Game of Thrones is an American fantasy series by HBO based on George R. R. Martin’s novels A Song of Ice and Fire. The series premiered on April 17, 2011, and ended on May 19, 2019, with 73 episodes in eight seasons in total. At its center are the political struggle of noble houses for the Iron Throne, the exiled heir of a former dynasty and a military order that guards the borders of the realm. We picked ten series that echo this story: two stories from the same world, four fantasies and four historical epics about wars and court intrigue. Each entry gives the years it ran, the channel or service, the number of seasons and episodes and a reason to watch, without spoilers. This is not a ranking: we do not invent our own ratings or viewing figures. We take English titles from English Wikipedia, and the data was checked on October 19, 2026.
House of the Dragon
Official trailer · “House of the Dragon” (2022)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO Max YouTube channel
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood (2018). The story begins about a hundred years after the Targaryens united the Seven Kingdoms and almost 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones: the series shows the road to the decline of House Targaryen and the war over the inheritance known as the Dance of the Dragons. The series was created by Martin and Ryan Condal. According to Wikipedia, more than 10 million viewers watched the premiere on its first day, the highest figure in HBO’s history; the series won a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama. Why watch: a struggle for power in the same world, but two centuries before the original.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Official trailer · “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (2026)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO Max YouTube channel
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is another prequel to Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin’s novellas about Dunk and Egg. At its center are the wandering knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, nicknamed Egg. According to Wikipedia, the genre is fantasy drama and comedy-drama; the episodes run 30 to 42 minutes. The first season of six episodes began airing on HBO on January 18, 2026, and received nine Emmy nominations, including for Outstanding Drama Series. Why watch: a short season with the story of two wanderers in the world of Westeros.
The Witcher
Official trailer · “The Witcher” (2019)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
The Witcher is a Netflix fantasy series based on the books by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. It is set on a fictional Continent in a medieval world, and at its center are the witcher Geralt of Rivia, the sorceress Yennefer and Princess Ciri. Geralt is played by Henry Cavill (the first three seasons) and Liam Hemsworth (the fourth). The first season of eight episodes came out on December 20, 2019, and the fourth on October 30, 2025; every season has eight episodes. Why watch: monsters, magic and the politics of kingdoms in an adaptation of a Polish book saga.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Official trailer · “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” (2022)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Prime Video YouTube channel
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is an Amazon Prime Video series based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s history of Middle-earth, mainly on the appendices to the novel The Lord of the Rings. The events take place thousands of years before the novel, in the Second Age. Under its agreement with the Tolkien Estate, the series is not a sequel to Peter Jackson’s films. The first season of eight episodes was filmed in New Zealand, and it premiered on September 1, 2022. According to Wikipedia, critics praised the visuals and design but criticized the script and pacing. Why watch: epic fantasy about an ancient war and a sinister power in one of the best-known worlds.
Vikings
Official trailer · “Vikings” (2013)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HISTORY YouTube channel
Vikings is a historical series created by Michael Hirst: a Canadian-Irish co-production that began on the History channel on March 3, 2013. It is based on the sagas of Ragnar Lothbrok: a farmer from the fictional village of Kattegat wins fame through raids on England and becomes a Scandinavian king. In later seasons the series follows the fates of his sons in England, Scandinavia, Kievan Rus’, the Mediterranean and North America. It was filmed entirely in Ireland. Why watch: military campaigns, dynasties and family conflicts without magic.
The Last Kingdom
Official trailer · “The Last Kingdom” (2015)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the The Last Kingdom YouTube channel
The Last Kingdom is a British historical series based on Bernard Cornwell’s novels The Saxon Stories. It is set in 9th-century England, when the invasion of the Great Heathen Army changes the relations between the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons: Uhtred, a Saxon raised by the Danes, helps the kingdom of Wessex and King Alfred, hoping to win back his native Bebbanburg. The first two seasons aired on the BBC in 2015–2017, and in 2018 Netflix acquired the series. There are 46 episodes in five seasons in total, and the 2023 feature film Seven Kings Must Die ended the story. Why watch: a historical drama about the war for England and about winning back a native home.
