The obsession of King Viserys I Targaryen with producing a male heir sparked a succession crisis that’s at the center of House of the Dragon’s plot. The Tudors sees King Henry VIII of England struggling with the same problem, which drives a wedge into his relationship with his first wife and prompts him to pursue an impossible paramour in Anne Boleyn.

What the series lacks in magical elements, it more than makes up for in power-hungry schemes and political intrigues. You can watch The Tudors on Amazon Prime.

Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, the series is a fictionalized retelling of the exploits of real-life Daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu and his interactions with English Navigator Williams Adams, the first Englishman to reach Japan and become a samurai.

Shōgun is an exciting tale set in the turbulent Edo period, the final era of traditional Japanese government, as various warlords fight for control over the country’s destiny. Like House of the Dragon, it boasts excellent fight choreography and attention to detail in both its costumes and sets.

You can watch the first season on Hulu, with a second and third already in development.

Set in the modern day after a global pandemic turns everyday humans into zombies, the series sees actor Pedro Pascal take on the role of Joel Miller, a hardened survivor tasked with smuggling a young girl, Ellie, outside of a quarantine zone and across the United States. 

The pair quickly develop a deep bond, which comes into question due to the girl’s miraculous immunity to the infection that destroyed society. Will Joel give her away to save the world or doom society to save the one thing he has come to love?

The Last of Us is based on a videogame of the same name and was renewed for a second season after its first iteration surpassed House of the Dragon in total viewership on HBO Max.

The rags-to-riches story of Catherine de' Medici, one of the most powerful women to wear a crown, follows the eponymous Serpent Queen as she navigates the complex political tapestry of 16th-century France. 

Samantha Morton’s performance has been praised by critics and audiences alike, and the show’s seamless combination of real-life political intrigue and magical elements will make House of the Dragon viewers feel right at home.

Catch the start of The Serpent Queen’s second season on July 12th, 2024, on Amazon Prime.

Set in Renaissance-era Italy, the series follows patriarch Rodrigo Borgia, played by Jeremy Irons, in his quest to become Pope Alexander VI. 

Intrigue, war, marriage alliances, and murder are just some of the things The Borgias shares with House of the Dragon, as Borgia will use every tool at his disposal, including his children, Cesare and Lucrezia, to achieve his goals, fracturing their household forever. 

You can watch the entire series on Paramount Plus.

This Netflix historical drama takes place in pre-unification England, around 800-900 A.D.

The many kingdoms that would eventually form the nation have fallen into disarray as the Vikings keep taking over the land. Uthred, born to a Saxon nobleman but raised by the Danes, is forced to choose between people and country in a tale that will see him interact with real historical figures like King Alfred of Wessex, Ubbe Lothbrok, and Guthrum.

Incidentally, The Last Kingdom was the breakout role of actor Ewan Mitchell as the monk Osferth, who also plays the villainous Aemond in House of the Dragon.

Based on the eponymous novel by Diana Gabaldon, the series follows a former World War 2 nurse who, after visiting a magical place known as the Standing Stones of Craigh na Dun with her husband, gets transported back in time to the year 1743.

Her advanced, for the time, medical knowledge proves to be an asset when she’s captured by a group of rebel Highlanders, whose leader turns out to be her husband’s ancestor.

Much like House of the Dragon and its sequel, Game of Thrones, Outlander doesn’t shy away from showcasing the more gruesome parts of history, as plenty of violence is featured across its seven seasons.

The long-running series was renewed for its eighth and final season, which is expected to air in 2025 on Starz.

Created by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the science fiction series adapts the Chinese novel Remembrance of Earth's Past and tells the story of an astrophysicist who is sent to a secret military base in the middle of a multi-country race to make first contact with aliens during the Cold War.

If you loved the directing style of Benioff and Weiss in the HBO series, you’ll surely enjoy 3 Body Problem, which also comes with an original soundtrack composed by the critically acclaimed Ramin Djawadi, who created the music for House of the Dragon.

The series, hosted on Netflix, has been renewed for a second season, but shooting has yet to start.

