10 2018 TV Shows To Watch Instead Of Game Of Thrones

HBO/Sky Atlantic

2018 looks like being another great year for television, with a number of exciting new projects and returning hits all on the horizon. There is, however, one gaping, Wall-sized hole in the schedule (and our hearts), because for the first time since it started there'll be no new season of Game of Thrones this year.

Having been rumoured ever since Season 7 ended, HBO last week confirmed that Thrones would not return to screens until sometime in 2019. Although the eighth and final season has a shorter run, with just six episodes, it's expected they'll be longer and bigger than ever before. With almost everyone now together the shoots will take longer, and the extra CGI only adds to the lengthy hiatus.

It's not all despair though, because there's plenty of (potentially) good TV on the way, like Netflix's starry new comedy Maniac (which features Emma Stone and Jonah Hill), the Coens' Western The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and the return of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale and Marvel's Jessica Jones/Luke Cage/Daredevil. They all hold promise, but don't necessarily scratch the itch of wanting more GoT. Hopefully, though, that's what these shows will be able to do.

10. The Last Kingdom

BBC

If Game of Thrones is House Targaryen, then The Last Kingdom represents the Blackfyre Pretenders, as it's clearly targeted to cash-in on the success of HBO's show and be the 'new Thrones'.

And yet there is something worthy in the comparison. The show doesn't feature any magic - which is a plus for any viewers not so keen on that element of Thrones - and it's full of family drama and political tensions, along with some big action sequences. It's even set in an England divided into seven kingdoms, which face invasion from the Danish.

It's based on a series of novels too - from Bernard Cromwell - and Season 3 is expected to air late-2018, so there's even plenty time to get caught up before that arrives (Seasons 1 & 2 are available on Netflix in the U.S.). If you're after the closest thing to a direct copy, this is one of the strongest bets.

Instead Of Game Of Thrones

9. Vikings

History Channel

Another series that serves as something of an easy Thrones stand-in, and where you can see the influence of the HBO show all over the product, is History's Vikings. The basic outline here is that it's like Game of Thrones if the focus was on the Greyjoys.

Admittedly that isn't the best sell, but there's plenty to appeal to GoT fans within this. Again, there are lots of family feuds, political machinations, and plenty of violence and action to get excited by.

It lacks some of the intrigue and cleverness that helps make Thrones so great, but it does the job as a simplified version, with enough power struggles, strong characters, and blood and guts to make it work. The first half of Season 5 is approaching its end, with the second slated for later this year and a sixth already confirmed, with previous seasons available on Amazon Prime.