Proclaimed as one of the best TV shows of all time, Game of Thrones has attained an irreplaceable position in every Game of Thrones fans’ heart. The critically acclaimed TV show has garnered a huge international fan base owing to its spectacular performances, story, character complexity, the liberal portrayal of nudity and violence.
Although the final season received severe backlash from Game of Thrones fans for its disappointing conclusion, it has still managed to keep the fans hooked to their couches with its signature cliff-hanging storyline. Game of Thrones has won 59 Primetime Emmy Awards, Outstanding Drama Series in years 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019 and several other awards, making it an exemplary television series of all time. Here are the best 10 episodes of Game of Thrones selected from all the seasons, following which we present you with 20 TV shows like Game of Thrones.
Game Of Thrones (2011) 8 Seasons
- Directors: David Benioff, David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Alex Graves, Marl Mylod, and more
- Writers: George R. R. Martin, David Benioff, D.B.Weiss, Vanessa Taylor, Bryan Cogman, and more
- Cast: Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwendoline Christie, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Iain Glen, Carice Van Houten, Nathalie Emmanuel, Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Jason Momoa, Richard Madden, Natalie Dormer, Conleth Hill, Liam Cunningham, Aiden Gillen, Rory McCann, Jack Gleeson, Rose Leslie, Sean Bean, Iwan Rheon, Ian Whyte, Pedro Pascal, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Michiel Huisman
- IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
- Streaming Platform: Disney + Hotstar
20 shows like Game of Thrones
1. Spartacus (2010), Three Seasons
- Director: Steven S. DeKnight
- Writers: Steven S. DeKnight, Miranda Kwok, Aaron Helbing, Tracy Bellomo, and more
- Cast: Andy Whitfield, Liam McIntyre, John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, Manu Bennett, Peter Mensah, Nick E. Tarabay, Craig Parker, Viva Bianca, Katrina Law, Erin Cummings, Jai Courtney, Dustin Clare, Jaime Murray, Marisa Ramirez, Dan Feuerriegel, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Brett Tucker, Pana Hema Taylor, Jenna Lind, Simon Merrells, Christian Antidormi, Todd Lasance, Anna Hutchison
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Starz
Spartacus is an American historical fantasy TV series based on the historical character Spartacus, who was a Thracian gladiator. Spartacus was the leader of the slave insurgence against the Roman Republic. With lots of violent scenes and nudity, the show offers a captivating storyline.
2. The Tudors (2007)
- Director: Michael Hirst
- Writer: Michael Hirst
- Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Sam Neill, Callum Blue, Henry Czerny, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Nick Dunning, Jeremy Northam, James Frain, Jamie Thomas King, Hans Matheson, Peter O’Toole, Annabelle Wallis, Alan Van Sprang, Gerard McSorley, Max von Sydow, Joss Stone, Tamzin Merchant, Lothaire Bluteau, Sarah Bolger, Max Brown, Torrance Coombs, David O’Hara, Joely Richardson
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 69%
- Streaming Platform: BBC, SHOWTIME, CBC Television, Virgin Media One, BBC Two
The Tudors is a historical fiction television series that is based on the reign of King Henry VIII. The series takes place primarily in England in the 16th century. Created and written by Michael Hirst, the show is named after the Tudor dynasty
3. Da Vinci’s Demons (2013)
- Director: David S. Goyer
- Writer: David S. Goyer
- Cast: Tom Riley, Laura Haddock, Blake Ritson, Elliot Cowan, Lara Pulver, James Faulkner, Gregg Chillin
- IMDb Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
- Streaming Platform: Starz, Amazon Prime, Hulu
Da Vinci’s Demons is a historical fantasy drama show which is based on a fictional presentation of Leonardo da Vinci’s youth. Starring Tom Riley as Da Vinci, the series was developed by David S. Goyer.