Described by some viewers as “Game of Thrones in space,” the science fiction series is based on the series of stories of the same name by award-winning writer Isaac Asimov, and it places us in the twilight of a galactic empire.

A mathematician creates an algorithm that predicts, without doubt, the imminent fall of society. In order to save humanity, scientists establish the Foundation, a repository of all human knowledge that will act as the last line of defense against the incoming dark age.

Foundation has been critically acclaimed for its scale, visual effects, score, and ambitious storytelling that rivals that of House of the Dragon, and you can watch its first two seasons on Apple TV.

While dragon fire and the clashing of steel might be the first things that come to mind when one thinks of House of the Dragon, the series is, at the end of the day, a family drama among very powerful people. HBO’s Succession shares this and follows the infighting of the Roy family, owners of a global entertainment conglomerate, after its patriarch experiences a decline in health.

Succession has been widely acclaimed by critics in all areas, winning three awards at both the Golden Globes and the Emmys. The series is complete, and you can watch it on HBO Max.

With two seasons under its belt and a third one set to premiere on July 11th, 2024, the successful 2022 series follows the exploits of Leif Eriksson, Freydis Eriksdotter, Harald Hardrada, and King Canute as they embark on a journey of revenge after the events of the St. Brice’s Day massacre, a real historical event where King Aethelred of England ordered the mass execution of Vikings.

Atmospheric medieval forests, rich costume design, and excellent fight choreography are some of the many things that House of the Dragon fans will enjoy about Vikings: Valhalla.

Hot off the tail of a successful second season that saw the Vikings at the apex of their power, the third season promises a climactic end to the story, and you can watch it on Netflix.

If you’re looking for a setting far from medieval lands and magical beasts but still want a dose of excellent historical drama, Yellowstone has you covered. 

Set at the end of the 19th century in Montana, it follows the story of the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in the United States, as they navigate a version of American society that’s filled with as much opportunity as it is of danger.

Much like House of the Dragon, the series portrays the effects the pursuit of power and legacy has on family dynamics, as well as a clash between different cultures.

Yellowstone is set to air the conclusion to its fifth and final season on November 10th, 2024, on Paramount Plus.

Based on a series of high fantasy novels by American author George R.R. Martin, the show is a sprawling drama set in a world very similar to our own medieval Europe but with an undercurrent of dangerous magic. The promise of apocalyptic destruction looms on the horizon as an eternal winter promises to ravage the land while, at the same time, 9 noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros and the highest seat in it, the Iron Throne.

Boasting a total of eight seasons, the series attracted a record viewership for HBO. At the height of its popularity, it was even dubbed one of the greatest television series of all time, with critics and viewers praising it for the complexity of its characters, the wit of its writing, and the excellence of its production.

Now that House of the Dragon is in full swing, there hasn’t been a better time to catch up on what has become its sequel. 

You can watch Game of Thrones in its entirety on HBO Max.

The tremendously popular Witcher franchise, with more than three videogames and six novels to its name, was finally adapted into a Netflix series in 2019. 

Starring Henry Cavill of Superman fame, it follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, who is part of an elite, magically-infused group of monster hunters-for-hire known as Witchers.

The story, which has become a classic in its native Poland, is perhaps the most similar to House of the Dragon in this list, down to the white-haired protagonist, grim medieval setting, and plenty of sword fights. The main distinction is that in The Witcher, magic and monsters are put front and center and intertwine with the human drama.

The Witcher’s fourth season is currently filming in the UK, following delays caused in part by Henry Cavill being replaced by Liam Hemsworth after Cavill left the show due to creative differences.

Boasting a massive production budget of $465 million dollars, the prequel to the Lord of the Rings saga is visually and technically impressive. 

The plot follows the events detailed in the fifth and last part of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. It sees Galadriel as the protagonist in an era of peace that’s about to be corrupted by the evil forces of Sauron. 

But being high fantasy stories is not the only thing Rings of Power and House of the Dragon share. Both have strong female characters as leads, with standout performances by Morfydd Clark as Galadriel and Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra.

The show’s second season is set to air in August 2024 and can be watched on Amazon Prime Video.