As House of the Dragon Season 3 gears up towards its finale, fans will no doubt be looking for a new show to fill the void the fantasy series leaves behind. While Game of Thrones could quench some of that thirst, finding something new to binge instead might be the best option. Thanks to its huge impact on the zeitgeist, there are now many fantasy and medieval-inspired shows around, but few are as good and underrated asThe Last Kingdom. With five near-perfect seasons and one movie, this hidden Netflix gem adapts one of the most celebrated historical fiction book series, following protagonist Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) as he takes part in some of the defining moments of English medieval history.

‘The Last Kingdom’ Adapts Bernard Cornwell’s Classic ‘Saxon Stories’ Book Series

As beloved as it is, the chief criticism of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon is how much it veers off from George R.R. Martin‘s source material. This was never too much of a problem for The Last Kingdom, which adapts Bernard Cornwell‘s classic book series, The Saxon Stories, a story that is guided by historical events. Each season adapts two books of the 13-entry saga; there are plenty of changes from the original story towards the end, but it’s ultimately for the best.

The story follows Uhtred, the son of a Saxon nobleman who is captured and raised by Danes during the Viking invasions. Aware of his birthright as heir to Bebbanburg in Northumbria, but also of his own affection and respect for the people who became his family, he is caught in the middle of the conflict between these two cultures and peoples — Saxon kingdoms fighting for survival and Viking armies seeking to expand. Uhtred’s internal dilemma is the plot’s emotional anchor, as he struggles to figure out his place in such turbulent and violent times.

The Last Kingdom wraps up in Season 5, but Uhtred’s story comes to an end in The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, a movie released by Netflix in 2023 to wrap up the adaptations of Cornwell’s books. Given the timing of each release, the series was never ahead of the books in terms of story, so even with a few deviations from the book, everything was ultimately tied up neatly. Right now, The Last Kingdom holds 95% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to how well developed it was.

‘The Last Kingdom’ Shares Many Similarities With ‘Game of Thrones’

While there obviously is no magic in The Last Kingdom, it’s easy to see why it really is the perfect Game of Thrones replacement. Instead of fantasy, it excels in portraying the fractured and fragile state of what is currently known as England in the Middle Ages. Simply put, it has lots of backstabbing and great battles, things that everyone loves from Westeros. The Last Kingdom‘s portrayal of Medieval England isn’t that different, as it was a time when many kings and lords often plotted against each other and sought to come out on top. Game of Thrones itself was highly inspired by the War of the Roses, so delving into medieval history might not be as outlandish as it seems.

With all of that plotting and scheming, the whole country is also under threat from the Vikings. This adds another layer of complexity to the story, as the invaders serve as a unifying factor for the multiple English kingdoms. Numerous as they may be, they still have a lot in common, including culture and religion, while the Vikings essentially mean the end of this way of life should they win. With the Vikings serving as a unifying force for the kingdoms, it is easy to draw a parallel between the Danes and the White Walker threat from Game of Thrones. But while Game of Thrones turns the White Walkers into straightforward villains, The Last Kingdom gives the Danes more depth and complexity.

Obviously, The Last Kingdom is not a one-to-one replacement for Game of Thrones. As Bernard Cornwell once pointed out, his work “is rooted in reality,” and sees similarities to Game of Thrones going only as far as both having “brutal men in chain mail and leather beating the sh*t out of each other.” George R.R. Martin, on the other hand, has been a huge fan of The Last Kingdomfor a while, despite its “notable lack of dragons and magic.”

There Has Never Been a Better Time To Binge ‘The Last Kingdom’

Game of Thrones isn’t the only show in recent memory that features a frustrating ending, nor the only adaptation of a great literary series that has to deal with the uncertainty of running out of source material. In this sense, The Last Kingdom is the diametrical opposite to the HBO fantasy series. The Last Kingdom is a rare case of a series with a beginning, middle, and ending, as well as compelling characters and stories that aren’t dropped or forgotten as the story progresses season after season.

With House of the Dragon about to wrap up Season 3, it might be a while before Westeros is back on TV; Season 4 is still far away, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is just about to wrap up filming for Season 2. The Last Kingdom, however, is available via Netflix at least until the end of the year. Its similarly structured seasons and thematic parallels make for a seamless transition, and, as a whole, the series ultimately proves that history can be every bit as gripping as fantasy.

The Last Kingdom is available to watch on Netflix.