Game of Thrones was quite the cultural phenomenon. Running from 2011 to 2019, this massive series, based on the novels by George R. R. Martin, became one of the most successful TV series of all time. It kick-started a huge wave of fantasy television, which persists to this day, and earned numerous awards. The show was so popular that the finale became a monumental cultural event, with many unrelated corporations jumping in on the trending topic.
It’s unlikely TV will see an event like Game of Thrones for a long time. Perhaps predictably, many other fantasy shows attempted to capitalize on its success by coming out at around the same time. This had varying degrees of quality and success. Many of them were good, but remained underrated, swept under the shadow of Thrones and never getting the attention they deserved. These are the best fantasy TV shows that were overshadowed by Game of Thrones.
6
‘American Gods’ (2017–2021)
Image via Starz
American Gods came out right as Game of Thrones was reaching its penultimate season, but even this was enough to hinder its development and popularity a bit. This low-fantasy series features a hidden world where gods and magic are real. The original gods, called the Old Gods, are at serious risk due to the rising threat of what they call “New Gods.” These include things like technology, which are beginning to gain influence with the people of the world, and are almost being worshipped. This causes the Old Gods to gradually lose their powers and their place in the world.
To combat their waning influence, the Old Gods plan to unite themselves and go to war against the New Gods to restore the balance of power. The series actually received two Emmy nominations, though it was sadly snubbed in both. Other than that, critical reception has been nothing but positive. Yet, it remained thoroughly underrated for the majority of its run. This could be because it came out right at the end of Thrones, which is when it was experiencing its highest viewership, so American Gods wasn’t really able to live up to the high demands. Eventually, it was canceled after three seasons. Though it managed to last two years longer than Game of Thrones, the damage had already been done, and it lacked the numbers it desperately needed from the start.
5
‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ (2013–2015)
Image via Starz
Da Vinci’s Demons is a low fantasy series set during the Italian Renaissance. A lot of historical figures, including Leonardo da Vinci (Tom Riley) himself, make appearances, albeit with a much more fantastical twist. Primarily, Da Vinci worked with the House of Medici, an influential and historical Italian family that was one of the major political players in the Republic of Florence. Da Vinci, regarded as an eccentric kook, actually works behind the scenes to uproot spies hidden in the politics of the realm, especially those from the rival Houses of Borgia and Pazzi.
However, the fantasy aspect comes into play when Da Vinci uncovers a cult known as the Sons of Mithras, which opens the door for supernatural visions, magical tomes that contain all the knowledge in the universe, and mythological figures made flesh. It’s a lot lighter on the fantasy elements than Thrones, but it did bear a lot of distinct similarities. Namely, it featured a lot of political intrigue and feuding royal houses, so there wasn’t a whole lot that the show could offer to people who were already into Game of Thrones. As such, this fantastic show was canceled after three seasons.
4
‘Grimm’ (2011–2017)
