Game of Thrones was a fantasy phenomenon. The HBO show brought joy to both fans of the genre and viewers who previously thought fantasy wasn't their thing. Ever since the show ended, fans and critics alike have been looking for the next big fantasy show to rival the hit. Some hope to find it in The Witcher, while others are looking to Shadow and Bone. While it makes sense for fans to want to recapture the magic of the world of Westeros, will they? Will there be a next Game of Thrones? Aside from the spinoffs that are already set to take place in the same world, will another fantasy show capture the world as the HBO series did? As is aforementioned, there are many candidates now, including Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings series.
Yet will any of them take the world by surprise? Will any show be able to rival Game of Thrones in its prime? The controversial ending aside, the show did provide fans with years of entertainment. It's too soon to tell for many of these series if they will do the same. And there's also the question of popularity. Will any show become as popular as the HBO series? It might be possible, yet it doesn't seem entirely likely. There is also another reason that the Game of Thrones comparisons, though complimentary, are not helpful in the long run for any fantasy series.
Those calling a show "the next Game of Thrones" certainly mean it as a good thing, but it can put a lot of pressure on a show to replicate the success of the HBO series. It also does not allow for newer fantasy shows to stand on their own. Each new show is ultimately compared to Game of Thrones, and either it is similar enough to be worthy or it is not. If a newer show is not similar enough, it risks never reaching the heights of popularity that it could. Of course, it makes sense that those who were disappointed by the ending of the HBO series want a similar show. Yet, the constant comparisons might actually prevent viewers from enjoying any fantasy series at all. If viewers compare every fantasy show to Game of Thrones, fans of the HBO series are likely to be disappointed.
After all, every show is different. Even within the same genre, each show has its own story. Every story has its unique traits, even those that seem to be exactly alike. Therefore, comparing newer fantasy shows to Game of Thrones is a recipe for disaster. Though, of course, everyone wants to soothe the pain left by the HBO show, comparing every show to it is not necessarily the way to go about it. It also isn't fair for viewers to expect newer shows to be exactly the same as Game of Thrones. As is aforementioned, every story is unique, and every story should be able to succeed on its own merits. If fans of the fantasy genre can do this, they might find themselves surprised by the results.
After all, the best way to find "the next Game of Thrones" would be the same way people found the first one. By going into a new fantasy series with an open mind. Viewers would be more likely to find a show that would capture their imaginations if they went into it without comparisons to other stories. And the writers behind newer fantasy shows would likely breathe a sigh of relief. The comparisons to Game of Thrones might be flattering to some extent, yet they come with a price. Though nothing could beat the HBO series in its prime, its downfall happened quickly and brutally. Newer shows might suffer the same fate if they can't measure up to the series when it was good. And how could they? New shows are telling completely different stories, in the end, and that should happen.
Of course, Game of Thrones comparisons will probably not stop entirely. Everyone enjoys recapturing the magic of a story they love, after all. Yet it would be a good idea for fans to consider other possibilities. For them to allow each story to stand on its own and to succeed based on its own merits. Doing so would also allow for greater creativity. Writers of newer fantasy shows would not have to worry about reproducing the hit. The writers of these shows would then focus on telling the stories to the best of their ability, which is all fans wanted from Game of Thrones in the end. Though the HBO show did not end well, newer ones might have more luck if they emerged from beneath its shadow. And fans might get what they want sooner if they stop the comparisons a little.