4. The Borgias (2011)
- Director: Neil Jordan
- Writers: Neil Jordan, David Leland, Guy Burt
- Cast: Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger, Joanne Whalley, Lotte Verbeek, David Oakes, Sean Harris, Peter Sullivan, Simon McBurney, Steven Berkoff, Aidan Alexander, Julian Bleach, Thure Lindhardt, Gina McKee, Colm Feore
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
- Streaming Platform: SHOWTIME, CTV Drama Channel
Neil Jordan is the creator of this historical-fiction drama which is set in Renaissance-era Italy. The Borgias presents the scandalous means adopted by the maleficent Borgia family, who can stoop to any extent to attain and maintain the papacy. The story revolves around the despicable means of the Borgia family which includes bribery, intimidation, and murders for their quest for wealth and power. Starring Jeremey Irons as Rodrigo Borgia and later Pope Alexander VI, this show offers the dirty politics of characters seeking power and fame just like Game of Thrones.
5. The White Queen (2013)
- Directors: James Kent, Jamie Payne, Colin Teague
- Writers: Emma Frost, Lisa McGee, Malcolm Campbell, Nicole Taylor
- Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Amanda Hale, Faye Marsay
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
- Streaming Platform: BBC One
The White Queen is a British historical period drama television miniseries developed for BBC One. Based on Philippa Gregory’s historical book series The Cousins’ War, it is set against the backdrop of the War of the Roses and presents the story of three women, who are ambitious for power and resort to manipulative means to achieve the same. The first season shows the involvement and power struggles of a woman in the evergoing dispute for the throne of England.
6. The Last Kingdom (2015)
- Director: Anthony Byrne, Ben Chanan
- Writer: Stephen Butchard
- Cast: Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg, David Dawson, Tobias Santelmann, Emily Cox, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Simon Kunz, Harry McEntire, Joseph Millson, Brian Vernel, Amy Wren, Charlie Murph, Ian Hart, Eliza Butterworth, Thure Lindhardt, Eva Birthistle, Gerard Kearns, David Schofield, Peri Baumeister, Peter McDonald, Mark Rowley, Alexandre Willaume, Julia Bache, Ole Christoffer Ertvaag, Björn Bengtsson, Cavan Clerkin, Arnas Fedaravičius, Christian Hillborg, Jeppe Beck Laursen, Toby Regbo, Millie Brady, James Northcote and more
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories series of novels, The Last Kingdom presents a TV show about British history in a fictional way. The Last Kingdom show is about 872 England which was vulnerable to the attacks of the Vikings. The Last Kingdom story is about the Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon who was abducted by the Vikings, post his parents demise due to the Vikings’ attack. The series follows the life journey and struggles of the Uhtred who is forced to lead a dual identity. The Last Kingdom show starring Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg and David Dawson as King Alfred the Great, offers glorifying fight scenes wrapped with breathtaking photography and detailed character portrayal just like Game of Thrones.
7. Knightfall (2017)
- Director: Douglas Mackinnon, David Petrarca
- Writer: Don Handfield, Richard Rayner
- Cast: Tom Cullen, Jim Carter, Pádraic Delaney, Simon Merrells, Julian Ovenden, Olivia Ross, Ed Stoppard, Sabrina Bartlett, Bobby Schofield, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina, Tom Forbes, Mark Hamill
- IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Primarily aired on the history channel, Knightfall is a historical fiction drama created by Don Handfield and Richard Rayner. Knightfall tells the story of the Knights Templar who was persecuted by King Philip IV of France. The series is about a fictional brave warrior, Landry du Lauzon who was a Templar leader. The series shows the life journey of the Templar presenting his rise, fall, and suppression.
8. Vikings (2013)
- Director: Michael Hirst
- Writer: Michael Hirst
- Cast: Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Clive Standen, Jessalyn Gilsig, Gustaf Skarsgård, Gabriel Byrne, George Blagden, Donal Logue, Alyssa Sutherland, Linus Roache, Alexander Ludwig, Ben Robson, Kevin Durand, Lothaire Bluteau, John Kavanagh, Peter Franzén, Jasper Pääkkönen, Alex Høgh Andersen, Marco Ilsø, David Lindström, Jordan Patrick Smith, Moe Dunford, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Danila Kozlovsky, Eric Johnson, Georgia Hirst, Ragga Ragnars, Ray Stevenson
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Directed and written by Michael Hirst, Vikings presents a historical drama. Inspired by the life of Viking Ragnar Lothbrok, who was one of the best-known legendary Norse Heroes; the show follows the power struggles of Ragnar Lothbrok, which rose him from a farmer to a Scandinavian King.
