To the horror of fans everywhere, it was recently revealed that season eight of Game of Thrones will not air until 2019. The news has left a giant, ice dragon shaped hole in our hearts and a need to find something else to binge watch. To help get through the dreaded hiatus, check out the shows listed below. And remember, season eight is still coming!
1. Black Sails
Think Game of Thrones, but with pirates. The Starz show is set during the golden age of piracy and twenty years before the events of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The show is full of political intrigue, betrayal, stunningly choreographed fight scenes, revolution and buried treasure. Black Sails also features a diverse cast, with numerous female characters (most episodes pass the Bechdel test), several characters of color and no less than four major LGBT+ characters.
2. Vikings
This is the perfect show to watch if Danaerys Targaryen is your favorite character. Viking’s own leading lady may not have dragons, but Lagertha Lothbrok is a mother, shield-maiden and respected queen in her own right. Well-written characters, incredible acting and epic battle scenes round out the rest of the show. Vikings is currently on it’s fifth season on the History network.
3. Rome
Rome was HBO’s first attempt at a drama series on a similar scale to Game of Thrones. The show follows two soldiers who encounter historical figures, such as Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, during the rise of the Roman empire and the subsequent plotting and bloodshed. Although it received critical acclaim, Rome only aired for two seasons consisting of 22 episodes, making it perfect for a quick binge watch.
4. The Tudors
Showtime’s, The Tudors follows the infamous Henry VIII of England and his six, largely ill-fated wives (quick history class refresher: Henry beheaded two of them). The show, which ran from 2007-2010, oozes with romance, betrayal, sex, religious fervor and violence. The Tudors also features Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn, the ambitious and seductive woman who became a self-made queen only to tragically fall from grace, much like her Game of Thrones counterpart, Margaery Tyrell.
5. Outlander
Outlander is, quite frankly, what Game of Thrones would be if the writers focused more upon the female perspective. Protagonist, Claire Beauchamp, finds herself traveling back in time to eighteenth-century Scotland and becomes caught up in the Jacobite rebellion. Along the way, she meets and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a worthy rival to Jon Snow for most attractive male lead. The Starz show is sensual, suspenseful, exciting and a must-watch.
Bonus: Big Little Lies
While not a historical drama or fantasy, HBO’s Big Little Lies can still appeal to Game of Thrones fans who love seeing powerful women ultimately uniting together. If you adored the Sansa and Arya plot twist of season seven, definitely check out season one of Big Little Lies.
No need to worry, there are plenty of other binge-worthy shows to obsess over before Game of Thrones returns.