There might be just a handful of people who haven’t heard about the controversial and extremely popular Game of Thrones. It’s the definition of ‘like it or hate it, you surely can’t ignore it.’ The hit TV series is, in fact, a collection of books written by George R.R. Martin that later was made into a TV series by HBO.

The series has won multiple awards and been nominated for others quite a few times. Game of Thrones won the golden globe for best drama series and won nine Emmys, including best drama in the year 2013 and 2014.

Shot in countries like Northern Ireland, Malta, Croatia, and Iceland, this show has cost more than 200 million dollars just to shoot the first season.

Game Of Thrones -A Brief Overview

The Game Of Thrones show got so insanely popular that the sixth season premiered in 172 countries at once, making it one of the biggest simulcasts. The sexy, gripping storyline and captivating characters are one of the most pirated shows ever and have left the fans wanting more ever since the series ended in 2019.

Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones boasts a big ensemble cast and follows various storey arcs throughout the show. It is set on the mythical continents of Westeros and Essos. The first major storyline revolves on the Iron Throne of Westeros, which is represented by a web of political struggles between noble families competing for the throne or battling for independence from whoever sits on it.

A second centres on the last descendant of the realm’s overthrown royal line, who has been banished to Essos and is preparing a return to the throne. The third follows the Night’s Watch, a military force tasked with defending Westeros against threats from beyond its northern border.

While the gripping story has managed to garner a huge fan following, the stellar cast that includes the likes of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams and Alfie Allen, it came as no surprise that the series broke multiple records.

Shows with such hearty drama, magic and swords that transport you into a fantasy world like no other are hard to find, and GoT was truly one of a kind. However, now that the series finale has aired, fans are left wondering if any other series would be as good as their favourite. The good news is there are many such shows featuring guts and gory, royal drama in beautiful locations for you to binge on.

So, if you’re looking for popular TV series like Game of Thrones, check out our specially curated list below.

1. Outlander

Director: Ronald D. Moore

Cast:

• Caitriona Balfe
• Sam Heughan

Number of Seasons: 5

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Streaming On: Netflix

Just like GoT, Outlander is also based on a bestselling novel series which is written by Diana Gabaldon, which makes it similar to series like Game of Thrones. Once the book series got widely popular, due to its brilliant writing, it came as no surprise that it was soon shot as a web series.

Outlander has some steamy romance scenes, battle scenes and an excellent dramatic storyline. It stars Caitriona Balfe as a World War II-era nurse who suddenly gets transported to 1743 and meets a Highland warrior named Jamie Fraser.

This sets the tone for the first few episodes having a lot of twists and turns as the story lays out. This time transporting historic romedy is definitely a must-watch if you loved Game of Thrones.

2. Black Sails

Director: Jonathan E. Steinberg

Cast:

• Toby Stephens
• Hannah New
• Luke Arnold
• Jessica Parker Kennedy
• Tom Hopper

Number of Seasons: 4

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Streaming On: Netflix

This TV Series doesn’t include a lot of fantasy elements like GoT but has other features like thieves and pirates. Black sails is a story filled with nudity, sex and violence, and is a prequel to Treasure Island, which was about the adventures of the infamous pirate, Captain Flint (played by Toby Stephens) of the golden age.

During the first season, you will get familiar with the characters and their story, but as you watch the second and third seasons, you will get engrossed in the world of pirates and their tales.

3. Rome

Director: John Milius

Cast:

• Kevin McKidd
• Ray Stevenson
• Ciarán Hinds
• Kenneth Cranham
• Lindsay Duncan

Number of Seasons: 2

IMDb Rating: 8.7/10

Streaming On: Disney+Hotstar

Rome is a brilliant web series that is underrated and often missed out on. This show only has two seasons with 22 episodes, but it still is backed by a gripping storyline. Who doesn’t know the tales of Julius Caesar and his reign, the betrayal of the romantic affair, and other popular story lines with influential historical figures?

With a gripping storyline, this show is surely one of the best web series like Game of Thrones. Even though the show has been discontinued after two seasons due to the extremely high production costs, it still won’t give you an unfinished storyline feeling.

4. Spartacus

Director: Sam Raimi

Cast:

• Andy Whitfield
• Liam McIntyre
• John Hannah
• Lucy Lawless
• Manu Bennett

Number of Seasons: 4

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

Streaming On: Netflix

Spartacus has four seasons of intense drama, action, battles and, well, gladiators! It revolves around a slave rising against and battling with the Roman captors. A storyline with a plot full of betrayals is bound to keep you glued to your seat.

