7 Best Shows George Martin Says Everyone Should Watch
Game of Thrones’ writer shares passion for some of the most beloved TV hits, including several cult classic shows helmed by HBO.
Despite being mostly known as a fiction writer and, even more to that, “A Song of Ice and Fire” creator, George Martin is actually a much bigger expert in modern TV than everyone could have thought.
Before publishing “A Song of Ice and Fire”’s first novel titled “Game of Thrones”, Martin spent many years writing for numerous TV series, so no wonder he still has that passion for the most compelling TV stories.
In fact, the author repeatedly shared recommendations of his own for those looking for a new title to check out, so here’s George Martin’s list of the best modern shows out there.
‘Rome’ (2005 — 2007)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Rome has scores of 86% and 96% from critics and viewers
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On IMDb, the show is rated 8.7/10
The series that walked so that Game of Thrones could run, Rome was one of the most promising historical dramas at the time of its release — right until HBO came up with an idea to adapt Game of Thrones that needed a significant budget.
Eventually, Rome was sacrificed to finance “A Song of Ice and Fire”’s TV adaptation, but George Martin keeps reassuring everyone that the epic show is still remembered.
He even called Rome one of his favorite series ever, and it’s not really difficult to guess why — just like Game of Thrones, Rome is full of grand battles, political schemes and bloodthirsty compelling characters fighting with each other for power.
‘Fargo’ (2014 — 2024)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Fargo keeps scores of 93% and 85% from critics and audiences
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On IMDb, the show rates 8.8/10
Inspired by the Coen brothers’ Oscar-winning 1996 classic movie, the TV series of the same name has become one of the biggest hits among anthology shows, offering a different story with new characters in each season.
Fargo’s probably biggest merit is that it was never meant to replicate the Coens’ movie anyway, but to adapt its visual and directorial style into a slightly changed storyline — which is why many viewers, including George Martin, never felt like they were just watching an extended version of the original film.
‘Black Mirror’ (2011 — )
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Black Mirror has scores of 83% and 80% from critics and viewers
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On IMDb, the series’ rating is 8.7/10
Netflix’s hit sci-fi series remains one of the most successful and at the same time intimidating TV pieces right now, considering how many of its storylines have actually turned into reality sometime later.
George Martin holds a special feeling for the dystopian hit, reminding every so often that he has been Black Mirror’s fan since forever and even has a list of favorite episodes he rewatches over and over again, also recommending to do the same to his friends and followers.
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001 — 2005)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Six Feet Under holds scores of 81% and 95% from critics and audiences
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On IMDb, the show is rated 8.7/10
Unlike many other popular TV shows, Six Feet Under throws its viewer’s expectations upside down, first guiding them through the storyline that focuses on a family running a funeral home and then ending it all with a much more positive finale than any fans should have expected all along.
Particularly, Martin holds the most praise for Six Feet Under’s last season, claiming that the series’ finale is the best thing that has happened to modern television.
‘The Sopranos’ (1999 — 2007)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, The Sopranos holds scores of 92% and 96% from critics and audiences
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On IMDb, the show rates 9.2/10
Nothing can beat James Gandolfini’s powerful performance in HBO’s hit criminal drama The Sopranos, and George Martin has never doubted that either.
The author highlighted several times that the series boasts of a big number of brilliant episodes, but some that stand out for Martin personally are the ones that actually never unveiled the truth about some of the storyline’s biggest mysteries.
As Martin revealed, he was impressed by the narrative style of The Sopranos’ creator David Chase who continuously preferred to not give the audiences plain answers, leaving it all shrouded in mystery and letting the viewers guess for themselves.
‘Mad Men’ (2007 — 2015)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Mad Men keeps scores of 94% and 95% from critics and viewers
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On IMDb, the show’s rating is 8.7/10
The Jon Hamm-led historical drama wouldn’t be just as compelling without its profound psychological analysis of the lead characters’ relationships — a feature that also defined Game of Thrones’ immense success.
Mad Men might not have all those action-packed sequences and epic battles, initially seeming like a pretty boring narrative about an advertising agency’s routine.
However, George Martin has repeatedly stated that the show stands out thanks to its character-driven storyline, and sometimes things in there swirl even more dramatically than in Westeros.
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008 — 2013)
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On Rotten Tomatoes, Breaking Bad has scores of 96% and 97% from critics and audiences
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On IMDb, the show is rated 9.5/10
Considered the best TV series of all time, Breaking Bad has been featured on many lists of personal favourites from numerous celebrities, and George Martin isn’t an exception.
Just like with the rest of the series on his own list, Martin has specific episodes in mind that he can’t stop rewatching years after the show ended.
