There is more than one way to keep traveling back and forth in time, and these tv series are at the top of our list.
For our second edition of Rear Window we have decided to shift the gears a little bit and steer away from the big Hollywood screen onto the smaller reality of TV and streaming services. However, one thing remains the same… we can’t seem to stay away from the exciting mid-century era. So, if you’re either looking for a great new tv series to watch, or to be inspired by the vintage 20th century reality, the following tv shows will make you stay glued to the screen. Scroll down to find out which are the top 10 tv series inspired by the mid-century era that have been making us pull all nighters.
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10. Outlander
Coming at number 10 we have Outlander, the period tv show that everyone seemed to love, us included. The only reason this comes at number 10 is that, although the main character is a nurse from the 1940s, most of the series unfolds during the 19th century in a somewhat alternate reality. However, Outlander was such a huge hit throughout its four seasons that we had to include it in our list.
9. Bates Motel
Another great series, Bates Motel ranks at #9 for the simple reason that it is actually not set in the 20th century, although it is very much inspired by it. If you are a huge classic movie admirer, you can’t miss Bates Motel, inspired by one of the most famous Hitchcock movies of all time, Psycho. The tv show by A&E honours Hitchcock’s classic, at the same time it unfolds in our contemporary days of the 21st century for a revamped look at the story.
Definitely one of the best series to watch if you are looking for a thrilling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
8. Dark
A series that first rose to fame for its similarities with the hit tv show by Netflix, Stranger Things, Dark quickly gained a life of its own. A sci-fi flick that unfolds throughout multiple decades, the German tv series was considered to be one of the most popular tv series of 2017, telling the story of four families after two children go missing. One of the narratives unfolds during the 1950’s post-war Germany, so it had to make our list!
7. Pan Am
Margot Robbie’s claim to fame, Pan Am didn’t run for long, but it surely gave us a glamorous glimpse at the 1960s Jet Age. Pan Am comes at number 7 in our list because, although it didn’t seem to have one of the most gripping storylines, having been canceled by ABC after just one season, it was an entertaining series that brought to life stunning details from the vintage 50s and 60s lives.
6. Call the Midwife
Set in the late 1950s and 60s, Call the Midwife is a period drama tv series by BBC that was followed by many and received multiple positive critical reactions over the years. An intricate story that follows the work of the post-war midwives in one of the poorest areas in London, Call the Midwife has a certain appeal to it, with a nostalgic feeling we all get of London imagery of the industrial 20th century. If you are already following the series, make sure to watch Peaky Blinders, another great period story, which only didn’t make our list for being set in the 1920s and 30s, but that is equally as great.
5. Masters of Sex
Nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series back in 2013, Masters of Sex ran for six seasons on Showtime, having been canceled just two years ago. The period tv series’ plot unfolded during the late 1950s and 1960s and followed the stories of two pioneering researchers of human sexuality at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
4. That 70’s Show
One of the first cult tv shows ever, That 70’s Show is not only where we were first introduced to some of the biggest names of Hollywood and tv of current times. The period sitcom followed the ordinary lives of six teenagers during the 1970s in a time when there were no phones, internet, and people seemed to freely choose to spend time together.
3. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Probably the most recent tv series from our list, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has already won two Golden Globes! With just one season, Amazon has already renewed it all the way to season three, meaning there will be much more time for us to be amazed by the stunning 1950’s inspired production design of the series. Set in 1950’s New York, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel follows the story of a stand-up comedian which just to happened to be… a woman.
2. 11.22.63
One of the most well-written and performed tv shows of the last few years, 11.22.63 starred James Franco as a 21st century English teacher that finds himself traveling back in time to the 1960s where he realizes he might have the tools to prevent what is considered to be one of the biggest American tragedies of the 20th century, JFK’s assassination. What starts as a seemingly farfetched sci-fi plot, turns out to be one of the best tv shows we have watched in a long time. Oh, did we forgot to mention it is based on the same-title novel by Stephen King?
1. Mad Men
We have finally made it to our list’s #1 where Mad Men takes the lead. The period tv show is still relevant and loved by many mid-century design aficionados, who can’t help but find themselves going back to the carefully decorated interiors curated by their production design team, as well as the stunning period outfits that bring back a huge wave of nostalgia every time we rewatch the series. It was one of the most popular tv series of these last years, and although the series finale has aired more than two years ago, we don’t think we will be forgetting about it any time soon.
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