Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Feeling like you’ve watched every British television show on Prime Video? Desperate to dig into a vintage PBS on Masterpiece classic? Secretly want to binge Sanditon again? Then you might need to get the Masterpiece Channel add-on for Prime Video. It’s a must-have for British television devotees, as well as the exclusive home of series like Jamestown and Sanditon. But once you opt in for the free week trial or sign up for the monthly subscription, what shows do you need to binge first? What are the best, most must-watch series on the Masterpiece Channel on Prime Video?
The Masterpiece Channel on Prime Video is an add-on you can purchase for $5.99/month to get access to exclusive PBS-curated content. It is the one place where you can stream exclusive originals like Jamestown and Beecham House, and it’s the streaming home of recent PBS hits like Sanditon, World on Fire, and Vienna Blood. In addition to that, the Masterpiece Channel boasts a wealth of classics series, British-centric docs, and a partnership with foreign television curator Walter Presents.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start with your Masterpiece subscription or want to make the most out of your free trial, we’re here to help. Here are the nine best shows to watch on the Masterpiece Channel on Prime Video: all are must-watch classics or hidden gems you have might otherwise missed out on.
'Sanditon'
Arguably the show that sold you on your Masterpiece Channel subscription, Sanditon is a thoroughly modern take on Jane Austen’s final unfinished novel. Created by Andrew Davies — the writer behind the 1995 Pride & Prejudice — Sanditon follows the thoroughly charming Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) as she leaves home for the first time and accompanies friends to the seaside resort of Sanditon. There, she comes friends with a black heiress, gets entangled with a tense fight for one woman’s fortune, and falls in love. While its steamy scenes might turn some off, its candor about the realities of the time period make Sanditon as bracing as a dip in the sea.
'Jamestown'
The first official Masterpiece Channel original, Jamestown is a shockingly frothy show about the birth of British colonialism in the United States. Full of murder, deceit, racism, lust, and all sorts of nasty stuff, the show focuses on the sordid personal lives of Jamestown’s colonists. Instead of portraying these early settlers as intrepid heroes, they’re instead depicted as petty, squabbling, and self-centered. In short: they’re shown as human.
'The Jewel in the Crown'
Based on Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown is a stone cold classic screaming for an update, if not a massive resurgence. While your eye might be teased by the new Masterpiece original Beecham House, The Jewel in the Crown is the must-watch show about the friction between British and Indian cultures. The epic saga, set in India during and after World War II, kicks off with a forbidden romance between the sweet and nerdy Daphne (Susan Wooldridge) and British-raised journalist Hari Kumar (Art Malik). Violence, jealousy, and tragedy tear the lovers apart and push police superintendent Ronald Merrick (Tim Pigott-Smith) on a dark path.
'The Forsyte Saga'
Before there was Downton Abbey, there was The Forsyte Saga. This lavish two-season series follows the secrets, scandals, and tragedies of a wealthy family at the turn of the century. Propelling most of the drama is Soames Forsyte (Damien Lewis), the family’s cold and cunning mastermind. Soames loses control of himself, though, when he meets the beautiful Irene (Gina McKee). His obsession with her leads to tragic consequences and a heap of drama for the entire family. While Season 1 shows the darker side of period romance, Season 2 is a lovely Romeo & Juliet style story following the next generation as they try to heal old wounds.
'Secrets of the Six Wives'
Let it be said that any Lucy Worsley documentary is a total treat. The Masterpiece Channel has a bunch of her specials, but start with Secrets of the Six Wives. It’s a juicy and informative look at the lives of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Worsley not only goes to source materials to dig up hot gossip, but is able to reframe each woman’s story with a feminist gaze.
'Death Comes to Pemberley'
If Sanditon’s not your speed as a Jane Austen fan, you might be more excited about Death Comes to Pemberley. Based on the novel by P.D. James, the miniseries imagines a sequel where a happily married Elizabeth Bennet (Anna Maxwell Martin) and Mr. Darcy. (Matthew Rhys) must deal with a murder mystery at their estate. Joining in the fun are Lydia (Jenna Coleman) and Wickham (Matthew Goode).
P.S. If you need more Matthew Rhys and Matthew Goode fun, I would highly suggest The Wine Show on Hulu. Wrong list? Sorry, couldn’t help myself.
'The Miniaturist'
The Miniaturist didn’t get a lot of love when it aired on Masterpiece in 2018, and it’s time that got rectified. When Nella (Anya Taylor-Joy) arrives in Amsterdam to marry a wealthy man, she is taken aback by the chilly reception she gets from him and his sister Marin (Romola Garai). Gifted with a dollhouse to occupy her time, Nella soon employs a miniaturist to fill the house. However, it soon seems that what happens inside the dollhouse is a chilling foreshadowing of the tragedies about to hit the people in the real house.
'Endeavour'
Looking for a bracing English crime drama? Endeavuor is a thrilling prequel to the popular Inspector Morse mysteries. The series follows the young Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans) as he cuts his teeth solving crimes in 1960s Oxford. The series has all the classic components of a British crime drama, but Endeavour has a sophisticated dark side that is sure to win you over.
'Wolf Hall'
Based on Hilary Mantel’s celebrated first novel about Thomas Cromwell, Wolf Hall is a tense miniseries that looks at Henry VIII’s reign from the point of view of his most trusted advisor. Mark Rylance stars as Cromwell, a man whose keen mind and pure ambition give him the skills necessary to help Henry (Damien Lewis) divorce his first wife and the whole of England from the Catholic Church. A bonus in this series is you get to see The Crown star Claire Foy play a very different English queen: the scheming Anne Boleyn.
