Skip to main content

HBO to give Game of Thrones fans theories and recaps on After the Thrones

game of thrones after show hbo season 6 18
HBO
HBO is giving Game of Thrones fans a new way to obsess over the hit fantasy drama series. The premium network announced plans today to launch After the Thrones, a new weekly aftershow that will delve into all things GoT. The series will be hosted by Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan, stemming from HBO’s partnership with Bill Simmons.

After the Thrones is described as taking “a lively, humorous and sophisticated look” at Game of Thrones, with installments recapping the latest episode and getting into the nitty-gritty. The hosts will discuss everything from GoT politics to theories — both “absurd and not-so-absurd” — about where the show is headed. The network seems to have a lot of faith in Greenwald and Ryan as hosts, promising that they’ll “discuss the show as only they can.”

Having previously hosted the Grantland podcast Watch the Thrones, the duo has already proven to be very well-versed in GoT. Greenwald and Ryan have also gained experience as the hosts of The Watch for Channel 33’s podcast feed for The Ringer. They should be prepared to dive right into the fray and steer the conversation about what showrunners have promised is the best season yet.

Aftershows are often a smart way to engage a TV show’s fandom. AMC, in particular, has been a active in creating such series. The network recently introduced Talking Saul to analyze Better Call Saul, and has previously debuted Talking Dead and Talking Bad for The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad fans, respectively. Like HBO, the BBC was inspired to add an aftershow, After the Black for its sci-fi hit Orphan Black.

After the Thrones will be available each week starting with season six’s April 24 premiere. Viewers will be able to find episodes on Mondays on HBO Now, HBO Go, and HBO On Demand, plus on affiliate portals. So far, HBO hasn’t announced play dates on the network’s main channel, but they’re promised to be announced after they are confirmed.

After the Thrones comes from executive producers Simmons and BSMG president Eric Weinberger. Ryan and Greenwald will co-executive produce.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
The 10 most powerful Game of Thrones characters ever, ranked
Daenerys and Jon meeting together in her room.

House of the Dragon ended its hugely successful first season with an episode that included everything, from plots to steal the Iron Throne to dragon battles and a violent death. In short, it was just another day in Westeros. Yes, House of the Dragon was a resounding success, but it owes much of it to Game of Thrones. The show that single-handedly revived the fantasy genre and redefined what the word "spectacle" meant in television, GoT was a game-changer.

The show conquered fans' and critics' hearts with a successful mix of political intrigue and good, old-fashioned drama; there was nothing like it on television or film. Game of Thrones featured a seemingly endless parade of morally-dubious characters vying to seat on a pointy chair, and we couldn't get enough of them. Indeed, the pursuit of power was at the heart of GoT, with every major player wanting to get their share of the glory. But what is power in Westeros? Varys said it best: it's an illusion, a shadow on the wall. And these characters certainly cast a very large shadow. Whether because of their resources, armies, gold, or charm, these figures were the most powerful in Westeros and the beating heart of the game of thrones.
10. Jon Snow

Read more
Hey, House of the Dragon fans: Stop hating Alicent Hightower
Alicent Hightower looking distressed in House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon ended its first season with a shocking episode and a tragic death, leading to a full-blown war. The long-promised conflict between the greens and the blacks is finally here, even if fans must wait two years before season 2 arrives. Still, the show will probably stay on people's minds, especially after Sunday's explosive finale, and HBO will surely want to strike while the iron is hot. And while season 2 won't arrive earlier than 2024, the showrunners will likely make it worth the wait.

While we cool down after a season that spanned 20+ years and featured multiple deaths, two weddings, surprisingly few sex scenes, and a whole lot of dragons, we must look back and ponder where our allegiances should lie. All signs point that the showrunners want us, the audience, to side with #TeamBlack; indeed, most of the blacks have been softened, even Daemon, and their cause has been presented as just and fair. The show never shied away from showing Rhaenyra as the true heir, to the point they even had the white stag present itself to her in episode 3. Most of Rhaenyra's dubious qualities in Fire & Blood have been either dismissed or lessened for the show, thus turning her from a flawed and questionable figure to a prototypical and easy-to-root for heroine we can all rally behind.

Read more
What we’d like to see in House of the Dragon season 2
what wed like to see in house of the dragon season two rhaenyra episode 10 0

House of the Dragon cemented itself as one of the best shows currently streaming on HBO Max and aired on HBO with an explosive finale that finally began the Dance of the Dragons. After 10 episodes of development spanning 20+ years and multiple storylines, the show finally delivered on its promise of fire and blood and officially kickstarted the Dance following Lucerys Velaryon's death at the hands of his uncle, Aemond Targaryen. In a major departure from Fire & Blood, Lucerys' death was accidental, adding an additional dire element to an already tragic story.

With season 1 such a resounding success, hopes for season 2 are higher than ever. Before its premiere this fall, there was much arguing about whether House of the Dragon could restore Game of Thrones' tarnished legacy, and the show lived up to the task, delivering a compelling and thrilling season with stellar performances and incredible writing. Not every choice made by the showrunners was a hit with critics and audiences, but season 1 of House of the Dragon was an objective success. It drove the conversation every Sunday night, becoming the closest thing to appointment television we've had since Game of Thrones ended in 2019.

Read more