IT’S GAME ON
These shows are battling to be the next ‘Game of Thrones’
EVERYONE wants to be king. “Game of Thrones” might have ended two years ago with a less than crowdpleasing conclusion, but its legacy as the biggest show on TV lives on, and several shows are jockeying to take over that position.
Various networks and streamers are putting out big, epic fantasies in hopes of capturing some of that peak “Thrones” buzz — the latest of which is “The Wheel of Time.”
And that’s not even mentioning the shows that are still coming down the pipeline far in the future, such as Amazon’s big budget “Lord of The Rings” show in fall of 2022, Netflix’s “Chronicles of Narnia” adaptation (no premiere date yet), or the “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon,” which will pass Daenerys’ iconic silver wig down to actors such as Matt Smith.
Here are the current shows that are trying to take the TV throne.
“The Wheel of Time”
This show is perhaps best positioned to take over the mantle, since the story itself has many similarities to “Thrones,” as epic fantasy based on a sprawling book series that started in the ’90s. It even has a set that resembles “Winterfell,” dead bodies positioned in a spiral pattern on the ground just like the “Thrones” pilot, and Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton). It’s too soon to tell if it will generate the same level of buzz, but so far, it’s a little too generic for its own good. It’s already been renewed for a Season 2, so maybe it will grow into itself. Where to watch it: Amazon
2, so maybe it will grow into itself.
“The Witcher”
Based on a series of books and video games, the Henry Cavill vehicle has all the trappings of “GoT,” violence, sex, a pseudo-medieval setting, and a large audience, with 76 million viewers tuning in during the first month, according to Netflix’s opaque stats. The issue? “GoT” wasn’t just a popular show, it also had the trappings of prestige, with stellar acting and (mostly) decent writing. With its nonsensical writing and often cheap-looking sets, “The Witcher” lacks that element.
Where to watch it: Netflix
“Shadow and Bone”
Based on a popular series of novels, this show takes a Tsarist Russia setting and adds in “X Men”-type magic, all anchored by some good old fashioned heists, a scenerychewing villain played by Ben Barnes (“Westworld”) and a “Harry Potter”-type “chosen one” story. According to Netflix, 55 million households tuned in. The show was widely watched but there wasn’t much watercooler buzz. Perhaps it will find that in its second season.
Where to watch it: Netflix
“Carnival Row”
This neo-noir show featuring fairies and mythical creatures clashing with human society should have been fun, and it had an eclectic cast including Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, and Jared Harris, but it was mostly a slog. For some reason, it’s getting a Season 2 — so better luck next time.
Where to watch it: Amazon
“The Nevers”
It had the potential to be big, since it hails from genre giant Joss Whedon and combines an “X Men”-type of world with the trappings of Victorian England. Unfortunately for the rest of the cast and crew, “The Nevers” premiered at worst time possible, right when Whedon fell from grace under a cloud of allegations. Even though the show tried to distance itself from him, it was too late for audiences to remove the association, and the show never cracked 2 million viewers — or got resoundingly positive reviews.
Where to watch it:
HBO
The MCU
Shows such as “WandaVision ,”“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier ”and“Loki,” have all generated big buzz and even some prestige accolades, but the nature of the MCU means that they’re too fragmented.
Where to watch it: Disney+