Welcome Back to Westeros: 11 Shows Like “Game of Thrones” to Watch After “House of the Dragon”

From 'Vikings' to 'The Wheel of Time,' here are shows that will provide the same excitement and power dynamics as 'Game of Thrones'

Game of Thrones may have ended in 2019, but fans still love returning to its mythological world and complex character dynamics.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book franchise A Song of Ice and Fire, the HBO series has been universally praised by viewers and critics alike as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

Set primarily on the fictional continent of Westeros, the series follows a myriad of characters from significant, well-known families battling amongst themselves and supernatural beings to be the monarch — or support their choice to be the monarch — sitting atop the Iron Throne.

These characters were played by an ensemble cast that included actors and actresses like Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister.

With its stunning landscapes, thrilling quests for power and memorable families — like the Lannisters, Starks and Targaryens — it’s no wonder fans can’t get enough of the Game of Thrones universe.

With one spinoff already in progress and more on the way, there is plenty to look forward to for Game of Thrones fans. In the meantime, there are other titles to curb fans’ Iron Throne-sized appetite for shows similar to Game of Thrones.

From House of the Dragon to Vikings, here are 11 shows you should watch if you miss Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon is set nearly two hundred years before Game of Thrones — although the first season includes a 10-year time jump — but is similar in that it has the same theme song as well as stunning battle scenes, politics of power, betrayal and the fight to sit atop the Iron Throne.

The spinoff, which premiered in 2022, follows the Dance of the Dragons — a Targaryen family civil war — with the show’s title paying homage to the Targaryen family symbol and their ability to tame dragons.

The series stars Milly Alcock as a young Rhaenyra Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as an adult Rhaenyra Targaryen, Emily Carey as a young Alicent Hightower, Olivia Cooke as an adult Alicent Hightower and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen.

Watch House of the Dragon on Max

Succession

What would happen if all the characters in Game of Thrones wore suits and fought for power within the corporate world?

Succession — arguably HBO’s most critically and commercially successful show since Game of Thrones — answers this question with an ensemble cast featuring Brian Cox as patriarch Logan Roy, Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy and Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy.

The quest to sit atop the Iron Throne is replaced with the mission to succeed Logan for control of Waystar Royco — the Roys’ family company — and the Roys may be the only family who can compare to the simultaneous wealth, power and dysfunction of Game of Thrones’ Lannisters.

Like Game of Thrones, the series took home Emmy Awards for best acting and is among the most accomplished shows of all time.

Watch Succession on Max

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

After the initial Lord of the Rings trilogy ended in 2003, fans were starved for large-scale fantasy with gargantuan battle sequences and mythological characters.

Game of Thrones was there to satisfy this niche when it debuted in 2011, but with more time to explore characters as an episodic series rather than a trio of movies, it gained its own loyal fanbase.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power gives fans this opportunity starting with season 1, comprised of eight episodes, which gives an overview of the continent of Middle-Earth and its characters derived from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels.

The show takes place thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit while portraying Middle-Earth’s second age as Galadriel — an elf played by Morfydd Clark in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and played by Cate Blanchett in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy — seeks to take down the evil Sauron before he ultimately ends up creating the rings of power.

Watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video

The Last of Us

The White Walkers were essentially supernatural zombies made out of ice — who were involved in Emmy Award-winning battle sequences — but the infected in The Last of Us may give them a run for their money.

The Last of Us follows Joel — played by Pedro Pascal — serving as somewhat of a parental guardian figure to Ellie — a teenager portrayed by Bella Ramsey — surviving in a postapocalyptic world where a fungal infection that turns its hosts into zombie-like creatures has spread across humanity.

As the series progresses, it’s discovered that Ellie has powers that protect her from the infection, which could be used to help restore humanity to what it once was.

Fans may also notice that Pascal played the charismatic Oberyn Martell, and Ramsey was the outspoken Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones.

Watch The Last of Us on Max

The Crown

While Game of Thrones and The Crown are different in many ways, the monarchies, quest for power, betrayal politics and even the British accents are similar.

In fact, The Crown even employs many of the same actors as Game of Thrones, including Charles Dance, Tobias Menzies, Stephen Dillane and Jonathan Pryce.

The fictional drama chronicles the decades-long reign of Queen Elizabeth II and the life of the royal family during her reign. The Crown features multiple actors playing the same character in different periods, such as Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton all playing Queen Elizabeth II at different times in her life.

