After “House of the Dragon” spent the 2020s carrying on the “Game of Thrones” legacy all by its lonesome — to various degrees of success — 2026 saw the second spinoff in the HBO fantasy franchise arrive, and do so with thunderous force. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which is based on a series of short stories by author George R.R. Martin, follows a beleaguered hedge knight named Dunk who is set on making a name for himself at a local tournament but instead gets himself tangled up with royalty after taking on a squire. The season and episodes were shorter, the budget was smaller, but the storytelling was as sharp as the peak of “Game of Thrones” managed in the 2010s.

“The Wheel of Time” is a rare show that improved over its three-season run on Prime Video, going out with a best-yet bang. While the first season was rocky for both fans of Robert Jordan’s sprawling book series and TV viewers looking for the next “Game of Thrones,” the third – and unfortunately final – season found its footing and stands as a great adaptation whose potential will sadly never be fully realized. But for the run available, the show offers a dense and lived-in world that’s worth checking out.

“Arcane” has it all. Impeccable writing and themes, gorgeous animation and music that fits every scene and will have you loading up your various Spotify/Apple Music playlists with new entries. In an era that seems more focused on adapting video game IP, it’s going to be tough to top this “League of Legends”-spawned story led by excellent voice work from Ella Purnell and Hailee Steinfeld. “Arcane” is a show that demands to be experienced.

“Black Sails” was running on Starz at the same time “Game of Thrones” was peaking in popularity over at HBO, and for that reason, it may have been eclipsed – which is a tragedy because it’s one of the great shows to come out of the 2010s. Part historical drama, part “Treasure Island” prequel, the four-season series follows the lives of pirates, real and imagined, through their exploits on the ever-changing sea. The show had as much production quality as “Thrones” and as award-worthy acting, but just couldn’t get out of the fantasy behemoth’s shadow. Give it a chance now and you’ll be hooked.

“Andor” might well be the story of our time. The Disney+ Star Wars series pits Cassian Andor, Luthen Rael, Bix Caleen, Mon Mothma and more against the growing power and influence of the Galactic Empire. Across the two seasons of the show, the characters make one devastating sacrifice after the next in the pursuit of fighting for something greater than themselves. If the parallels to fighting an encroaching presence of fascism and authoritarianism are stark, it only serves to make the series hit all the harder.