Despite a polarizing final season, Game of Thrones has still endured as a TV phenomenon in its own right. The adaptation of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire & Ice novels established its hegemony over the magical/historical fantasy genre for the time it aired. But even after Game of Thrones, several other shows of epic scales and majestic characters have come up, bearing a stylistic resemblance to it.
Whether these shows are deliberately inspired by the epic or not, that fact can still be debated. Yet, it is interesting to see how the spirit of Game of Thrones continues to pass on with such diverse shows.
Westworld (2016-)
Stream On HBO Max
When Westworld debuted, Game of Thrones still aired on TV. And yet it became the next best thing on HBO drawing acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Season 1's premise revolved around an adult theme park where customers can toy around with human-like androids called automatons. However, chaos ensues when the robots start malfunctioning.
Since then, the future seasons have incorporated more storylines with more high-profile cast members. Even though these new seasons did polarize critics, the show continues to be relevant for its exploration of the human side of Artificial Intelligence. After Game of Thrones, if there has been an ensemble-driven HBO show of epic proportions and ambitious world-building, it has been Westworld.
Foundation (2021-)
Stream On Apple TV+
Right from when the first trailers dropped, Foundation came to be largely regarded as "Game of Thrones in space" by several media publications. Just like George R.R. Martin's lore for the Game of Thrones, Foundation takes its inspiration from the works of Isaac Asimov, the sci-fi maestro from Russia.
Boasting a talented and diverse ensemble cast, the characters of Foundation are scattered across different planets much like the characters of Game of Thrones existing in different kingdoms of Westeros. Instead of the Iron Throne's reign, the Galactic Empire rules the world of Foundation as the protagonists' paths intersect in cosmic adventures.
The Witcher (2019-)
Stream On Netflix
Even though The Witcher novels predate Martin's A Song of Fire & Ice books, the show's stylistic elements lead many to compare it to the HBO original. Maybe, The Witcher was Netflix's attempt at combating HBO's hegemony when it comes to the historical fantasy genre.
With Henry Cavill playing the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, the show succeeded in establishing itself distinctly from The Witcher games. Instead, it serves as a faithful adaptation of the books with heavily acclaimed visuals and production design. Even the original song "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher" is arguably one of the best TV show songs along with Game of Thrones originals like "Rains of Castamere" and "The Bear and the Maiden Fair."
Kingdom (2019-)
Stream On Netflix
Set during the time of the Joseon dynasty, the magical fantasy series Kingdom is the South Korean answer to Game of Thrones. Not only does the show have an intriguing royal conspiracy as a central plot but it also includes haunting White Walker-like zombies coming out in the winter!
There is still a lot of originality as the undead creatures look fresher and scarier than the ones in the popular zombie TV shows of recent times. Given the fact that the storyline is inspired by actual monarchs from Korean history, Kingdom presents an interesting blend of fact and fiction.
Vikings (2013-2020)
Stream On Amazon Prime, Peacock, & Hulu
Ever since its 2011 debut, Game of Thrones fans did draw comparisons between the characters and their possible historical counterparts. After all, a lot of the internal politics is comparable to the royal drama in several European kingdoms in medieval history.
As is evident from its title, Vikings presents a fictionalized version of its titular warriors, charting their voyages, internal conflicts, and the eventual road to glory. Not only is it one of the most popular historical shows but Vikings also spawned its own spin-off. So, if Game of Thrones has House of the Dragon, Vikings has Vikings: Valhalla.
Shadow And Bone (2021-)
Stream On Netflix
Much like other fantasy dramas, Shadow and Bone is inspired by a literary universe. Israeli-American author Leigh Bardugo's "Grishaverse" is expansive enough to accommodate a trilogy (Shadow and Bone) and a duology (Six of Crows). Hence, the scale of a TV adaptation has to be huge. And Shadow and Bone does not disappoint.
In the same vein as shows like Game of Thrones, Shadow and Bone too boasts diverse mythology with its own nation-states. The linguistic and cultural diversity is unique in each nation. In a post-Game of Thrones period, if audiences are looking for a more family-friendly replacement, then a show like this should be on their watchlist.
The Last Kingdom (2015-2022)
Stream On Netflix
In these times, England was nothing but just a bunch of scattered kingdoms. The Last Kingdom covers a certain historical period when one such kingdom was invaded by the Danes. As a Viking-bred Saxon warrior returns to his homeland, he plans to reclaim the kingdom in an attempt to recapture it.
Lineage and ancestry among royal kingdoms play a major role in this British show drawing easy comparisons with Game of Thrones which too dealt with such familial themes. As both shows share a similar geographical setting, even the characters' wardrobe choices seem to bear eerie similarities.
The Wheel Of Time (2021-)
Stream On Prime Video
Set in an ever-expansive world of magic and fantasy, The Wheel of Time includes one of Rosamund Pike's best roles as she plays Moiraine Damodred, a woman who is intent on finding the next reincarnation of the "Dragon," an individual who can either save the world or destroy it.
The high-fantasy setting is reminiscent of Game of Thrones not just because of the show's scope but also its source material. Robert Jordan, the author of The Wheel of Time books, has been a good friend to his contemporary George R.R. Martin. In fact, it is possible that the latter incorporated some of Jordan's concepts for his own novels. For instance, there exists a concept of royal power called "The Game of Houses" in Jordan's novels.
Crossing Swords (2020-)
Stream On Hulu
The adult stop-motion sitcom Crossing Swords is a hilarious subversion of familiar tropes within period dramas especially the ones involving knights and kings. The show focuses on a squire who aspires to be a knight in the court of a ludicrous king.
With Luke Evans' King Merriman filling in for the position of a "Mad King" and Nicholas Hoult's Patrick doubling in for a Samwell Tarly archetype, shows like Crossing Swords seem to poke fun at some standard characters that Game of Thrones plays around. Even the over-the-top violence in Crossing Swords unintentionally seems to be a nod to the excessive gore in the HBO original.
Cursed (2020)
Stream On Netflix
Several shows like Game of Thrones draw their plot elements from European folk traditions such as the Arthurian legends. Cursed falls in this category as it is a reimagining of the story of the Lady of the Lake. With a young girl who is shunned by her village for being "cursed" embarks on an adventure with an equally young Arthur as they seek the mystical wizard Merlin.
Based on Frank Miller's comic of the same name, Cursed is an interesting coming-of-age tale within the pantheon of Arthurian lore. As Katherine Langford's Nimue deals with her inner demons, one can even get reminded of the struggles of Arya and Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones.