26 shows similar to Game of Thrones to watch next

4. Black Sails

I have a confession to make: Even though I’m writing this article on a Game of Thrones fan website…Game of Thrones was long ago unseated from its vaunted post as my favorite-show-of-all-time by another. That’s Black Sails, the pirate drama that aired on Starz from 2014-2017. When my editor and I first discussed this catalogue of Game of Thrones-style shows, one of the ways he pitched it was literally, “I’m sure you could find a way to fit Black Sails in there somehow.” Just to give you an idea of the fervor I feel for this show.

In my somewhat biased opinion, that fervor is extremely well warranted. Imagine if Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad had a bastard child that ran off to join a pirate crew, and you have an idea of the kind of emotional roller coaster that awaits you here.

Black Sails serves as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, showing characters like the dreaded Captain Flint and Long John Silver during their prime. It’s also a historical fiction drama populated by plenty of actual pirates, like Blackbeard, Anne Bonnie, and Charles Vane. The way the show melds the mythos of Stevenson’s fictional tale with actual events involving the real-world pirate nation of Nassau during the 15th century is brilliant. Add to that the absolute masterclass-level acting and writing, along with a score that’s among composer Bear McCreary‘s best work, and you have a serious contender for one of the best period pieces of all time.

Black Sails has four seasons and managed to avoid the fate of Game of Thrones by ending on a really strong note. Yes, it does get off to a bit of a slow start in the first season, but once it gets going this is a show that rarely ever lets up. There are some Red Wedding-level moments that are absolutely brutal, and the overall journey that the characters go on is long and extremely well thought out. There simply aren’t many shows out there of the same caliber as Black Sails. And to top it off, this shows was produced by Michael Bay, which ensured that it had the budget to depict some of the best naval combat ever committed to the small screen.

So yeah. I could rave about Black Sails, but really you’d be better off just watching it. All four seasons are available through Starz and its various apps/streaming add-ons.