Watch The Crown on Netflix

Vikings

Vikings will appeal to those who enjoyed the elements of history, mythology and grand battle scenes in Game of Thrones.

The fights in Vikings are similar in scope to Game of Thrones, as are the landscapes, quests, betrayals and shocking character deaths.

The likeness doesn't stop there as parts of both series were filmed in Ireland, have characters switch between protagonists and antagonists — reminiscent of Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones — focus on the main characters' children and strongly emphasize religion.

The series follows the rise of Ragnar Lodbrok — a legendary hero in Norse mythology played by Travis Fimmel — and his rise from farmer to king as a charismatic leader similar to Robb Stark in Game of Thrones.

Watch Vikings on Netflix

The Boys

For those whose favorite aspects of Game of Thrones involved compelling characters, supernatural powers, dastardly villains or gore The Boys will be deeply satisfying.

The satirical show takes place in a world where superheroes and civilians live amongst one another. King Joffrey is considered one of the most sadistic villains in TV history, but Homelander in The Boys — played by Antony Starr — may be equally sadistic despite being beloved by much of the series' fictional public.

The title of The Boys references the group of vigilantes — led by Karl Urban as Billy Butcher and Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell — who try to expose the corrupt nature of superheroes to the world.

Watch The Boys on Prime Video

The Serpent Queen

The Serpent Queen may be more based in reality than Game of Thrones, but viewers who enjoyed watching the sharp-tongued, and often malicious, Cersei Lannister — played by Lena Headey — will be thrilled to know that the titular Serpent Queen is based on a historical queen who helped inspire the character of Cersei.

The Serpent Queen portrays the rise and reign of Catherine de’ Medici, the real-life 16th-century Queen of France who is played by Samantha Morton.

Cersei Lannister and Catherine de’ Medici’s stories are so similar that Charles Dance — who plays Cersei’s father, Tywin Lannister, in Game of Thrones — plays the man who forces both queens into marriage for political reasons, while both shows also have medieval elements, such as feasts and jousting.

The turmoil these queens face ultimately shapes them into the fierce, determined and strong-willed women they become.

Watch The Serpent Queen on Prime Video

The Witcher

The Witcher recreates many of the same fantasy elements as Game of Thrones by incorporating monarchies, magical powers, sword fights, mythical creatures, terrifying monsters and even dragons.

The fantasy drama stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia — a magical monster hunter known as the titular Witcher. However, it was recently announced that Cavill will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth for the fourth season of The Witcher.

Based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher converges the stories of Geralt of Rivia and Ciri  — the crown princess of Rivia — through their destiny as Geralt becomes Ciri’s protector to keep Ciri’s magical powers and Elder Blood safe for the good of their world.

Watch The Witcher on Netflix

The Wheel of Time

The Wheel of Time may be one of the clearest descendants of Game of Thrones in terms of being a large-scale fantasy series with an expansive cast of characters, magical powers and vicious beasts.

Inspired by the high fantasy novel series by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time focuses on Moiraine Damodred — played by Rosamund Pike — as a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful group of women who can channel the magical One Power.

The world these characters inhabit was broken by the Dragon, but now Damodred searches for a reincarnation of the Dragon, who is prophesied to save the world or break it once more. Damodred may believe in prophecies, like Melisandre in Game of Thrones, but operates from a place of wisdom and nobility similar to Tyrion Lannister.

Watch The Wheel of Time on Prime Video

Shōgun

Shōgun has arguably received more comparisons to Game of Thrones than any show, with many critics calling it either the new Game of Thrones or the most transportive show since Game of Thrones.

Based on James Clavell’s 1975 novel of the same name, Shōgun is a fictional account of historical events that took place in feudal Japan, primarily in 1600.

Worlds collide as Japan’s most gifted warlord, Yoshii Toranaga — played by Hiroyuki Sanada — fights an impeachment attempt from his four fellow rulers on the Council of Regents while an English pilot named John Blackmore — played by Cosmo Jarvis — ends up shipwrecked in Japan. Meanwhile, a mysterious samurai named Toda Mariko — played by Anna Sawai — proves to have invaluable skills but a troubled past.

Similarly to Game of Thrones, the show features high-stakes political tension, epic battles and interconnected storylines.

Watch Shōgun on Hulu

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