All men must die, and all shows come to an end. With Game of Thrones over, what similar shows are out there to fill the Iron Throne-shaped hole in our hearts?
For nearly a decade, Game of Thrones dominated the airwaves as the most popular fantasy show ever made. Even with its controversial ending, there are few shows that came close to the scope and majesty of Game of Thrones at the height of its run. And while that still may be true to an extent, there are more options than ever to satiate your appetite for fantasy and medieval politics. Whether it’s Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming The Wheel of Time show or Netflix’s The Witcher, more and more studios are going all in on fantasy TV. It doesn’t feel like a stretch to say that Game of Thrones‘ largest legacy may be that it opened the field for more of these kinds of series.
To make your life a little easier and your next binge-watch a little more accessible, we’ve compiled a list of 25 shows that live in the same realm as Game of Thrones. Some are epic fantasies stuffed with creatures, magic, and mystery; others spotlight betrayals and savvy medieval court politics. Distant worlds of the imagination, landscapes of the past, and even a few visions of the far future await.
So pull up a chair, grab some popcorn, and let’s discover your next favorite show!
The Last Kingdom Season 4 — Courtesy of Netflix
1. The Last Kingdom
When it comes to medieval stories about war and politics, The Last Kingdom might be one of the best shows airing right now. While a wayward curse or two and the occasional supernatural element or reference to the gods do make an appearance, The Last Kingdom is a historical fiction story which immerses viewers in the real-life Viking invasions of England. It does an amazing job of weaving in and out of the known events that happened during this time period while filling in the missing gaps with made-up stuff.
The story is primarily told through the eyes of Uhtred son of Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon), the dispossessed son of an ancient English house who was captured and raised by Viking raiders. Uhtred’s fortunes rise and fall throughout the series as he gains renown as a warrior. All the while, his goal of reclaiming his lost home of Bebbanburg from those who ousted his family drives him. Achieving that end means Uhtred must carefully balance the intrigues of English nobles and his loyalties to Viking clans.
That’s not to say that Uhtred is the only character of interest; far from it. The Last Kingdom has a varied cast filling out a large array of niches in society, which gives it a broad narrative feel very much in the vein of early Game of Thrones. Dangerous coups force rulers into hiding, backs are literally stabbed, epic battles rage across muddy fields and shocker deaths are plentiful. At the same time, the writing on the show has thus far remained solid throughout and the humor is often pretty great.
In short, if you’re looking for a show similar to Game of Thrones, The Last Kingdom is pretty darn close. Even George R.R. Martin is a fan — according to him, Bernard Cornwell, author of the books The Last Kingdom is based on, writes the best battle scenes of anyone around.
Four seasons of The Last Kingdom are currently available on Netflix. The fifth (and final) season wrapped filming in July 2021, though no release date has yet been announced. And it was just confirmed that a movie will follow to give Uhtred’s story a proper sendoff. So there’s a lot to dive into here!
