Essential Alternate History Series That Rethink Key Historical Moments

Essential Alternate History Series That Rethink Key Historical Moments Explore five must-watch alternate history television series that reimagine pivotal moments such as World War II, the Space Race, and nuclear fallout. Each show offers a unique lens on how small changes could reshape the future, blending thought-provoking narratives with compelling drama. Sometimes escaping reality and watching an alternate version play out on the TV is exactly what some people need. Alternate history series highlight how one change, one different decision, could truly modify the future, no matter how small the choice may seem. They can be fun thought exercises or great projects that reflect current events, displaying how history can repeat itself. There are plenty of options in the genre - even "Bridgerton" is an alternate history show, with Queen Charlotte as a woman of color changing how people of color are considered within the aristocracy.While the Netflix project tackles Regency romance, most alternate history entries look at wars in history, like the Cold War or World War II, through a different lens. If you aren't sure which shows to watch, don't sweat. After considering critic reviews, the five that are essential to watch become clear.They tackle events like the Space Race in "For All Mankind," different World War II outcomes in "The Plot Against America," and even "Fallout's" retro-futuristic adaptation rooted in nuclear fallout. Despite their differing versions of history, each series on this list is worth a watch, even if it's just once, because of how well they build their different timeline. What would happen if Charles Lindbergh, a man known for his aviation and military achievements today, became president in 1940?That's the alternate history HBO's "The Plot Against America" follows. Lindbergh runs on a policy rooted in xenophobic populism, which capitalizes on fears related to immigration. In the show's case, it's rooted in the antisemitism of World War II. The miniseries spans two years, from 1940 through 1942.Political unrest continues to grow on both sides of the aisle, and the country aligns itself with Adolf Hitler and spirals into a fascist regime. Without giving too much of the narrative away, be prepared for an unresolved ending."The Plot Against America" ends with an election, but it never reveals who won. This forces audiences to consider what the outcome could be, based on the two-year period presented and the state of the country at that time, leaving things more open-ended than others in the genre."The Plot Against America" has an 87% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 73%. Positive reviews highlight how well the series tackles topics that feel increasingly more relevant today, with Alan Sepinwall of, but in the BBC One project's case, it's if the United Kingdom became controlled by Germany in 1941. During the actual war, the United Kingdom was part of the Allied Powers, alongside the United States and Soviet Union.However, "SS-GB" shows the country falling to Germany after the assassination of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, with the Soviet Union siding more with Germany and the United States not providing aid. The BBC miniseries frames itself more like a procedural, with Scotland Yard investigator Douglas Archer (Sam Riley) trying to solve a murder that was seemingly carried out by members of the political resistance.It presents a different framing than most alternate history projects, since the politics of the time influence the investigation and help reveal different details, like a possible motive, and it's through that lens that scientific innovation and other key parts of the war are revealed. Audiences and critics alike enjoyed "SS-GB," with a 92% and an 89%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes.Because of the murder mystery at the center, reviews credit the show for having a more human aspect than others in the genre."There are plenty of human strands woven into a murder plot that feels satisfyingly convoluted," Jasper Rees wrote for The Space Race is an important era of history, not just because of the scientific innovation it encouraged, but because of the tensions behind it. In "For All Mankind," the Soviet Union wins the race, landing the first cosmonauts on the moon, rather than the American moon landing that did happen.Because they are now behind the curve, NASA is trying to catch up, not just in scientific discovery, but in social capital, developing a female astronaut program."For All Mankind" gives a great look at how the United States may have continued to push scientific discovery if they hadn't been the first on the moon. As the series progresses, there's a station on the Moon and on Mars, and things get more fantastical as the show explores the idea of a Mars colony.It's the kind of alternate history that somehow both gives you hope and makes you question just how far we should go when it comes to space exploration. The Apple TV project boasts an average of 91% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes across five seasons. While the first season is rated the lowest, it provided the perfect foundation to build on