Game of Thrones was one of the most popular television shows of the 2010s. It scratched an itch that many viewers did not know they had – a dark fantasy tale with gratuitous amounts of sex and violence. The show combined political intrigue with medieval warfare, zombies, and dragons. For mature audiences, it had a little something for any taste.
The first spinoff series, House of the Dragon, has been announced for release at some point in 2022. It will focus on the Targaryen dynastic family that is most famous for using dragons as a means to retain power and enforce their political will. Only time will tell if House of the Dragon and other spinoffs will succeed. Overall, Game of Thrones is a beloved show, but its last couple of seasons did not sit well with many fans.
Reason for Success: Return to Westeros
Returning to Westeros alone could be reason enough for fans to give Game of Thrones spinoffs a chance to succeed. Westeros is a land with much intrigue: from the primitive wildlings in the ice-capped north to the exotic and mysterious land of Dorne in the south, it is a fully fleshed-out world with many moving parts.
Despite the fact that Game of Thrones is a fairly recent book phenomenon and television sensation, Westeros has quickly become one of the more beloved locations in recent fiction. Bringing viewers back to a place that gave them so much joy for years could be a winning ticket in and of itself.
Reason for Success: Expanding Families’ Mythos
For most of Game of Thrones, the Lannister family are the brutal rulers of Westeros. The Starks are a noble family that has endured countless tragedies in the service of the realm. Daenerys Targaryen appears the underdog and savior of Westeros, relying on her charm, loyal army, and dragons to dish out justice and take back the Iron Throne.
Although Game of Thrones gave audiences eight seasons of carnage, romance, and court intrigue, there is still much left unexplored. Expanding on the mythos of the great families (and also some of the lesser ones) would do well to keep eyeballs on screens for Game of Thrones spinoff shows.
Reason for Success: More Dragons
Some of the greatest moments from Game of Thrones involved Daenerys Targaryen’s three dragons: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. To Daenerys Targaryen, they were her salvation and her children. To her enemies, they were the destroyers of armies and cities.
Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion were the last dragons to ever be born, and they came into the world hundreds of years after the last dragons were seen in Westeros. Since there were only three of them, it was always a treat to see them on screen. However, imagine a veritable army of dragons doing Targaryen biddings. It would be visual mayhem, the very best kind. Game of Thrones fans would line up in droves to see this visual display.
Reason for Failure: The Fans Have Soured
The first five seasons of Game of Thrones took generously from George R.R. Martin’s books that inspired the series. However, once the show caught up with the source material, it began to freewheel considerably. This led to a satisfactory but extremely rushed conclusion to the show.
The outpouring of outrage from fans was palpable at the show’s conclusion. What started off as arguably one of the greatest television feats of all time ended on a sour note that lasted a season or two. Fans were quick to blame the showrunners for their haste and poor pace of storytelling. This has tarnished the show’s legacy, and harmed what nostalgia for Westeros there still may be.
Reason for Failure: Unfamiliar Characters in the Spinoffs
One of the most difficult points-of-entry for Game of Thrones fans was that it featured a new fictional world with unfamiliar names and a plethora of new lands. It took some time to match names with faces, and to remember what lands are theirs, and so on. This is especially true because of the rather large cast.
Game of Thrones got off to a very promising start despite this conundrum. However, given that the show ended on a sour note, putting fans through this ringer again could be a challenge. Though the provinces might have the same names, the fans would still have to learn a slew of new characters’ names, motives, relationships with one another, and more.
Reason for Failure: New Fantasy Shows Occupy Space
There is only so much time in a day. Streaming platforms like HBO and Netflix are famous for having one chief source of competition for fans’ attention: sleep. With that said, other fantasy shows have stormed into the space that Game of Thrones used to seemingly own all to itself. Shows like The Witcher, Outlander, and Wheel of Time have extremely loyal followings who might have moved on from Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones will always occupy a unique space in the television landscape. Much like other titans of television such as The Wire and Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones started incredibly strong and made its mark. However, akin to The Walking Dead, its decline was rapid and merciless. The best spinoff shows can hope for is that Game of Thrones is a brand as strong as Star Wars or Batman, where fans will give it a chance because of its greater moments, no matter previous shortcomings.