Game of Thrones is often lauded as one of HBO’s greatest shows, and it’s certainly a tough act to top, especially at its peak. There’s a reason the fantasy adaptation sparked week-to-week discussions for nearly a decade, uniting people in their support of the Starks and hatred of Joffrey Baratheon. Yet Game of Thrones is far from perfect, and there are a number of HBO series that surpass it. Most fall into different genres, though there’s even a fantasy show that’s more consistent in its quality throughout.
And that’s one reason some series pull past Game of Thrones, if only slightly: because they have no bad seasons to speak of. By contrast, Game of Thrones‘s later outings are a mixed bag. Shows on this list also outshine the adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s books when it comes to world-building, character work, and themes. Sure, it’s not easy to compare a Mafia story set in New Jersey to a fantasy tale in Westeros, but sometimes, the former really does feel just as fleshed out.
Why You Should Trust Me: I’ve been covering television at various outlets for a decade, and Game of Thrones is a series I’ve written about the whole time. I’ve tackled most of these shows in some capacity while serving as a Features Editor at ScreenRant, and I’ve continued to lean into TV coverage here at MovieWeb. I’m familiar enough with all of these titles to understand why they’re great, and to know how they compare to one another.
‘His Dark Materials’
A Fantasy Adaptation That Sticks the Landing
His Dark Materials was one of the first fantasy shows to emerge after Game of Thrones, and that may have been to its detriment. The adaptation of Philip Pullman’s classic book series proves worth the wait, and it makes up for the failed Golden Compass movie. It’s a more faithful rendering of the story, and it’s masterfully made with a standout cast to boot. It has those things in common with Game of Thrones, but ultimately, it’s a very different sort of show. It’s about a young girl fulfilling her destiny as greater forces attempt to stop her. While there are politics, weighty themes, and moments of realism, it just doesn’t have the same vibe or scale. That’s actually a good thing — far too many series try to copy Game of Thrones — but its premiere was so close to the other show’s finale, it invited comparisons.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: His Dark Materials may not have the scale that Game of Thrones does, but it beats the prior series in a significant way. The show maintains its quality throughout, remaining impressive right up until the very last episode. It sticks the landing, giving its characters and overarching story a satisfying send-off. That’s something Game of Thrones doesn’t manage to do. It helps that His Dark Materials had completed source material to pull from; it made for a more enjoyable adaptation as a whole.
‘Succession’
A True ‘Game of Thrones’ Successor That Surpasses It
Many fantasy series have attempted to follow in Game of Thrones‘s footsteps since 2019, but arguably, its greatest successor is not a fantasy show at all. Succession recaptures the series’ power struggle the best, even if there are no dragons, White Walkers, or old gods in sight. The tensions as the Roy siblings fight to inherit their aging father’s media empire are top-notch, and they come with all the maneuvering and backstabbing that make Game of Thrones great. With both shows completed, it’s safe to say they’re at least equals. Yet I’d argue Succession excels in two ways the fantasy series doesn’t.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: Succession and Game of Thrones both bring jaw-dropping drama at every turn, but Succession has slightly better character writing. Hear me out: HBO’s fantasy show doesn’t always succeed when it comes to nuance. Its likable characters are some of the best HBO has to offer. However, the Game of Thrones franchise has a villain problem — specifically, it can’t seem to write terrible people you still want to follow. Succession is the polar opposite, leaving us to wonder how we got so invested in the lives of its horrible ensemble. Its trajectory is also the opposite of Game of Thrones: while the fantasy show goes downhill toward the end, Succession just gets better and better.
‘The Sopranos’
The ‘Game of Thrones’ of Crime Shows
Perhaps the easiest HBO show to compare to Game of Thrones is The Sopranos, as both are iconic hits still influencing television today — and both dominated cultural discussions when they were airing. The series may follow a New Jersey-based Mafia boss, but it’s still a power struggle at its core. It also has many interweaving storylines that find its characters scheming and betraying one another, giving it a similar feel to Game of Thrones. It’s basically the Game of Thrones of crime shows — though its legacy is far more positive.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: The reason The Sopranos‘s legacy is a step up from that of Game of Thrones is because it has a better ending, even if it wasn’t always perceived that way. Over time, The Sopranos‘s ambiguous conclusion has come to be seen as iconic rather than offensive, while “The Iron Throne” remains divisive. The writing quality and complexity of the characters is also more consistent throughout The Sopranos. It’s a masterpiece that’s incredibly hard to beat.
