What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAn Ideal Husband
Oscar Wilde · Book · 2020
If you loved An Ideal Husband, start with The Importance of Being Earnest (Oliver Parker, 2002) — a film on the same thread. Below: 2 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to An Ideal Husband across media.
If you loved An Ideal Husband, you will be drawn to these stories where public reputation and private morality collide.
Films on the same thread

The Importance of Being Earnest
Oliver Parker · Film · 2002
Explores: Mistaken Identity, Deception, Social Class.
Like An Ideal Husband, this film captures the sharp wit and social maneuvering of Victorian life, focusing on the precarious nature of secrets and identity within high society.

Howards End
James Ivory · Film · 1992
Explores: Class Conflict, Social Mobility, Female Independence.
Much like An Ideal Husband, this drama explores the tension between personal integrity and social expectations, set against the evolving landscape of class and morality in England.
Series on the same thread

House of Cards
Beau Willimon · Series · 2013
Explores: Power, Ambition, Corruption.
This series mirrors the dark political corruption found in An Ideal Husband, focusing on the ruthless lengths powerful figures go to protect their public image and authority.

A Very English Scandal
Russell T Davies · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with An Ideal Husband: Scandal.
Sharing the core conflict of An Ideal Husband, this narrative follows a high-profile figure desperate to hide a secret that threatens to destroy his political career and reputation.

The Good Wife
Michelle King · Series · 2009
Shares a thread with An Ideal Husband: Scandal.
This legal drama echoes the themes of An Ideal Husband by examining the fallout of a public political scandal and the struggle to maintain honor within a marriage.

Desperate Housewives
Marc Cherry · Series · 2004
Shares 2 threads with An Ideal Husband: Marriage, Social Satire.
Much like the drawing room drama of An Ideal Husband, this series peels back the layers of polite society to expose the secrets and lies hidden behind domestic perfection.
Podcasts on the same thread
British Scandal
Podcast
Shares a thread with An Ideal Husband: Political Corruption.
This podcast explores the same fascination with political corruption and social downfall that drives the plot of An Ideal Husband, proving that scandal is a timeless historical force.
Moose on the Loose
Podcast
Shares a thread with An Ideal Husband: political corruption.
If you were captivated by the exposure of corruption in An Ideal Husband, this investigative series provides a modern look at how scandals dismantle the integrity of government.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the timeframe of the plot in An Ideal Husband?
The events depicted in An Ideal Husband occur over the course of twenty-four hours. This compressed timeline captures the intensity of the blackmail and political corruption scandals unfolding within the narrative.
Where is An Ideal Husband set?
The action in An Ideal Husband is set in London. The play is described as taking place in the present day of the late nineteenth century, focusing on the intersection of public and private honour among the city's elite.
Is An Ideal Husband a play or a novel?
An Ideal Husband is a stage play written by Oscar Wilde in 1895. It focuses on themes of political corruption and blackmail, examining the tensions between an individual's public reputation and their private moral life.
What themes are explored in An Ideal Husband?
An Ideal Husband explores the themes of blackmail and political corruption. The narrative specifically examines the conflict between public and private honour, illustrating how these pressures impact the characters within the twenty-four hour period of the play.