“House of the Dragon” Season 3 has ended and the long wait for the final entry has begun. No better way to pass the time than with another TV binge, or five.
The fantasy genre has been enjoying sitting near the top of the TV mountain since “Game of Thrones” landed on HBO back in 2011. With the wait for “House of the Dragon” looking to be 2028 at the absolute earliest, there is a lot of hurry up and waiting on the horizon for fans of the show. Luckily, there are tons of good options to keep you busy and ease the pain of waiting to see the bloody end of the Dance of the Dragons conflict.
These are the five shows to check out if you’re yearning for more like “House of the Dragon.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
After “House of the Dragon” spent the 2020s carrying on the “Game of Thrones” legacy all by its lonesome — to various degrees of success — 2026 saw the second spinoff in the HBO fantasy franchise arrive, and do so with thunderous force. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which is based on a series of short stories by author George R.R. Martin, follows a beleaguered hedge knight named Dunk who is set on making a name for himself at a local tournament but instead gets himself tangled up with royalty after taking on a squire. The season and episodes were shorter, the budget was smaller, but the storytelling was as sharp as the peak of “Game of Thrones” managed in the 2010s.
The Wheel of Time
“The Wheel of Time” is a rare show that improved over its three-season run on Prime Video, going out with a best-yet bang. While the first season was rocky for both fans of Robert Jordan’s sprawling book series and TV viewers looking for the next “Game of Thrones,” the third – and unfortunately final – season found its footing and stands as a great adaptation whose potential will sadly never be fully realized. But for the run available, the show offers a dense and lived-in world that’s worth checking out.
Arcane
“Arcane” has it all. Impeccable writing and themes, gorgeous animation and music that fits every scene and will have you loading up your various Spotify/Apple Music playlists with new entries. In an era that seems more focused on adapting video game IP, it’s going to be tough to top this “League of Legends”-spawned story led by excellent voice work from Ella Purnell and Hailee Steinfeld. “Arcane” is a show that demands to be experienced.
Black Sails
“Black Sails” was running on Starz at the same time “Game of Thrones” was peaking in popularity over at HBO, and for that reason, it may have been eclipsed – which is a tragedy because it’s one of the great shows to come out of the 2010s. Part historical drama, part “Treasure Island” prequel, the four-season series follows the lives of pirates, real and imagined, through their exploits on the ever-changing sea. The show had as much production quality as “Thrones” and as award-worthy acting, but just couldn’t get out of the fantasy behemoth’s shadow. Give it a chance now and you’ll be hooked.
Andor
“Andor” might well be the story of our time. The Disney+ Star Wars series pits Cassian Andor, Luthen Rael, Bix Caleen, Mon Mothma and more against the growing power and influence of the Galactic Empire. Across the two seasons of the show, the characters make one devastating sacrifice after the next in the pursuit of fighting for something greater than themselves. If the parallels to fighting an encroaching presence of fascism and authoritarianism are stark, it only serves to make the series hit all the harder.