9. Reign (2013)
- Directors: Charles Binamé, Fred Gerber, Jeff Renfroe
- Writers: Laurie McCarthy, Stephanie Sengupta
- Cast: Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs, Toby Regbo, Jenessa Grant, Celina Sinden, Caitlin Stasey, Anna Popplewell, Alan van Sprang, Jonathan Keltz, Sean Teale, Craig Parker, Rose Williams, Rachel Skarsten, Charlie Carrick, Ben Geurens, Spencer MacPherson, Dan Jeannotte, Jonathan Goad, Will Kemp
- IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, The CW
Reign is an American historical romantic drama about Mary, Queen of Scots. The story follows the initial life of the young girl after getting married into a Royal family and shows her struggles as she trades through the sexual and political intrigue of the court.
10. Black Sails (2014)
- Directors: Neil Marshall, Sam Miller, Marc Munden, T.J. Scott
- Writers: Jonathan E. Steinberg, Robert Levine
- Cast: Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, Clara Paget, Mark Ryan, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Sean Cameron, Michael Louise Barnes, Rupert Penry-Jones, Luke Roberts, Ray Stevenson, David Wilmot
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Starz
Black Sails is an American historical adventure series based on New Providence Island. New Providence Island is a prequel to the 1883 novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The Black Sails show follows the life journey of Captain Flint and his pirates in quest of treasures.
11. Merlin (2008)
- Directors: Jeremy Webb, Alice Troughton, David Moore
- Writers: Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, Julian Murphy
- Cast: Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Anthony Head, Richard Wilson
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure drama, created with inspiration from Arthurian legends. It is about the friendship of Merlin and King Arthur. The story is about a young Merlin who has magical powers. He uses his powers secretly to protect Arthur.
12. Rome (2005)
- Directors: Bruno Heller, Kevin McKidd, Michael Apted
- Writers: John Milius, William J. MacDonald, Bruno Heller
- Cast: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Ciarán Hinds, Kenneth Cranham, Lindsay Duncan, Tobias Menzies, Kerry Condon, Karl Johnson, Indira Varma, David Bamber, Max Pirkis, Lee Boardman, Nicholas Woodeson, Suzanne Bertish, Paul Jesson, James Purefoy, Polly Walker, Simon Woods, Lyndsey Marshal, Ian McNeice
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+Hotstar, HBO, Rai 2, BBC Two
Rome is a historical drama television show created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald, and Bruno Heller. The story tells about the lives of two common men Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo. The series follows the struggling involvement of these men in different historical milestones.
13. Outlander (2014)
- Directors: Anna Foerster, Brian Kelly
- Writers: Ronald D. Moore, Diana Gabaldon
- Cast: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan
- IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Starz
Outlander is a historical drama television show based on the historical time travel book series by Diana Gabaldon. The story of Outlander is about Claire Randall, who served as a nurse in World War II, and her journey into the past. Claire was mysteriously transported to past time in Scotland where she was introduced to a brave Highland warrior named Jamie Fraser in the middle of the Jacobite risings. With part romance-fantasy and part time-travel stories, Outlander offers varied elements of entertainment that keep audiences hooked just like Game of Thrones.
14. Marco Polo (2014)
- Directors: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg, Alik Sakharov, Daniel Minahan, David Petrarca, John Maybury, Jon Amiel
- Writer: John Fusco
- Cast: Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, Joan Chen, Rick Yune, Amr Waked, Remy Hii, Zhu Zhu, Tom Wu, Mahesh Jadu, Olivia Cheng, Uli Latukefu, Chin Han, Pierfrancesco Favino, Ron Yuan, Claudia Kim, Jacqueline Chan, Leonard Wu, Thomas Chaanhing, Chris Pang, Gabriel Byrne, Michelle Yeoh
- IMDb Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score:66%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Marco Polo is an American drama based on the early years of Marco Polo. The story follows the adventurous journey of the Venetian explorer, during his encounter with Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongol Empire.