With just four seasons, this series has surely managed to capture the hearts of many as it follows the story of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who went against the all powerful Roman Empire. As Spartacus fumbles on the line of good and bad, you’re sure to be hooked till the very end.

5. The Borgias

Director: Neil Jordan

Cast:

• Jeremy Irons
• François Arnaud
• Holliday Grainger
• Joanne Whalley
• Lotte Verbeek

Number of Seasons: 3

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Streaming On: Netflix

The Borgias is an intriguing historical drama about a family in Italy who rose to prominence during the Renaissance. While the show shares many similarities with GoT, it definitely beats The Game of Thrones in incest plots.

With the twists and turns in the storyline filled with blood, guts, nudity and betrayal, this series is definitely underrated. With a strong cast and extremely well-written characters, Borgias should’ve gotten the same recognition as GoT. This series is definitely a must-watch.

6. The Last Kingdom

Director: Nick Murphy

Cast:

• Alexander Dreymon
• David Dawson
• Tobias Santelmann
• Emily Cox
• Joseph Millson

Number of Seasons: 4

IMDb Rating:8.4/10

Streaming On: Netflix

The Last Kingdom is a historical drama based on the Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cowell. It’s set in the 10th century and is about an orphan in Northumbria torn between the choice of choosing his homeland or the people who raised him. This series is filled with battles and betrayals, with no holding back on scenes featuring stabbing and beheading. The series has four seasons which makes it perfect for binge-watching.

7. Taboo

Director: Steven Knight

Cast:

• Tom Hardy
• Leo Bill
• Jessie Buckley
• Oona Chaplin
• Mark Gatiss

Number of Seasons: 1

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Streaming On: Amazon Prime

This historical fiction web series starring Tom Hardy has won many hearts with just one season. Set in 1814, London, where his character returns after ten years to find he has no friends and is struggling to regain his lost pride.

This drama series has only one season, and its makers are working on airing the second season soon. This multi-layered historical drama is too good to miss, especially if you’re looking for similar series like Game of Thrones.

8. The Tudors

Director: Michael Hirst

Cast:

• Jonathan Rhys Meyers
• Henry Cavill
• Sam Neill
• Callum Blue
• Henry Czerny

Number of Seasons: 4

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Streaming On: SonyLIV

A show filled with struggles of politics and power, this is the story of Henry VIII’s reign over England. The Tudors might have a historically inaccurate and controversial storyline, but it also features a fantastic dramatic tale including captivating characters and plots. The four seasons of The Tudors makes it perfect for binge-watching and has the GoT charm.

9. Kingdom

Director: Kim Eun-hee

Cast:

• Ju Ji-hoon
• Ryu Seung-ryong
• Bae Doo-na
• Kim Sang-ho
• Kim Sung-kyu

Number of Seasons: 2

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Streaming On: Netflix

With K-dramas being all the craze recently, there’s no doubt that this gripping show has caught the eyes of many. The Kingdom is set in 15th Century Korea, wherein the domain is in deep trouble with everything imaginable going downhill.

The king is dying, the country is falling apart, ministers fighting for the throne, and a zombie plague creates havoc. Their only saviour is the crown prince trying to fight against all odds. This South Korean thriller will not disappoint.

10. The Witcher

Director: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

Cast:

• Henry Cavill
• Freya Allan
• Eamon Farren
• Anya Chalotra
• Joey Batey

Number of Seasons: 1

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Streaming On: Netflix

Few shows are able to take the world by a storm upon its release. The Witcher broke multiple records when it was released in 2019. This widely popular fantasy drama series was originally a video game trilogy.

Geralt of Rivia, a sword-wielding witcher, is played by Henry Cavill. This world full of monsters, dragons and trolls might not seem intriguing at first, but it definitely will grow on you. The TV series has just one season with eight episodes as of now, but season 2 is scheduled to premiere in December 2021.

Conclusion

There are many shows across various genres, but few manage to capture all the genres together. Be it romance, action, thriller, mystery or even fantasy, there’s nothing that GOT doesn’t deliver.

Now that the show has ended, it doesn’t mean that your fantasy-filled binging needs to end too. By watching all the shows we’ve mentioned above, we’re sure you’ll be able to escape your reality for a little while!