10 HBO Hits That Came Close to Game of Thrones in the Past 10 Years

HBO has long established itself as the premier forge of dramatic series on modern TV. Though it was difficult, we have chosen the ten best HBO shows of the past decade that, while they may not have repeated the stunning success of Game of Thrones, came to it as close as possible.

1. The Last of Us, 2023-...

We've had no shortage of TV series about the perilous journeys of a tough man and a kid, but the adaptation of the hit video game The Last of Us is a notch above The Witcher and The Mandalorian. The creator of the acclaimed Chernobyl, Craig Mazin, managed to do both: to change the story significantly while remaining faithful to it.

The TV version sacrificed a significant number of zombie action scenes to emphasize the main topic of The Last of Us – love in all its forms. By introducing several new characters and devoting an entire episode to a subplot, Mazin offered to look at love from multiple angles, while making even those who had never picked up a gamepad fall in love with Joel and Ellie.

2. Westworld, 2016-2020

Based on the 1973 movie, Westworld is one of those cases where both the film and the show deserve special attention. Michael Crichton's sci-fi thriller remains legendary even 40 years after its creation.

However, the joint project of Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy has managed to turn Crichton's story into something more ambitious and challenging, shifting the main focus of the plot to the ethical issues of creating AI.

In addition, the TV version of Westworld is a treasure trove of talented acting, whether it be the venerable Sir Anthony Hopkins, the terrifying Ed Harris, or the dramatic Evan Rachel Wood. Yes, the HBO show sags from time to time. And yet, even in its darkest moments, Westworld has managed to truly surprise its audience.

3. Succession, 2018-2023

One of the examples of a smart and risky HBO project that is rightly considered one of the most outstanding dramas today. Succession is an ironic drama about how the spoiled children of a dying media mogul fight for his company and his multimillion-dollar legacy.

Logan Roy is dying. The billionaire's health is deteriorating by the day, and he is on the verge of leaving his company to one of his four children. The problem is that he does not see any of them as capable of running the company.

But having tasted the power, the heirs cling to their father and the company with a death grip. On their way to the CEO's chair, Connor, Kendall, Roman and Shiv will stop at nothing, ready to destroy competitors and even each other.

4. The Young Pope, 2016

The Young Pope is perhaps the most curious and promising TV project of the last decade, a multi-layered canvas from Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino that rivals his films The Great Beauty and Youth in the thoughtfulness of the scenes.

This is the story of Lenny Belardo, Pope Pius XIII, one of the youngest popes in history. The series turned out to be surprisingly lively, cheeky, clever and insightful, and most importantly, more accessible to a wider audience than one might expect from Sorrentino's previous work or the unusual setting.

5. The White Lotus, 2021-...

The White Lotus is the first HBO project after Game of Thrones that had every chance of crashing Twitter during the premiere of the final episode of Season 2. In the second season, as in the first, the White Lotus guests once again find themselves at the center of a scandal, but this time in Italy, not Hawaii.

Four guests turn up dead, and all seven episodes have viewers forming theories and trying to predict the course of events. TikTok was flooded with investigations by fans, but few were able to unravel the scheme of the project's creator Mike White, the ending turned out to be painful and unexpected for everyone, and the series was almost immediately renewed for a third season.

The main star of two seasons, Jennifer Coolidge, experienced a second high point in her career, and the series also became a boost for Aubrey Plaza, Theo James and many other actors. The White Lotus can be written down as a pop-cultural phenomenon, and it seems that over time its popularity will break all records.

6. True Detective, 2014-...

Over the past ten years, Nic Pizzolatto's show has rightfully earned the status of a modern classic. The reviews of second and third seasons were much less exciting (and we'd rather not remember the fourth season, which was handed over to a different showrunner), but the mixed reactions didn't stop True Detective from becoming a model for the genre.

True Detective is a brilliant example of experimenting with a genre in the form of a series. In the cult first season, Pizzolatto mixed provincial realism with the folklore of the American South, telling the story of a struggle for principles in a non-linear narrative.

7. Euphoria, 2019-...

A striking example of a modern youth project that has touched the hearts of young people and adults all over the world. The creators of Euphoria have chosen the cast with great skill and have highlighted all the current problems facing young men and women today: violence, acceptance of one's sexuality, alcohol and drug use. Zendaya won an Emmy for Best Actress, and the role of Rue took her to a new level.

Rue, at the age of 17, has been in and out of rehab for drug problems. But that did not stop her, and she continued to self-destruct even after leaving the clinic. A ray of hope for Rue becomes the new girl, Jules.

8. Chernobyl, 2019

Chernobyl, which tells the story of the tragedy that occurred at the nuclear power plant in 1986, is valuable primarily because it tells the story as realistically as possible. Screenwriter and showrunner Craig Mazin spent more than two years studying documentary sources, scientific and historical books, and talking to people involved in the accident. His work resulted in positive reviews, high ratings and ten Emmy Awards.

Soviet chemist Valery Legasov, along with Council of Ministers' deputy chairman Boris Shcherbina, go to Chernobyl, where one of the world's worst man-made disasters occurred on April 26, 1986. Their mission is to join the commission to eliminate the consequences of the accident.

9. Big Little Lies, 2017-2019

An all-star cast – Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, and Alexander Skarsgard – brought to life a crime story about wealthy Californians whose affluent lives hide deception, dissatisfaction and violence.

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the project tells the story of four women. Each of them does everything possible to maintain the image of a successful family life, which in reality is constantly falling apart. Each of them has a terrible secret that blocks the path to true happiness. But secrets do not last long in small towns, and the truth always threatens to break out.

10. The Leftovers, 2014-2017

The Leftovers is a series about people living in the aftermath of a mysterious event that caused about two percent of the planet's population to disappear.

The showrunner was Damon Lindelof, one of the creators of Lost. But unlike the mysterious island show, The Leftovers is not afraid to answer the questions it raises. In fact, the show has a bold level of fearlessness about raising a number of challenging issues.

The show did not immediately get recognition, but after the third and final season, many viewers called it the best series of the 2010s.