When Game of Thrones was on television, it felt like everyone and their mother was watching week to week, tuning in to the HBO series and waiting to see what happens to their favorite siblings from The North. Game of Thrones captivated millions of viewers and even when they hated the show or were frustrated by plotlines, people still tuned in. And now that the series finale came and went back in 2019, it’s likely that people will still continue to watch, catching all the subtle details and foreshadowing about Jon Snow’s true lineage they likely missed the first time around.
Or at least that’s what co-showrunner David Benioff hoped for the series way back in 2015. He told Entertainment Weekly back in 2015, “It would be fun if it was like Fast Times at Ridgemont High where people are still watching [Thrones] 20 years from now and going, ‘Look, that’s a young Aflie Allen,’ or ‘That’s a young Sophie Turner’ — where so many actors started such great careers. It would be really fun on a personal level to know we had a helping hand in launching them, as well as other actors who aren’t so young that we still gave a boost.”
While many people likely are still watching Game of Thrones, all those dragons and White Walkers can get a little old. So if you need something different but with the same sense of drama and action to watch after binging the hit HBO series, you can start with these.
1. Black Sails (2014-2017)
This Starz drama is about pirates, not Night Kings and thrones, but it will give you all the same GoT feels. A prequel to Treasure Island, this show isn’t a fantasy, but it has great battle scenes, nudity, and a captivating setting. What more do you need?
2. Outlander (2014- )
If you haven’t gotten into Outlander on Starz yet, you need to get on that, and quickly. Like Game of Thrones, the show is based on books and centers on a woman, Claire, who is a World War II nurse who somehow time travels back to 18th century Scotland and falls in love with a Scottish warrior. It’s not as battle-focused as GoT, but the period piece and sprawling stories will demand all of your attention all the same.
3. The Witcher (2019- )
This show is the closest to GoT as you can get. Based on books by Andrzej Sapkowski, Henry Cavill plays a monster hunter. It’s definitely more fantasy-based than Game of Thrones, which is saying a lot, but it’s a worthy binge all the same.
4. The Last Kingdom (2015- )
This show is set in 866 and follows the story of a Saxon warrior raised by Vikings. It has all the family, politics, and in-fighting that Game of Thrones has and a female villain who has literally nothing on Cersei and Dany. Don’t at me.
5. Vikings (2013-2020)
If you like watching epic battles, delighting in family politics, and settling into stories that span centuries, this show is a perfect match.
6. Rome (2005-2007)
Rome is another HBO show, so you know the cinematic quality is up to par. And who doesn’t love a saga about emperors and gladiators? It’s only two seasons, which means it’s a quick watch, too.
7. The Borgias (2011-2013)
If you really watched Game of Thrones simply for all of the twisted family drama and steamy sex scenes, then this should be your next go-to binge watch.
8. Westworld (2016- )
Westworld is a sci-fi drama set in an amusement park — but it offers much more than just rides. It’s filled with robots who seem incredibly human. In this series, the rich and elite vacation at Westworld because the androids bring their wildest (and most immoral) fantasies to life. Not only does this show have an all-star cast, but it has 54 Emmy nominations and nine wins.
9. Once Upon a Time (2011-2018)
In this show, fantasy and magic run wild and free. After a woman with a disturbing past settles into a strange town, she learns her recent struggles are only the beginning. In this sleepy Maine town, fairy tales are real, but it’s not all pixies and princes. She and her friends must fight to protect the town from dangerous magic as well.
10. Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)
Are you looking for some Victorian-era spookiness and mystery? Supernatural chaos and characters give Penny Dreadful a sinister storyline and the perfect amount of royal flair. In this dark series, based on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, you’ll meet vampires, demons, and other malevolent characters that help make the show an enjoyable and terrifying head-scratcher.
More Shows Like Game of Thrones
- The Tudors (2007-2010)
- Spartacus (2010-2013)
- The Nevers (2021- )
- Shadow and Bone (2021- )
- Succession (2018- )
- Camelot (2011)
- American Gods (2017-2021)
- Warrior (2019- )
- The Hollow Crown (2012-2016)
- Versailles (2015-2018)
- Castlevania (2017-2021)
- Into the Badlands (2015-2019)
- Norseman (2016-2020)
- His Dark Materials (2019- )
- Tribes of Europa (2021- )
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This article was originally published on 6.14.2021
