'Game of Thrones' Is About to End. One of These 10 Shows Could Be Your Next Binge
Maybe you've heard, but the sexy and violent fantasy series you love so much is soon approaching its end. While we still have five weeks left to tune into HBO's Game of Thrones, quite possibly the last massively successful TV series of our current age, die-hard fans might already be wondering to themselves, "What am I going to watch next?" As we wait for the prequel series HBO has in store (because Game of Thrones will surely never really end), there is plenty of other TV series that feature what fans love so much about Game of Thrones: the drama, the sex, the battles, the magic, the royal intrigue. Let these ten shows fill the Westeros-sized void the series will leave behind it next month.
Outlander
Based on the bestselling series of novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander stars Caitriona Balfe as a World War II-era nurse who is suddenly transported back in time to 1743. It's then that she meets a Highland warrior named Jamie Fraser, which sets the stage for a timeline-bending narrative, a hot romance, and plenty of battles.
Black Sails
More rooted in reality than Thrones, Black Sails tells an equally complex story of the Golden Age of pirates. A prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, the series takes place twenty years before the book and follows the iconic pirate Captain Flint (played here by Toby Stephens).
Rome
An underrated two-season gem from the aughts, Rome was a lush, violent, sexy, and twisty HBO series that follows some of the most infamous historical figures of all time. The show depicts Julius Caesar's reign as a dictator and his betrayal by Marc Anthony, culminating in the latter's political and romantic affair with Cleopatra.
Spartacus
The classic tale of the gladiator Spartacus gets the cable TV treatment, complete with all of the battles and sex. Spanning four seasons, Spartacus tells the story of the slave who organizes an uprising against his Roman captors.
The Borgias
Oscar winner Neil Jordan created this seductive historical drama that follows the infamous noble family led by the controversial Pope Alexander VI (Jeremy Irons).
The Last Kingdom
Based on The Saxon Stories series by Bernard Cornwell, this BBC / Netflix series stars Alexander Dreymon as Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a Saxon warrior who is enslaved by Vikings as a child. Raised by his captors, his allegiances are tested when he returns to his homeland.
Camelot
The classic English legend gets a fresh retelling, with Joseph Fiennes starring as the ancient wizard Merlin who assists young Arthur (Jamie Campbell Brewer) to assume the throne of Camelot—much to the chagrin of Arthur's evil half-sister, Morgan (Eva Green).
Once Upon a Time
Fairy tales come to magical life in this long-running fantasy drama, in which classic fairy tale figures like Snow White and Cinderella—as well as other Disney icons like Aladdin and Elsa—all maneuver between the real world and an enchanted alternate reality.
Vikings
This History Channel original series tracks the rise of the legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok, a simple farmer turned warrior who leads a successful raid on England and advances to becoming the Scandinavian king.
The Tudors
The dramatic and bloody reign of King Henry VIII is the perfect subject matter for a TV series. Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as the English royal, who frequently came to blows with political enemies and went through a handful of wives in pursuit of a male heir.
This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
