Now that Game of Thrones is over and in spite of the frustrations that you may or may not have about the final season, it is time to admit that it has left a vacant spot in your yearly dose of entertainment. So are there any substitutes that offer the right blend of political drama, fantasy and skull-crushing, eye gouging violence at the thrones level? There are definitely some options available in the streaming landscape that you can check out. These varieties offer a lot of different flavours and are surely worth checking out.

Vikings (Ongoing from 2013)

Vikings trace the journey of the hero Ragnar Lothbrok and his family. From the life of a farmer in a village, Ragnar moves on to eventually become the king of Denmark. joining him in his quest the other important characters are his wife Lagartha, brother Rolo, friend Floki and his son Bjorn. Ragnar’s ambitions draws him to the coasts of England and France where he is engaged in bloody battles with the rulers. Though not Game of Thrones in terms of the scale and grandeur, the series focuses on strong characters and medieval politics. The battle scenes are well staged and Travis Fimmel does a stellar job in his portrayal of Ragnar Lothbrok. The show also highlights the powerful female character of Lagertha who handles the sword and shield as good as any man. The drama is well balanced in the first two seasons which will definitely draw you in for a prolonged viewing.

The Last Kingdom (Ongoing from 2015)

Like Game of Thrones, this series is also based on a series of Novels by Bernard Cornwell. But unlike it, the series is still much behind the novels in terms of story lines after three seasons. Now this is a show that has become better and better with each season and you can check out our review of season 3 of The Last kingdom. The story is set in the 9^th century England and revolves around Uhtred, who finds his loyalties constantly tested by the circumstances. Though not matching the fantasy elements of Game of Thrones and its casual depiction of sexuality, The Last Kingdom provides the right blend of drama, politics and bloody battles. The pace and storytelling is very well balanced and since season 3, the series is being produced by Netflix, which has resulted in enhanced production quality. This is one show that can surely get you hooked to the journey of Uhtred.

Black Sails (2014 -2017)

Set as a prequel to Treasure Island, Black Sails is set during the golden years of piracy where Captain Flint struggles to command his group of pirates. He sets his eyes on hunting down a Spanish treasure galleon and has to overcome a whole lot of challenges to set out for his goal. The first season will introduce you to the leading characters and does tend to drag at some points. But the series starts to get much better from the second season. The combination of pirates and prostitutes bring ample amounts of violence and nudity in the setting. The cinematography and the production values are top notch and many of the pirate characters have been drawn out from real life.

House of Cards (2013-2018)

If you enjoy political dramas with plenty of twists, conspiracies and back stabbing, then House of Cards will not disappoint you. With David Fincher as the executive producer and actors like Kevin Spacey and Kate Mara holding the main stage, the show builts up its story line in a taut and precise manner. Spacey has also won a Golden Globe award for the best drama actor for his performance. Each 13 episode season can be binge watched as the series grows on you gradually. The major plus point of the season is that even if you do not enjoy political dramas, you will definitely enjoy the character drama. This is also a show where the fourth wall is broken quite often and Kevin Spacey pulls off these moments with great panache.

Peaky Blinders (Ongoing from 2013)

Set in Birmingham in 1919, Peaky Blinders tell the story of a criminal gang of the same name led by the fiercely ambitious Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy). Bloody and brutal with superb production values, this series was first aired in BBC in 2013 and has gathered a loyal following since then. The series deals with themes of ambition, corruption and the rise and fall of empires. It also pays the right amount of attention to the details along with a fast-paced and riveting script. The direction and the acting is of high standards and the addictive nature of the series is sure to drag you along for an exciting ride. It has also won quite a few BAFTA awards since 2014.

The 100 (Ongoing from 2014)

Dealing with 100 youths who are sent back from a space station to a post-apocalyptic earth, The 100 can be a sci-fi alternative to Game of Thrones. Even when dealing with the youth, the series is not the typical coming-of-age drama. It delves into much serious themes involving the effects of love and loss along with consequences of actions that people take. It is held up by a tight script that delivers plenty of twists and turns. Executive producer Jason Rothenberg has managed to keep things fresh even after five seasons, some of which ended with earth-shattering effects. The pace is fast and the action never slows down as the chain of events forces the survivors to take drastic measures. If you want some light entertainment which is good enough for binge watching, you can try The 100.

Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)

If your taste leans towards the supernatural with the right touch of horror and violence, the Penny Dreadful will be a good choice for you. The series created a fascinating story line with various public domain characters like Dorian Grey, Count Dracula, Victor Frankenstein and his monster and many others. The performances from the lead actors like Josh Hartnett and Eva Green are superb and creator John Logan fills up the darkness with sufficient amount of intensity. The series is cleverly written and the violence is right up to the Game of Thrones standard. A spinoff series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels has already in the works as announce by ShowTime.

The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-2019)

Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, this series takes the viewers into a dystopian future where human fertility rates have dropped and women are brutally subdued. Each season consists of 10 episodes which are streamed in HULU and the first season is often considered as a remarkable achievement for television drama shows. The first season won the Primetime Emmy award for the outstanding drama show. Lead actress Elisabeth Moss also won an Emmy for her performance. This visually stunning series keeps the suspense element high and is sure to keep you glued to the screen. The series does get somewhat repetitive with its themes by the third season but still offers plenty of drama to keep the audiences hooked.

Rome (2005-2007)

It is often remarked that before there was Game of Thrones, there was Rome. The series gathered immense popularity as an expensive historical drama that was all about the political machinations in the ancient state. It was a tragedy that the series was cancelled after two seasons and HBO officials are said to have regretted the decision in later years. The series dealt with the times of Julius Caesar and the rise of the Roman Empire, mixing history and fiction effectively and had the same epic touch sans the dragons and white-walkers. The high quality of acting and the magnificent sets and costumes made the right level of impact that a show of this calibre demands. Mixing personal turmoils with the politics of the state, Rome throws surprises at the viewers just like Game of Thrones did. The two shows also share the same tone of explosive violence and explicit sexuality. As a precursor to Game of Thrones, Rome is definitely a great watch.

Spartacus: War of the Damned (2010-2013)

Bloody battles, moral depravity and betrayals create the tale of Spartacus that was a Starz television series and another show based on the Roman Empire. Andy Whitfield brilliantly portrayed the role of the gladiator hero in the first season but due to his untimely death, it was taken up by Liam McIntyre form the second season. The other actors provide a solid performance and makes it a compelling watch. Even though it starts slow, the show picks up the pace with each episode and with the combination of stylized sex, violence and blood crafts an epic drama that does not fail to create the right emotional connections with the viewers. The battle scenes are some of the best that you will ever see in a television screen and the production values are extremely high. In the end you will find yourself eagerly waiting for the sword of justice to fall as the drama reaches its crescendo.

Honourable mentions

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

If you haven’t seen Breaking Bad yet then you should not delay further and even if you have, there is no harm in revisiting it. Especially when the prequel Better Call Saul is gathering rave reviews and a sequel movie is being regarded as one of the most anticipated upcoming projects of Hollywood. Unlike the high scale visual drama of Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad deals with the complexities of human psychology as it tells the story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher who gets involved with the drug trade after being diagnosed with cancer. He is joined by his former student Jessie Pinkman and together they go on a roller coaster ride that is a captivating study of ambition, crime and consequences. Series producer Vince Gilligan keeps the script tight with moments of nail-biting drama and touches of black comedy. Both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul has picked up multiple Emmy awards for their portrayal of the lead characters. This is a masterpiece that is definitely a must-see.

The Walking Dead (Ongoing from 2010)

AMC’s zombie drama is one of the longest running shows and still shows no sign of slowing down. It is based on the comic book of the same name and the serial has deviated from the source material in many aspects.  It is also one of the most popular shows that have hit the television screen and the first four seasons are a solid mix of horror, suspense, tragedy and human drama. The series starts losing its focus from the sixth season and the seventh and eighth seasons are its least popular phases. The extreme depiction of violence has also landed it is controversies in the past. Death and destruction has been a part of this show from the beginning and like Game of Thrones, no character is safe in this post-apocalyptic world.  The ninth season has seen the show girdling up its loins and providing a much better story line and direction. If you are interested in horror dramas dealing with the undead, this can definitely be your cup of tea.

So these are some Game of Thrones substitutes that you will definitely find wrth your time. The only thing missing here are the dragons, but perhaps that will only be fulfilled by the prequel that HBO is planning.

By Suvajit Banerjee

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