15. Peaky Blinders (2013)
- Directors: Otto Bathurst, Tom Harper, Colm McCarthy, Tim Mielants, David Caffrey, Anthony Byrne
- Writers: Steven Knight, Toby Finlay, Stephen Russell
- Cast: Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Annabelle Wallis, Sophie Rundle, Joe Cole, Finn Cole, Charlotte Riley, Noah Taylor, Tom Hardy, Natasha O’Keeffe, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Gaite Jansen, Alexander Siddig, Kate Phillips, Adrien Brody, Aidan Gillen, Charlie Murphy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sam Claflin
- IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, BBC, BBC One, BBC Two
Peaky Blinders is a British period crime drama television show created by Steven Knight starring Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby. The story shows the adventures of a fictional family, Shelby, in the direct aftermath of World War-I. It is based on the true story of the Shelby gang.
16. The Hollow Crown (2012)
- Directors: Rupert Goold, Richard Eyre, Thea Sharrock, Dominic Cooke
- Cast: Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Bonneville, Judi Dench, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Sturridge
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Based on William Shakespeare’s history plays, The Hollow Crown is a British television film series starring Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons, Tom Hiddleston, and Benedict Cumberbatch.
17. The Shannara Chronicles (2016)
- Directors: Brad Turner, James Marshall, Jonathan Liebesman
- Writers: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
- Cast: Austin Butler, Poppy Drayton, Ivana Baquero, Manu Bennett, Aaron Jakubenko, Marcus Vanco, Malese Jow, Vanessa Morgan, Gentry White
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score:78%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, MTV, Paramount Network
The Shannara Chronicles is an American fantasy drama based on ‘The Sword of Shannara’ trilogy of a fantasy book series written by Terry Brooks. The series shows the adventures of Wil, Amberle, and Eretria who, are set on a mission to save the Ellcrys. They are guided and trained by the last druid Allanon, for accomplishing the herculean task of bringing the dragons back into the Four Lands.
18. Outcast (2016)
- Director: Robert Kirkman
- Writers: Robert Kirkman, Paul Azaceta, Chris Black, Nathaniel Halpern, Adam Targum, and more
- Cast: Patrick Fugit, Philip Glenister, Wrenn Schmidt, David Denman, Julia Crockett, Kate Lyn Sheil, Brent Spiner, Reg E. Cathey, Madeleine McGraw
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
- Streaming Platform: Cinemax
Outcast is an American horror drama television show based on the comics by Robert Kirkman and Paul Azaceta. Outcast is a mystical horror story that centers around the life of Kyle Barnes, who is falsely accused of hurting his wife and daughter and is thrown out of Rome, West Virginia as a punishment.
19. Into The Badlands (2015)
- Directors: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
- Writers: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough, LaToya Morgan, Michael Taylor, Matt Lambert
- Cast: Daniel Wu, Orla Brady, Sarah Bolger, Aramis Knight, Emily Beecham, Oliver Stark, Madeleine Mantock, Ally Ioannides, Marton Csokas, Nick Frost, Lorraine Toussaint, Babou Ceesay, Ella-Rae Smith, Sherman Augustus
- IMDb Rating: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Into the Badlands is an American sci-fi television series that revolves around a young boy who sets on a journey through a dangerous feudal land in search of enlightenment.
20. Westworld (2016)
- Directors: Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy
- Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, Halley Gross, Kath Lingenfelter, Charles Yu, Michael Crichton, and more
- Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Luke Hemsworth, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Simon Quarterman, Rodrigo Santoro, Angela Sarafyan, Shannon Woodward, Ed Harris, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Barnes, Clifton Collins Jr., Jimmi Simpson, Tessa Thompson, Fares Fares, Louis Herthum, Talulah Riley, Gustaf Skarsgård, Katja Herbers, Zahn McClarnon, Aaron Paul, Vincent Cassel, Tao Okamoto
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
- Streaming Platform: Disney + Hotstar, HBO
Westworld is an American sci-fi Western and dystopian television show created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. The story is set in a fictional amusement park, named the Westworld, which is inhabited by androids. The park is a hi-tech Wild-West-themed amusement park where high-class human guests visit for their indulgence in wild fantasies. The android hosts are programmed to pose no harm to human beings.