‘The Wire’
A More Important and Masterful Series Than ‘Game of Thrones’
After The Sopranos, The Wire is the other obvious HBO show that tops Game of Thrones every time. The crime drama is one of the greatest out there, mostly thanks to its unflinching approach to drug operations and law enforcement. It’s not afraid to raise uncomfortable discussions about what pushes people toward crime, nor does it paint the police with a perfect brush. It digs into the corruption within their ranks, and it shows the systemic problems that fuel the cycle of crime. There are no good guys or bad guys, which is also true in Game of Thrones. And while it’s hard to compare two series with such vastly different premises, The Wire outshines the fantasy show when it comes to character writing, dialogue, and themes.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: Both HBO series may refuse to deliver clear-cut heroes and villains, but The Wire manages that more effectively, giving every character more layers than the worst Game of Thrones players are granted. Like many other HBO series on this list, The Wire also does a better job of keeping its quality up across its five seasons. And finally, The Wire sends more powerful messages about real-world societal issues that need to be addressed. While Game of Thrones works in some commentary, the crime drama feels much more important in that regard.
‘Band of Brothers’
The War Miniseries Has Few Faults to Mention
Band of Brothers is often hailed as one of the greatest series ever made, and it feels almost unfair to compare it to Game of Thrones. After all, it’s easier to tell a tight and consistently strong story when you only have to keep it up for 10 episodes. It’s more of a struggle to maintain that for a full eight seasons. Still, Band of Brothers is a masterclass — so much so that it spawned two other war series just like it. The World War II drama is powerful in the way it tells the stories of Easy Company, delivering an emotional story that still manages to respect the soldiers that inspired it. It’s well-made, and benefits from an incredible cast. It’s hard to find any fault with it; even historians have praised HBO’s war drama.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: Because Band of Brothers has a short run and is based on real-world history, it manages to feel more seamless and more hard-hitting. The emotional turns pack a greater punch knowing that these types of experiences are true to life, and that makes Band of Brothers a more important show than Game of Thrones as well. It highlights the terrible realities of war, and it does so amid a stunningly high-quality production.
‘Chernobyl’
The Miniseries Benefits From Its Format as Much as ‘Band of Brothers’
Like Band of Brothers, Chernobyl is an HBO miniseries, and thus, has a short run; it clocks in at just five episodes. Because of this, there’s no time to waste in telling the story it wants to: one that unpacks the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. It fictionalizes the incident in a way that’s informative, powerful, and ambitious. It starts with the immediate fallout, then works its way to the larger consequences of the way the accident was handled. It’s a series that will haunt viewers, even if they can technically finish it in a night.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: Both Chernobyl and Game of Thrones have scenes that will stay with you, but Chernobyl‘s are more powerful — and more important to know about. The miniseries dramatizes history in a way that educates, honors the victims, and warns us not to repeat history. It’s also ambitious, and it manages to be all those things in a short frame. The tight, thoughtful storytelling pushes it above Game of Thrones, though they’re quite different and difficult to compare.
‘Six Feet Under’
A Poignant Journey With a Satisfying Ending
Six Feet Under is an HBO show that doesn’t get nearly as much hype as Game of Thrones, but that doesn’t make it any lesser. In fact, it’s one of the network’s more satisfying series, boasting a compelling journey with an endpoint that actually proves it worthwhile. The show’s exploration of death is unique and well-structured, and it balances that emotional thread with dark humor throughout. The combination is impressively handled, and it keeps you coming back for more.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: Six Feet Under doesn’t have the thrilling action or political intrigue of Game of Thrones, but it does have something the fantasy series doesn’t: a well-loved ending. Six Feet Under‘s finale is one of the best send-offs to a series, and it’s indicative of its commitment to quality throughout. The show also has character work on par with Game of Thrones, and thematically, it handles subjects like death and grief better. (To be fair, that is the whole point.)
‘The Leftovers’
An Intriguing Character Study That Keeps Getting Better
One of the more underrated picks on this list, The Leftovers grabs you with an incredible premise and never lets you go. Like the Tom Perrotta book it’s based on, Damon Lindelof’s series opens with two percent of the global population vanishing into thin air. It raises an immediate mystery, but it’s not one that the show is particularly interested in solving. Instead, it digs into the experiences of those left behind, exploring how they cope with the grief and uncertainty. The Leftovers changes a lot from the source material, but it works in the show’s favor. It’s one of the rare cases where that happens, making it a far cry from Game of Thrones.
Why It’s Better Than Game of Thrones: The Leftovers shows Game of Thrones how it’s done when it comes to expanding on established source material, but it also has more depth and intrigue than the fantasy show more generally. The Leftovers manages to be a deeper character study and a more thoughtful take on humanity. It also gets better as it goes and has a great ending, even if it leaves a lot up to interpretation.
