C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower

Series Similar to C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower

If you enjoyed C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, these series share similar themes, tone, and quality. Each recommendation is scored on genre overlap, tonal match, and critical acclaim.

1. The Musketeers

   2014 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended99% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8).

   A thrilling world of action, adventure and romance inspired by Dumas' legendary characters.On the streets of 17th century Paris, law and order is more a fledgling idea than reality, and the Musketeers, Athos, Aramis and Porthos, are far more than merely royal bodyguards for King Louis XIII; they are inseparable, loyal unto death and committed to upholding justice. Together, this crack team of highly trained soldiers fight for honour, for valour, for love, and just for the pure thrill of it.

2. Shōgun

   1980 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended94% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile.

   After his Dutch trading ship Erasmus and its surviving crew is blown ashore by a violent storm at Injiro on the east coast of Japan, Pilot-Major John Blackthorne, the ship's English navigator, is taken prisoner by samurai warriors. When he is later temporarily released, he must juggle his self-identity as an Englishman associated with other Europeans in Japan, namely Portuguese traders and Jesuit priests, with the alien Japanese culture into which he has been thrust and now must adapt to in order to survive. Being an Englishman, Blackthorne is at both religious and political odds with his enemy, the Portuguese, and the Catholic Church's Jesuitorder. The Catholic foothold in Japan puts Blackthorne, a Protestant and therefore a heretic, at a political disadvantage. But this same situation also brings him to the attention of the influential Lord Toranaga, who mistrusts this foreign religion now spreading in Japan. He is competing with other samurai warlords of similar high-born rank, among them Catholic converts, for the very powerful position of Shōgun, the military governor of Japan.

3. Sharpe

   1993 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended94% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8.2), also on ITV1.

   Sean Bean is Sharpe, a troubled outsider who, following an heroic act of bravery, finds himself promoted to the rank of officer. In this definitive collection of the acclaimed drama, follow his breathtaking adventures commanding the King's Rifles during the Napoleonic Wars.

4. Rome

   2005 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended94% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8.4).

   Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world. The Republic was founded on principals of shared power, never allowing one man to seize absolute control. But now, those foundations are crumbling...and two soldiers unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome. A drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, Rome chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of a republic and the birth of an empire.

5. The Bible

   2013 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended93% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8), hidden gem.

   The Bible comes to life in HISTORY's epic new series. From Genesis to Revelation, these unforgettable stories unfold through live action and cutting-edge computer-generated imagery, offering new insight into famous scenes and iconic characters. Created by producer Mark Burnett and featuring an international cast that includes Roma Downey, this 10-hour docudrama explores the sacred text's most significant episodes, including Noah's journey in the ark, the Exodus and the life of Jesus.

6. Marco Polo

   2014 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended90% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8).

   In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry, Marco Polo is based on the famed explorer's adventures in Kublai Khan's court in 13th century China.

7. Black Sails

   2014 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended90% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8.4).

   1715. The Golden Age of Piracy. New Providence Island is a lawless territory, controlled by history's most notorious pirate captains. The most feared is Captain Flint.As the British Navy returns to redeem their land and exterminate Flint and his crew, another side of him emerges. Captain Flint aligns himself with Eleanor Guthrie, daughter of the local kingpin, to hunt the ultimate prize and ensure their survival.Many opponents stand in their way: rival captains, jealous of Flint's power; Eleanor's ambitious and intrusive father; and a young sailor recently recruited onto Flint's crew, John Silver, who constantly undermines his captain's agenda.

8. Into the Badlands

   2015 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended89% match

   Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, highly rated (8.1).

   Into the Badlands is a genre-bending martial arts series very loosely based on the classic Chinese tale "Journey to the West". In a land controlled by feudal barons, Into the Badlands tells the story of a great warrior and a young boy who embark on a journey across a dangerous land to find enlightenment.

9. The 10th Kingdom

   2000 · Drama, Adventure, Fantasy · ended86% match

   Recommended for similar Adventure profile, highly rated (8).

   Mixing the universal themes of European folklore and mythology with a healthy dose of contemporary storytelling results in this fantastic fable in which two worlds come together for one fantastic adventure.

10. Restless

    2012 · Drama, Action, Adventure · ended86% match

    Recommended for similar Action / Adventure profile, hidden gem.

    Based on the bestselling novel by William Boyd, enter a cloak and dagger world where everyone and everything is under suspicion. Haunted by the death of her brother at the hands of fascist thugs, Russian émigré Eva Delectorskaya is recruited to be a British secret agent by the shadowy figure, Lucas Romer. After proving her merit in the field, she is sent on the most dangerous mission of her life. She must use any means necessary to manipulate the American press and draw the States into World War II. Unbeknownst to her, there are more sinister powers at work, and a deadly betrayal forces her into hiding. But once a spy, always a spy. Years later, she is gripped with paranoia when she fears her cover has been blown. With no one else to turn to, she recruits her unsuspecting daughter to help uncover the truth and confront the elusive Romer. After a life of conspiracy and intrigue, Eva wonders if she'll ever feel safe. Time is running out, and she must unravel all the mysteries before it's too late. A 2-part miniseries starring Hayley Atwell (Captain America: The First Avenger), Charlotte Rampling (Swimming Pool), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter), and Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist).