The desire to see more shows like "Game of Thrones" is understandable - and while there are many imitators, only a select fistful or three are worthy of recommendation

"Game of Thrones," the sprawling, sophisticated series that propelled the fantasy genre to the prestige of television (winning 59 Emmys in eight seasons), was a landmark in the television world The emotions of pride, jealousy, betrayal, love, lust, ambition, and nihilism expressed by the brilliant cast drew in viewers who normally wouldn't care for zombies or dragons

Despite many disappointments in later seasons, "GoT" ended in 2019, leaving a huge hole in the lives of millions of viewers; HBO tried to fill it with the prequel "House of Dragons" (one of the best Max shows), which focused on the decline of the Targaryen family The House of Dragons However, the show has only lasted one season so far, and avid "Thrones" fans quickly burned out

However, Westeros withdrawal symptoms can be cured with a number of excellent shows that capture the adventure, glamour, magic, and intrigue of "Game of Thrones" It is available on Netflix, Max, and Starz

Philip Pullman's trilogy of novels comes to life in this three-season series Lila Silverton (Daphne Keen) is the main character, a teenager who attends a college that is like the Oxford of this world However, Lila's world is quite different, filled with wizards and "daemons," animal companions that are physical manifestations of the human inner world

Like many child protagonists in fantasy stories, Lyra's story consists of revealing herself to be a very different person than she believed she was, with an identity (including family) caught up in forces and events far beyond her imagination It is a story of a woman who is not the same person she believed herself to be Lila's quest for truth extends not only into her own world, but also into many other worlds, including our own, with a dystopian twist His Dark Materials stands out for Pullman and showrunners' ability to combine the familiar with the fantastical, much like our own world, to create both a thrilling narrative and a commentary on the role of science, religion, and family in our society

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Based on Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales, this BBC Two/Netflix historical fiction series follows the Saxons and Danes as they battle for control of 9th century Britain The main character, Wutred (Alexander Drymon), has a foot in both worlds The son of a Saxon nobleman of the same name, he is captured as a boy by the invading Danes and raised in the home of their lord, Ragnar

As a young man, Uthred returns to his homeland to claim his succession to the kingdom of Bebbanburg When that fails, he forms an alliance with Wessex, the last independent Saxon kingdom With his dual identity, Woutred is both familiar and alien to both sides in the decades-long struggle He sees himself as having the potential to unite both camps, despite how far apart they are The Last Kingdom is compelling not only for its adventure and drama, but also as a fascinating view of an important but largely overlooked historical period

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Although set in the present day, this five-season SyFy show, based on Lev Grossman's book series, will satisfy GoT fans' appetite for fantasy The story begins with young Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) enrolling at Breakbills University to study magic In Harry Potter style, he quickly makes friends with his fellow students, but they find the world in great peril and are called upon to exercise their as yet unformed skills to save it

In Season 2, the heroes go beyond this world to the magical kingdom of Fillory Much of the rest of the series is dedicated to saving magic, often at great cost to the wizards themselves Like "Game of Thrones," "Magicians" does not shy away from killing off important characters or slapping down challenges to its viewers

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Based on the series of novels of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, the seven-season show is time fluid It begins with World War II nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe), who is suddenly transported back in time from 1945 to 1743, the time of the Scottish and Jacobite uprising against England Knowing her history, Claire realizes that the movement is doomed, but she cannot convince her newfound Highlander friends to abandon the cause [Instead, she falls in love with and marries Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) Outlander transcends time and space, taking place in 18th-century France, England, the United States, and the United States at the end of the 20th century The story also spans generations, with Claire's adult daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) playing an important role The complexity of the story is held together well thanks to Balfe's ability to portray Claire as a consistent moral figure amidst all the turmoil

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Netflix's re-imagining of Lee Bardugo's book series takes us to a world of countries that resemble early modern Europe, where magic plays an important role The main character, Alina Starkov (Jessie Mae Lee), is both a military cartographer and a grisha The country, called Ravka, is divided by a near impenetrable darkness called the Shadow Fold

Arena may have the power to defeat the Fold and save the country, making him valuable to Ravka's General Killigan (Ben Barnes) However, another faction tries to capture Arena and use her power, while an anti-witch faction tries to hunt her down and kill her But there are also those who worship Arena Alina's struggle with the diverse and complex reactions to her identity is as fascinating as the magical power she and her companion Grisha wield

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While the factions in "Game of Thrones" fight for control of Westeros, the factions in this HBO hit fight for the media conglomerate Wester Leuco The drama in "GoT" starts with an empty throne begins, while "Succession" begins with patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) deciding to keep his chairmanship indefinitely, much to the chagrin of his ambitious adult children

As the Roys wage a bloodless (but still vicious) struggle to influence and control the media empire, military battles are replaced by legal and political gamesmanship While the Murdochs may be the first people who come to mind as inspirations for the Lloyds, show creator Jesse Armstrong notes that they are the Hearst family, Viacom's Sumner Redstone, Comcast's Robert Fitz, Breitbart's Robert Mercer and Rebecca Mercer, to name a few

The fourth and final season of Succession debuted in 2023, and while Thrones captured audiences' attention with magic, gore, stunning costumes, and copious special effects, Succession was equally engrossing with only clever, witty dialogue and nuanced acting equally engrossing

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With its magicians, monsters, and gritty medieval aesthetic, this TV series, based on a book (adapted into a video game), may have the greatest affinity for "Game of Thrones" It also boasts the most sophisticated cinematography in the collection, with more complex lighting and alternative camera angles than any other show

Henry Cavill plays Geralt of Livia, a mutant warrior called "The Witcher" who earns coin by exterminating monsters from a parallel universe that infest a world known only as "The Continent" Geralt is the archetypal reluctant hero, a misanthropic loan shark drawn from a nihilistic existence by both the danger of changing the world and an unwilling sense of duty sworn to protect a powerful but endangered girl, Crown Princess Sheli (Freya Allan)

Season 3 debuted on June 29, 2023, with a fourth season with Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill; Netflix also launched the prequel miniseries The Witcher: Blood Origin in December 2022 started, but this one is less compelling

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