the series is more on Ragnar’s rise to power and to the infighting that happened between his sons. And while it is similar to The Last Kingdom, it actually has more historical inaccuracies.

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