fantasy shows better than house of the dragon
Lately, everyone has been talking about House of the Dragon. The series premiered in 2022 and was an instant hit. It’s a prequel to the famous Game of Thrones saga. It tells the story of House Targaryen. The story takes place 172 years before Daenerys’ birth. The series depicts all the dramatic events leading up to the Great Dragon War. It’s a massive hit—for some, even bigger than the original series.
Because it’s so popular, people tend to forget about other cool fantasy series. Some of them are just as good as the Targaryen drama. They feature great stories and expansive worlds. I’ve picked out eight series you can watch right now if you’re looking for something different. They’re all great choices.
1 “THE WHEEL OF TIME” (2021–2025)
This series was produced by Rafe Judkins. It’s based on the books by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. The story centers on Moiraine Damodred, a powerful mage. She takes five young people on a long journey as they try to find the “Reborn Dragon”—a figure who will either save the world or destroy it. Rosamund Pike plays Moiraine. Other stars include Daniel Henney and Josha Stradowski.
When the series first aired, it was a huge success. It was a hit with fans of magic and adventure stories. It features great action and beautiful worlds. It’s a sad story about fate and war. The series also has cool special effects. Unfortunately, it was canceled after three seasons. It’s still worth watching.
2 “THE WITCHER” (2019–PRESENT)
Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich developed this series. It’s based on the books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The story centers on three characters. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter. Yennefer of Vengerberg is a powerful sorceress. Princess Ciri is also a main character. They live in a land full of monsters. All three are bound together by fate. Henry Cavill initially played Geralt; later, Liam Hemsworth took over the role. Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey are also part of the cast.
This series is very reminiscent of House of the Dragon. It has a big budget and great designs. It was actually supposed to be the new Game of Thrones for Netflix. There are cool monsters and magic. Some people later complained about the casting changes, but the first few episodes are great.
3 “THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA” (2022–PRESENT)
Chris Prynoski and the Critical Role team produced this series. It’s based on a “Dungeons & Dragons” game. It’s about a group of wild characters. They start out as mercenaries. Then they become great heroes. They save the world from magic and dragons. The voice cast is fantastic. It’s the same group of people from the original game.
You don’t have to know D&D to enjoy this. It’s an animated series for adults with an entertaining story. It’s funny and packed with action. Some people compare it to Castlevania. It’s something of a hidden gem, but it’s really good.
4 “CASTLEVANIA” (2017–2021)
This was one of the first major animated series for adults on Netflix. It’s based on a Japanese video game. The screenplay was written by Warren Ellis. The story revolves around Trevor Belmont. He is the last of his family. He teams up with a sorcerer and a vampire to fight Dracula. It’s a dark story.
The series has a cool style. It looks like an anime. The action is great. The vampires and monsters look terrifying. It’s the perfect series if you’re looking for something dark and fast-paced.
5 “BLOOD OF ZEUS” (2020–2025)
Charley and Vlas Parlapanides created this series. It takes Greek myths and turns them into a new story. It’s about Heron. He’s a son of Zeus. He has to save the Earth from a goddess. The animation is breathtaking.
It features gods and Titans. There are epic battles. The series hasn’t received as much attention as it deserves. You should check it out if you like grand, epic stories based on ancient legends.
6 “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER” (2022–PRESENT)
J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay created this series. It is based on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The story takes place thousands of years before “The Hobbit”. It tells the story of how the rings came to be. It also depicts the rise of Sauron. It’s a massive series.
It is the most expensive series of all time. It looks fantastic. It is very expansive and complex. It captures the spirit of the original books. It is a magnificent fantasy adventure.
7 “A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS” (2026–PRESENT)
George R. R. Martin and Ira Parker created this series. It is a prequel to Game of Thrones. The series is about a knight named Dunk and his squire, Egg. Egg is actually a secret prince. The story takes place 100 years before the main storyline of Game of Thrones.
It’s much lighter than other series. The focus is more on the characters and their adventures. The series is very charming. It has been called one of the best series of the year.
8 “GAME OF THRONES” (2011–2019)
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss created this series. It fundamentally changed the world of fantasy series. It’s a story about a civil war. Many people want to sit on the Iron Throne. It’s about politics, dragons, and plenty of drama.
It remains a cultural phenomenon. Everyone has seen it. Even though the ending elicited mixed reactions from some, the rest of the series is legendary. It set the bar for all the other series on this list.
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