10 Best Episodes of Game of Thrones
1. “The Bells” (Season 8, Episode 5)
“The Bells” unravels the terrifying massacre carried out at King’s Landing, which exhibits the successful wall-breaking invasion of the invaders with the help of Daenerys Targaryen and her last dragon. The ruthless executions and killings of innocents turning the King’s Landing into ashes and dust represent a work of art from a film-making point of view, has managed to strike the heart churning emotional chords in Game of Thrones fans’ minds, making it one of the best episodes of the Game of Thrones series.
2. “Blackwater” (Season 2, Episode 9)
Planned by Tyrion Lannister “Blackwater” was the battle between Stannis Baratheon and the kingdom, which exhibited humongous green blasts accompanied by screaming and crying of drowning and dying men. It compels sympathetic meltdown in the hearts of the Game of Thrones fans with the massive scale of savage battle scenes engaging the heroic and villainous figures on either side.
3. “Battle Of The Bastards” (Season 6, Episode 9)
The episode was about the ruthless battle that happened between Ramsay Bolton and Jon Snow. The visuals of the unending ruthless battle that kept Jon Snow from saving his dying brother Rickon, and the Sinister smile of Ramsay who enjoyed the death, will always remain fresh in the hearts of Game of Thrones fans. The pain although can’t be diluted but the sense of satisfaction to watch the sinister Ramsay being gobbled by dogs is beyond comparison.
4. “The Rains Of Castamere” (Season 3, Episode 9)
The heroic attempt of Robb Stark to take on the seven kingdoms leading to the unexpected deaths of Robb’s pregnant queen Talisa and their unborn child has left the Game of Thrones fans gasping with immensely gut-wrenching emotions. The episode marks one of the signatures “I don’t believe this can happen” moments of the Game of Thrones series.
5. “Kissed By Fire” (Season 3, Episode 5)
The episode offers the steamy sex scenes between Jon and Ygritte, beyond the walls, and Jaime and Brienne inside the fortress of Harrenhal. Kingslayer narrates the meaning of his name and how he acquired it by murdering the Mad King of King’s Landing. Added with the other surprise events of the magical resurrection of leader Beric Dondarrion and the introduction of sad daughter Shireen, the episode ends at a spectacular note.
6. “Hardhome” (Season 5, Episode 8)
In the episode, the White Walker army proved their mettle by exhibiting their ability to multiply rapidly. The episode kept the Game of Thrones fans hanging to the edges with the near-death encounter of Jon Snow during his face-off with the undead army.
7. “Baelor” (Season 1, Episode 9)
The unexpected beheading of Ned Stark in King’s Landing in the first season is still afresh in the minds of the Game of Thrones fans, and with this episode Game of Thrones established their famous signature shock moments of “I-can’t-believe-they-just-did-that”.
8. “A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms” (Season 8, Episode 2)
This episode strikes a perfect balance of emotions and excitement leaving fans wanting for more. The steamy lovemaking scene between Arya and Gendry combined with the soulful reunion of Sansa and Theon were the highlights of the episode. Davos and Gilly’s caring emotions for an estranged child along with parental enlightenment, Jon and Dany were equally memorable events of this episode.
9. “The Mountain And The Viper ” (Season 4, Episode 8)
Though a short-lived character, but Oberyn Martell’s face off against the Mountain, leading to his demise is sure to be remembered for years, especially the moment when Mountain crushed Oberyn’s eyeball and left the fans squirming.
10. “The Winds Of Winter” (Season 6, Episode 10)
The episode revealed the real parents of Jon Snow. Another exciting moment was when Cersei destroyed the Great Sept, finishing everyone who was linked to the High Sparrow storyline. With the end of the final season, the Game of Thrones era might have come to an end but it definitely left its lovers wanting for more.
Game of Thrones offered an adventurous, sexy, and violent fantasy series that kept its fans hooked for years. With the end of the immensely successful and entertaining series of HBO, the audiences are in search of substitute shows to watch that can offer similar entertainment. To pick TV shows to watch that can offer similar magical fantasy packed with fierce battles, sex, and political intrigue can be a tedious task. With the list of shows presented here, there is no need to look further. Just grab on your favorite spot and start binging.
