Top Romance Shows on PBS

The Forsytes

Desire. Ambition. Betrayal. The lavish new period drama  premieres on MASTERPIECE in 2026. This reimagining of the Nobel Prize-winning tale of love, ambition, and betrayal follows the wealthy Forsyte family in 1880s London.

Watch the preview below.

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is just a teenager when she leaves Austria to marry the Dauphin of France. At Versailles, under the complex rules of the French court, she suffers from not being able to live her life the way she wants, under pressure to continue the Bourbon line and secure the Franco-Austrian alliance. This series is full of tension, romance, turmoil and our favorite... drama.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch the preview below.

Poldark

Aidan Turner ("The Hobbit") stars as Ross Poldark, a dashing redcoat who returns to Cornwall after battle to discover that his father is dead, his lands are ruined, and his true love is engaged to another. Can Poldark change his destiny, restore his lost fortune, and reclaim his sweetheart?

Watch the full series with PBS Passport, or relive the most dramatic, tender, and unforgettable moments of Ross Poldark from all five seasons.

Sanditon

What's more romantic than true love found at a seaside resort? Not much (according to us). "Sanditon" is based on Jane Austen’s final and unfinished novel and tells the story of Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams), a spirited and somewhat impulsive young woman who travels from her rural English home to an up-and-coming seaside resort town to reinvent herself. Will Charlotte get her happily-ever-after?

Stream the full series with PBS Passport.

Victoria

In 1837, a diminutive, neglected teenager is crowned Queen Victoria, navigates the scandal, corruption, and political intrigues of the Court, and soon rises to become the most powerful woman in the world. Victoria stars Jenna Coleman ("Doctor Who") as Queen Victoria in this miniseries following the drama of the candid, spirited monarch.

Watch the full series with PBS Passport.

Hotel Portofino

Starring Natascha McElhone as Bella Ainsworth and Mark Umbers as Cecil Ainsworth, "Hotel Portofino" is a heady, period drama about a British family who run a hotel for upper class travelers on the magical Italian Riviera during the glamourous "Roaring 20s" but also under the dark cloud of Fascist Italy.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport, or tune into the extended trailer below.

Funny Woman

It’s the height of the swinging 60s and Barbara Parker has just been crowned Miss Blackpool – but she’s certain there has to be more to life than being a beauty queen in a seaside town. With the bright lights of London calling, Barbara packs her bags and heads off to the city where she looks to take on the male-dominated world of comedy by storm.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch the preview below.

Sisi: Austrian Empress

Witness the rise of Empress Elisabeth of Austria -- Sisi-- from the perspective of her closest confidants. From Walter Presents, in German with English subtitles.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch a preview of season 2 below.

Tom Jones

Two lovers follow their hearts in a new adaptation of Henry Fielding's novel starring Solly McLeod ("House of the Dragon"), Sophie Wilde ("You Don't Know Me"), and Hannah Waddingham ("Ted Lasso"), and adapted by Gwyneth Hughes ("Vanity Fair").

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch the official preview below.

All Creatures Great & Small

Cute animals and serendipitous romance? Count us in. James Herriot’s adventures as a veterinarian in 1930’s Yorkshire gets a glorious new adaptation in a series based on his internationally celebrated books. Nicholas Ralph makes his television debut as the iconic vet who became renowned for his inspiring humor, compassion and love of life.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport.

House of Promises

Set against the golden, grimy backdrop of 1920s Berlin, an impossible love story begins. Vicky’s dreams crumble when she arrives in the city, but soon she begins to have new dreams. From Walter Presents, in German with English subtitles.

Stream in full with PBS Passport.

The Forsyte Saga

Based on the classic novels by John Galsworthy, "The Forsyte Saga" is a compelling drama of love, adultery, obsession, power and money, spanning three generations at the turn of the 20th century. On the surface, the Forsytes are the ultimate powerful Victorian family—superior, arrogant, and confident—but underneath this imposing veneer lies a festering core of unhappy and brutal relationships.

Stream the series with PBS Passport.

The Durrells in Corfu

Keeley Hawes ("Bodyguard," "Line of Duty") stars as an intrepid widow decamping from dreary England to a sun-drenched Greek island with her four recalcitrant children, ages 11 to 21, in this charming and witty adaptation of Gerald Durrell’s memoir, "My Family and Other Animals" and its two sequels.

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch the preview below.

Alice & Jack

Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson star in "Alice & Jack," a modern love story. When Alice and Jack first meet, they’re bound by a connection so powerful it seems nothing can break it, but will their path lead them to a place of happiness and togetherness?

Stream the full series with PBS Passport or watch the official preview below. 

Cyrano De Bergerac

Lakeshore Classic Movies bring you a variety of classic films from the golden age of Hollywood, including the 1950 version of "Cyrano De Bergerac" starring Jose Ferrer. In this film, Cyrano is admired by his men for his courage, swordsmanship and mighty wit but he is hopelessly lost in love and unable to profess his feelings to the beautiful Roxane out of fear he will be rejected because of his appearance. 

Editor's note: This article was was written by Madisson Haynes and published September 26, 2023. New show listings were added and the article was updated December 18, 2025, by Audrey Porter.