Rome
Official trailer · “Rome” (2005)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO UK YouTube channel
Rome is an American-British historical drama about Rome’s transition from republic to empire in the 1st century BC. Among its characters are real historical figures, as well as two soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, whom Caesar mentioned in his own writings. They end up close to key events: the first season covers Caesar’s civil war, the second the struggle between Octavian and Mark Antony. It aired on HBO and BBC Two from August 28, 2005, to March 25, 2007; there are two seasons and 22 episodes. It was filmed, among other places, at the Cinecittà studios in Rome. Why watch: court intrigue and wars for power against a real historical backdrop.
Shōgun
Official trailer · “Shōgun” (2024)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the FX Networks YouTube channel
Shōgun is an American historical series based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel, which was previously adapted in 1980. At its center is the clash of two ambitious people from different worlds: the English sailor John Blackthorne, who is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan, and a powerful daimyo threatened by political rivals. The series is bilingual: Japanese and English, with a little Dutch and Portuguese. In 2024 it became the first Japanese-language series to win an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series; the first season won 18 Emmy Awards. Why watch: political intrigue and a clash of cultures in ten episodes.
The Wheel of Time
Official trailer · “The Wheel of Time” (2021)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Prime Video YouTube channel
The Wheel of Time is a Prime Video fantasy series based on Robert Jordan’s cycle of novels; in the ensemble cast, the lead role of the sorceress Moiraine is played by Rosamund Pike. Moiraine searches a village for the rebirth of the Dragon, a powerful sorcerer, among four young people: according to the prophecy, he will either save the world from the Dark One or destroy it again. The first season of eight episodes came out in November 2021 and the third in March 2025, and in May 2025 the series was canceled after three seasons. Why watch: a big book-based fantasy saga with magic, prophecies and journeys.
Shadow and Bone
Official trailer · “Shadow and Bone” (2021)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
Shadow and Bone is a Netflix fantasy series based on the works of the writer Leigh Bardugo, developed by Eric Heisserer. The orphan and mapmaker Alina Starkov discovers a magical gift within herself and becomes the key to saving a world torn by war. The first season, released on April 23, 2021, adapts the novel Shadow and Bone (2012) and adds a separate storyline about a gang of thieves from the Six of Crows duology. The second season came out on March 16, 2023, and the series ended with it. Why watch: fantasy about magic and war with a focus on young heroes.
How we chose
We took series that have detailed Wikipedia pages and resemble Game of Thrones in some way: a war for power, a large cast of characters, magic or real history. The first two are prequels from the same world; the rest are separate universes. A series did not make the selection without an official trailer on the rights holder’s channel. We do not invent ratings, viewing figures or the word “best” as a judgment.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| The world of Westeros | House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms |
| Magic and monsters | The Witcher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Wheel of Time, Shadow and Bone |
| Wars and politics against a real historical backdrop | Vikings, The Last Kingdom, Rome, Shōgun |
| A short season for a few evenings | A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (6 episodes), Shōgun (10 episodes) |
| Stories that are already finished | Vikings, The Last Kingdom, Rome, The Wheel of Time, Shadow and Bone |
If you want more mysteries and the supernatural, but in a modern setting, see our selection of series similar to Stranger Things.
Tip. If you want to try something new and short, pick “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”: six episodes of 30 to 42 minutes. For a somewhat longer season, “Shōgun” is a good fit: ten episodes of 53 to 70 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to know Game of Thrones to watch House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
Both series are prequels: the events take place earlier. According to Wikipedia, House of the Dragon begins almost 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. Each has its own characters, but to spot the connections to that world, it is easier to know the original.
Which of these series have already ended?
Vikings (until 2021), The Last Kingdom (until 2022) and Rome (2005–2007) have ended; The Wheel of Time and Shadow and Bone were canceled after three and two seasons, respectively. As of October 19, 2026, the rest have the following seasons released: House of the Dragon, three; The Witcher, four; The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, two; Shōgun and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, one each.
What to watch if you like the mysterious and the supernatural?
Try our selection of series similar to Stranger Things: it has mysteries, teenagers and the supernatural.
Are there spoilers here?
No. We only describe the starting situation and general information about the series from Wikipedia pages.
Sources
- Game of Thrones (Wikipedia)
- House of the Dragon (Wikipedia)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- The Last Kingdom (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- Shōgun (2024 TV series) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 19, 2026.
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