It's hard to pinpoint when exactly Game of Thrones became the biggest show in the world, but its arrival kick-started a wave of investment in fantasy TV around the world. Suddenly, Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, and more were in the market to find the fantasy show to replace Game of Thrones.
Many have tried, and sadly, all have failed to do that. The Wheel of Time's recent cancellation is just more proof of how hard it actually is to become "the next Game of Thrones."
It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment Game of Thrones became the biggest show in the world. It's one of those crossroads shows that, like Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, arrive at precisely when they mean to. Game of Thrones premiered in 2011, right after social media went full mainstream. Sure, there were fantasy fans already going to tune in, but this series spread like Wildfire through recommendations and "word of mouth." Suddenly, you blinked, and everyone was watching and talking about the latest episode of Game of Thrones. Since then, few shows have captured that moment like Game of Thrones. Stranger Things is one that comes to mind, and it was right in the middle of Game of Thrones' run.
On paper, it's easy to think sprawling shows like The Wheel of Time, or even The Witcher or The Rings of Power, would replace Game of Thrones. They are all based on fantasy book series with built-in fanbases who want to see their stories come to life in a new medium. The Wheel of Time, like A Song of Ice and Fire, is always mentioned among the best fantasy book series of all time.
In addition, there are so many moving parts, battles of good and evil, and themes that exist in both shows. There's politics, betrayals, epic fight sequences, and magic. It's all right there in both shows, so why does one show become the biggest show in recent history and the other gets canceled after three seasons on Prime Video?
To me, the answer is simple. It's all about timing and momentum.
To non-book readers and non-fantasy fans, Game of Thrones and The Wheel of Time are too wildly confusing shows. There are so many characters to keep track of, so many storylines, and so much lore to learn about each in such a short time. In terms of quality, it's clear Game of Thrones is a bit better, but I don't think it's about quality. It's about becoming a cultural phenomenon. Some shows achieve this, and many shows just don't even get close.
You can't tell me The Wheel of Time isn't as good a story as Game of Thrones. Some might argue it's better! Some might say Game of Thrones has a better cast, but The Wheel of Time cast was bringing it in every scene, too. These characters were just as lovable as any of the Game of Thrones characters. So, to me, it's not really about the quality.
Game of Thrones turned people into fantasy fans. The Wheel of Time did, too, but likely on a much smaller scale. That's how one show becomes the biggest show in the world while another fights an uphill battle.
It's all hype. Game of Thrones achieved a different level of hype than we've seen from a TV show in the streaming age. We all remember HBO Go crashing on Sunday nights because so many people were tuning in. The Wheel of Time didn't reach those heights, and that's why it ended early.
Now, we can go back and forth all day about how Amazon, like the biggest company in the world, didn't want to pay up to make more of this great show. Jeff Bezos could have and should have kept that show going. It was getting better and better with each season, and its best days were ahead of it! There's no doubt about that.
And, hype, more than anything in TV and film, can't be manufactured. It doesn't matter, actually, how good the project is. It's all about how much it connects with everyone at a personal level.
We've heard so many shows that could be the "next Game of Thrones." The Rings of Power was supposed to be that. The new Harry Potter series is drawing some comparisons. As we've seen before, it's usually not those big shows based on existing IP that storms on the scene and achieve something Game of Thrones-esque. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen for The Wheel of Time, and that really sucks.
Eventually, there will be another "Game of Thrones," but looking around, it doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon.