Game of Thrones‘ ending premiered several years ago to heavy criticism and many questions. In spite of its infamous finale, the series continues to live on through its prequel House of the Dragon and other planned spin-offs. Even more impressive, references to its enduring legacy occur frequently in other TV shows.
- Release Date
-
April 17, 2011
- Cast
-
Kit Harington
, Isaac Hempstead Wright
, Iain Glen
, Peter Dinklage
, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
, Emilia Clarke
, Maisie Williams
, Sophie Turner
, John Bradley
, Lena Headey
, Liam Cunningham
, Aidan Gillen
, Alfie Allen
, Conleth Hill
, Rory McCann
, Jerome Flynn
, Jacob Anderson
, Kristofer Hivju
, Gwendoline Christie
, Nathalie Emmanuel
, Carice Van Houten
, Natalie Dormer
, Stephen Dillane
, Charles Dance
, Charlotte Hope
, Michelle Fairley
, Jack Gleeson
, Richard Madden
, Hannah Murray
, Sibel Kekilli
, Julian Glover
, Brenock O’Connor
, Rose Leslie
, Michael McElhatton - Seasons
-
8
Several references simply serve to acknowledge the show and the impact it had while others parody memorable characters or scenes. Though vastly different, each of these references honors Game of Thrones and reveals how it helped redefine modern TV.
10
‘Westworld’ (2016)
- Release Date
-
October 2, 2016
- Seasons
-
4
Featuring performances by Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Anthony Hopkins, and several other impressive actors, Westworld took place in an amusement park where guests could live out their wildest fantasies with sentient androids.
Several small references to Game of Thrones appeared throughout the show’s first season. For example, the first episode featured a pin that looked like the sygil of the Hand of the King, while the last episode included a falling snowflake just as a wolf appeared, symbolizing the Starks and their motto. Even cooler, during season 2, Drogon appeared as one of the attractions, with executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss acting as technicians.
What Could Have Been
Allegedly, George R.R. Martin himself suggested that the two shows do a crossover. While this never happened, the references did a good job of showing what it would be like if the worlds of Westworld and Westeros should meet.
9
‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011)
- Release Date
-
January 9, 2011
- Seasons
-
15
Bob’s Burgers is an adult cartoon about a family attempting to run a burger restaurant. During the episode “The Gayle Tales,” each of the children writes an essay for their Aunt Gayle in order to win tickets to the “Yarnival.” While Gene writes about a country western act and Tina writes a parody of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Luanne decides to go the Game of Thrones route with “Gayle of Thrones.” In this story, Gayle is Queen of “Catsteros,” and her pet cat-dragons are stolen by an evil Warlock played by Gene. She sets out with Knight Louise to battle white talkers (rambling Teddys) and confront her sister, Lindaryen (Linda) in order to save her beloved pets.
A Winning Story
While Luanne’s story didn’t earn her the tickets, it was a huge win in our book. Funny, clever, and somewhat concerning, given Luanne’s age, the story had all the right ingredients for both Bob’s Burgers and Game of Thrones fans.
8
‘Supernatural’ (2005)
- Release Date
-
September 13, 2005
- Seasons
-
15
Supernatural fittingly focuses on the supernatural experiences of brothers Sam and Dean, who hunt down monsters and demons. The episode “Slumber Party” was mostly an homage to The Wizard of Oz, but it also featured several GOT references. While waiting for their hacker friend, Charlie, to transfer some files regarding angels, the brothers throw a Game of Thrones marathon. This leads to several quotes involving Joffrey, White Walkers, and needing “something with a pointy end,” a la Arya’s Needle.
Other ‘Game of Thrones’ References
While this episode was the most explicit, several other small references were made to GOT throughout the rest of the show. For example, Sam and Dean used the aliases Martell and Stark in Season 11, and God later called GOT’s finale “pretty great” in “Raising Hell” (which wasn’t necessarily a compliment).
Related
Even though it differs significantly, ‘Kingdom’ will be your next favorite TV series if you enjoy the ‘Game of Thrones’ franchise.
7
‘Key & Peele’ (2012)
Key and Peele
- Release Date
-
January 31, 2012
- Cast
-
Cedric Yarbrough
, Jason Schwartzman
, Jeremy Rowley
, Jordan Black
, Nicole Parker
, Paul F. Tompkins
, David Haley
, Jordan Peele
, Josh Fadem
, Justin Hires
, Keegan-Michael Key
, Lance Barber
, Mekia Cox
, Nana Gbewonyo
, Peter Grosz
, Sarah Baker
, Anders Holm
, Matt Jones
, Thomas MIddleditch
, Yassir Lester
, Chelsea Cook
, Lloyd Ahlquist
, Paul Walter Hauser
, Leslie David Baker
, Marc Evan Jackson - Seasons
-
5
Key & Peele was a sketch comedy show starring former MADtv stars Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. In the episode “The 420 Special,” the duo portrayed valets having an enthusiastic conversation about Game of Thrones. They discussed everything from Ned Stark’s death to Daenerys’ dragons and the infamous Red Wedding before unexpectedly jumping through a moon door.
Real-World Reactions
The valets’ conversation wasn’t too different from what real-world viewers might have thought about the show. From their admiration of Peter “Dadinkles” Dinklage to their shock over several deaths, Game of Thrones was well-known and loved for its characters and surprising twists, and it’s little wonder that people couldn’t stop talking about it.
6
‘Family Guy’ (1999)
- Release Date
-
January 31, 1999
- Seasons
-
23
The animated comedy Family Guy focuses on the antics of Peter Griffin and his family in the fictional town of Quahog. The episode “HBO-No” parodied several characters and big events from Game of Thrones (as well as Succession and Big Little Lies). Some of these events included Prince Joffrey (Stewie) taking over the throne, John Yellowsnow (Peter) going to battle with the White Walkers, and Joe the Broken (Joe) trying to access his supernatural visions.
Even More References
Outside of this episode, Game of Thrones is referenced multiple other times throughout the series. For example, “Emmy-Winning episode” featured a white walker and dragon, and “Family Cat” and “Hot Pocket-Dial” both featured references to Cersei Lannister’s walk of shame. Several episodes of the show also referenced the infamous Game of Thrones’ Starbucks coffee cup incident.
5
‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009)
- Release Date
-
April 9, 2009
- Seasons
-
7
Parks and Recreation followed the bubbly Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, as she tried to be a good public servant to the residents of Pawnee, Indiana. Leslie’s husband, Ben Wyatt, portrayed by Adam Scott, was a huge Game of Thrones fan. Throughout the show, he referenced the show multiple times, as seen in his eBay username “Tall Tyrion Lannister.” As a result, other characters joined in, with Leslie even gifting him an Iron Throne replica for their anniversary.
The References Continue
There are far more references to Game of Thrones throughout Parks and Recreation’s run. Notably, Leslie even predicted parts of the real show’s ending.
Related
What do Joffrey Baratheon and Barney the Dinosaur have in common? A universal hate among TV fans according to a new poll.
4
‘The Simpsons’ (1989)
- Release Date
-
December 17, 1989
- Seasons
-
36
The Simpsons centers on a lovable but dysfunctional family living in Springfield. During the show’s 29th season premiere, “The Serfsons,” Marge learns that her mother, Jacqueline, has been bitten by an Ice Walker. The expensive Amulet of Warmfyre will prevent her from turning to ice, so Marge’s daughter, Lisa, uses her magic to create gold in order to buy it. Unfortunately, this attracts the attention of the evil King Quimby, who charges her with witchcraft.
Trying to get her back, Homer leads a peasant revolt which ends with them facing a dragon. Jacqueline removes her amulet in order to turn herself into ice and kill it, which has the added effect of removing magic the world’s magic. Not wanting to live in a world of science, Homer tries to bring the dragon back to life, only for it to destroy the village.
“The Serfsons” is a fun, albeit strange take on Game of Thrones, from the Ice Walkers standing in for White Walkers to the obvious dragon tie-in. Notably, though perhaps unsurprisingly, it predicted part of the series’ ending. However, this is far from the only time The Simpsons has referenced Game of Thrones. For example, several opening sequences parody the show, while the characters have watched the show (or versions of it, like “Game of Bones”) in multiple episodes. Notably, in “My Life as a Vlog,” Comic Book Guy is shown to be a huge fan, and both he and Selma are able to speak Dothraki.
3
‘The Office’ (2005)
- Release Date
-
March 24, 2005
- Cast
-
Steve Carell
, Rainn Wilson
, John Krasinski
, Jenna Fischer
, Leslie David Baker
, Brian Baumgartner
, Angela Kinsey
, Kate Flannery
, Phyllis Smith
, Creed Bratton
, Oscar Nunez
, B.J. Novak
, Mindy Kaling
, Ed Helms
, Paul Lieberstein
, Craig Robinson
, Ellie Kemper
, Zach Woods
, Melora Hardin
, Andy Buckley
, Catherine Tate
, David Denman
, Rashida Jones
, James Spader
, Robert R. Shafer
, Hugh Dane
, Jake Lacy - Seasons
-
9
A mockumentary sitcom, The Office was set at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and followed the characters through their bizarre daily work life. Erin Hannon, played by Ellie Kemper, was nervous about meeting the family of her boyfriend, Andy Bernard (Ed Helms). To help impress them, Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Schrute offered to teach her Dothraki, and Erin enthusiastically accepted. At the end of the episode, she was saddened to learn that the language was fictional, but her spirits were lifted when Pete Miller (Jake Lacy) revealed that he knew some of the language as well.
Canonically Influential
Dwight’s lessons on Dothraki were apparently so good that its creator, David Peterson, incorporated part of Dwight’s teachings into the official language. The show would once again reference Game of Thrones during the 2011 Emmy Awards, when a Dothraki warrior was interviewed complaining about his co-workers.
Related
George R.R. Martin’s Highly-Rated ’80s Fantasy Drama Series Is Nothing Like ‘Game of Thrones’
Decades before ‘Game of Thrones’ hit the screens, George R.R. Martin served as a writer and producer in a critically acclaimed fantasy show.
2
‘Sesame Street’ (1969)
- Release Date
-
November 10, 1969
- Seasons
-
53
During the 45th season of Sesame Street, viewers were delighted to see an age-appropriate Game of Thrones parody. During the skit “Game of Chairs,” the characters journeyed to the land of Jesteros where they encountered puppet-versions of Tyrion, Daenerys, and others from the show. They then participated in Game of Chairs to decide the kingdom’s new ruler, only for a clumsy Grover to somehow win.
References Both Ways
Funnily enough, Game of Thrones also referenced Sesame Street several times. Most notably, multiple House Tully members share names with the characters, such as Ser Elmo Tully, Lord Kermit Tully, and Lord Grover Tully. The latter of these was mentioned in an episode of House of the Dragon, which led to this hilarious tweet:
1
‘South Park’ (1997)
- Release Date
-
August 13, 1997
- Seasons
-
26
When it comes to Game of Thrones’ references, South Park’s Black Friday trilogy reigns supreme. These Thanksgiving episodes feature the boys strategizing to be the first people in the mall for Black Friday in order to get a massive discount. Unfortunately, it’s soon discovered that some of the boys want PS4s while others want Xbox Ones, which leads them to form factions and battle against each other.
Thankful for These References
From Cartman’s betrayal garden to George R.R. Martin’s “Wiener Wiener” song and Kenny becoming a real princess, these episodes are clever, hilarious, and a fitting tribute to Game of Thrones. It’s hard to fully sum up what makes this trilogy so great, but it’s unsurprising that the parody lands, since it’s far from the first time the show has referenced other media.