If your new television obsession is La bambola, a Polish miniseries recently released on Netflix, you might satisfy your curiosity by delving into other period-piece narratives: three, to be exact, are the TV series we have chosen to suggest in order to ease the nostalgia after the six episodes streaming of La bambola, the story of which is drawn from the eponymous literary work by Bolesław Prus. Set in 19th‑century Poland, it follows the entrepreneur Stanisław Wokulski whose aim is to win the heart of the beautiful aristocrat Izabela Łęcka and to make his way into society. Those in search of new stories with precise historical settings, nostalgic aesthetics, and a strong contrast with dramatic tension, here are three must-watch TV series.
3 TV series recommended for those who loved La bambola on Netflix
The Alienist – L’alienista
Made up of two seasons, The Alienist is set in late 19th‑century New York, precisely in 1896, a city afflicted by numerous, brutal murders that demand all plausible assistance. For this reason, Police Commissioner Roosevelt seeks the help of analyst Laszlo Kreizler, illustrator John Moore, and secretary Sara Howard. What makes the case even more dramatic is the killer’s target: all the victims are young women. By joining forces, they will attempt to identify the murderer. Like La Bambola, The Alienist foregrounds obsession and dives into the minds of those who commit the most violent crimes, offering the viewer an accurate period reconstruction where the beauty and elegance of historic mansions confront the decay of the darkest neighborhoods. The cast includes Daniel Bruhl, Luke Evans, and Dakota Fanning. The two seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
The Empress
Originally titled in its original language Die Kaiserin, The Empress is a successful German TV series distributed on Netflix since 2022, spanning two seasons, and retraces the story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, nicknamed Sissi, married to Franz Joseph, the Emperor of Austria. Following the marriage, Sissi relocates to Vienna and must adapt not only to her new life at court but also to the power dynamics within the royal family. Amid palace intrigues, political conspiracies, and a domineering mother-in-law, the series follows Sissi’s struggle in a world that is as golden as it is hostile. Just as in La bambola, the protagonist finds herself trapped in the roles prescribed for her and a victim of others’ expectations; Sissi must fight against a system that would rather have her as a decorative object than a thinking person. Once again, the set design plays a crucial role, blending period costumes with regal locations to fuse with the psychological drama at the heart of the plot, weighed down by social judgment.
Hotel Portofino
Streaming on Prime Video, Hotel Portofino is set in comparatively more recent times, specifically in 1926. A British television series written and created by Mark Baker, it tells the story of a family who owns and runs a hotel for affluent clients in an exclusive Italian seaside resort: Portofino. Bella Ainsworth, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, moves with her family to the Ligurian coast to manage the hotel for the upper bourgeoisie. Within those walls lie secrets, passions, but also blackmail, a reality that will soon intersect with the rise of fascism. Like La Bambola, the captivating aesthetics in this tale are tinted by the dramatic dynamics among the characters, driven by lies, secrets, and double lives.
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