Top 10 Historically Inaccurate TV Shows
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the television shows that took the most liberties with their history. Which historical inaccuracy irks you the most? Let us know in the comments!
#10: “Reign” (2013-17)
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“Reign” depicts the life of Mary, Queen of Scots and her time in the French Court. Showrunner Laurie McCarthy admitted to taking many liberties with history. Here are a few. Historically, Mary moved from Scotland to France when she was only five rather than nine. Also, the English were not trying to kill her, though they perhaps weren’t her biggest fans. The plot line in which Catherine de Medici enlists a man to drug and assault Mary in order to take her virginity (thus dethroning her) is nonsensical: trying to find someone to risk a brutal, tortuous death is one thing, but had Mary lost her virginity, it have been scandalous yet held no legal implication in her marriage.
#9: “The Borgias” (2011-13)
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“The Borgias” is based on the rise of the titular family to the papacy in the late 15th-early 16th centuries. Co-creator Neil Jordan knew of the inaccuracies: it is the bare bones narrative embellished with literal and figurative sword-play (wink wink) and sexier main characters. The series is riddled with incorrectness and should definitely not be used as a factual source. We’ll just name a few. Niccolò Machiavelli was acquainted with Cesare Borgia, yet did not work for him. Juan Borgia did not lead an army against the French and had been deceased for years before the siege of Forli shown in the series. There is also no actual evidence that brother and sister Cesare and Lucrezia had any intimate relationship.
#8: “Wolf Hall” (2015)
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“Wolf Hall” is based on a series of books referred to as “fictionalized biography.” The problem with this style is the confusion of history and fact for some readers or viewers, which was quickly pointed out by historians upon the series’ release. It follows Thomas Cromwell, a lawyer who served as chief minister in King Henry VIII’s court. Prominent Tudor historian John Guy had a lot to say about the depictions of historical figures in the books and series. For example, there is no evidence that Anne Boleyn was a devilish woman, nor that Thomas More was any sort of torturous hater of women. Cromwell, the series’ protagonist, was no sympathetic, sensitive soul in reality; he was what one historian called “detestably self-serving.”
#7: “Victoria” (2016-19)
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“Victoria” starts with the early years of Queen Victoria’s reign from eighteen years old and concludes with the monarch in her early thirties. As previously seen in this list, 100% accuracy was sacrificed for the sake of entertainment. One example would be the romantic tension between Victoria and Prime Minister Lord Melbourne. Historians say it is highly unlikely the Queen would have been enamored with the politician, as her personal diaries do not reflect this in the least. He was also far less young and handsome, being forty years older than Victoria and unhealthily obese. Among other things, the series oddly changes the initial dynamic between Victoria and Albert; it was love at first sight and in no way contentious as the series depicts.
#6: “Marco Polo” (2014-16)
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It’s difficult to argue any facts about Marco Polo himself, as the accounts of his travels have long been subject to scrutiny. In fact, the book “The Travels of Marco Polo” was possibly written by Rustichello da Pisa (known for his romance stories) and manuscripts have been scarce and pieced together through the centuries. However, the series “Marco Polo” gained plenty of historian unrest in its portrayal of Kublai Khan and the Mongolians in general. One historian claimed the series to be 20% accurate and 80% fiction. The real Kublai Khan didn’t live in a palace, nor did he have a secret concubine. He was also never targeted by an assassin masquerading as a concubine, nor did he kill his brother in a bloody duel.
#5: “The Tudors” (2007-10)
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“The Tudors” was another series that irked historians for a number of reasons. We’ve seen the dramatization and sexualizing of historical characters and events, but this show took liberties in changing up basic facts. For example, in the first season we see the death of Henry Fitzroy when he was very young. In reality, Fitzroy died over a dozen years older. The series also shows the King in multiple lewd affiliations with women who either never existed (such as Eleanor Luke) or with whom there’s no evidence in historical accounts (such as Anne of Cleves). The series also made up an uncle for Season 1 (Henry had no uncle) and Anne Boleyn’s deformed child miscarriage in Season 2, among many other things.
#4: “Freud” (2020)
Sigmund Freud is one of the most recognizable names in psychology. It’s therefore not surprising that he’s been portrayed in a number of productions. The series “Freud” is a fictionalized biography of the early years of the Austrian doctor. This particular series imagined Freud using his talents to aid in criminal investigations. The series does take direct inspiration from the life of Freud, such as his substance use disorder and work with mentor Josef Breuer. However, his romance with Fleur Salomé in the series is fiction, though the character was inspired by a woman Freud met later in life. Freud never participated in criminal cases, nor did he ever turn to spiritualism, though he did show interest in the latter.
#3: “Peaky Blinders” (2013-22)
Though “Peaky Blinders” is a fictional account of a fictional family, there was an actual street gang by that name operating in late 19th to early 20th century England. The gang’s members engaged in various criminal activities such as robbery, racketeering and other devious deeds. They did have signature clothing, namely tilted, peaked flat caps. One of the show’s popular weapons is a razor blade sewn into their caps. However, this part is highly unlikely in history, as razor blades were luxurious at the time, being a recent commodity that would’ve been too costly for the real Blinders. The series also sees the Blinders’ influence extending into the 1930s, when in reality the true gang had dissolved and were usurped by rivals by the 1920s.
#2: “Leonardo” (2021-)
Leonardo da Vinci has made appearances in several media. The most recent incarnation is in the series “Leonardo” starring Aidan Turner in the titular role. Though it does highlight some truths about the artist, the series does have its inaccurate points. Most prominent is the fact that da Vinci was never accused of murder. The series admittedly relies on the gaps in the artist’s historical accounts, filling them with fictional moments. The woman da Vinci is accused of murdering in the series, Caterina de Cremona, is based on a name scribbled on one of the former’s anatomical studies. The series also portrays da Vinci as bisexual, when he was almost certainly a gay man. See his odd drawings of female anatomy for reference!
#1: “Vikings” (2013-20)
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Northmen did not record their history in writing, so most of the stories we have are from the accounts of others. This definitely leads to fictionalization. The character of Ragnar Lothbrok is one that likely never existed in reality: his namesake is the protagonist of 13th century Icelandic epic “Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok,” a fantastical character who slays mythical creatures. His exploits in the TV series are an amalgam of those from the Saga and those of other historical figures, such as Reginherus, a leader from the 9th century. Many of its other characters are amalgams, such as King Charles, who is a combination of Charles the Bald, Charles the Fat and Charles the Simple. But, hey, at least they’re not wearing horned helmets, right?
