Game of Thrones has helped HBO reach some impressive heights over the last six years thanks to the show's continued growth. In
But look beyond the seven kingdoms and you'll notice that HBO's creative cupboard is somewhat bare at a time when the network's hierarchy is undergoing some changes. That raises the question of how HBO will keep thriving once Game of Thrones comes to an expected end after season eight.
Back in May, president of programming Michael Lombardo revealed that he'd be stepping down after a 30-year run that helped shape the modern TV landscape. While the network has the utmost confidence in new shot caller Casey Bloys, investors may be a bit squeamish without the familiar dependability that Lombardo brought.
Already Bloys' tenure is off to a somewhat rocky start. HBO announced back in June that it was canceling the ridiculously expensive Vinyl after just one season. The Hollywood Reporter estimates the two-hour premiere at $30 million, with the first season costing a total of roughly $100 million. Ouch.
Elsewhere, the network has yet to find a reliable heir apparent to Game of Thrones.
True Detective's second go around was universally panned by critics and now it's looking like there won't even be a third season. Sure, HBO still has creator and showrunner Nic Pizzolatto locked up to an overall deal, but a lot of his shine has been rusted away.
Westworld looks like it could be a solid substitute for Westeros, but is it safe to bank on a project that has endured several production delays and massive script edits? Even if Westworld turns out to be a quality product, the show runs the risk of being too off center to become a mainstream hit. Remember, Game of Thrones started as a medieval political drama before dragons and magic took over. Westworld looks as if it's going to dive right into the weirdness, which is fine for critics but not so much for the bottom line.
Right now, HBO is in prime position thanks to the Iron Throne. The most recent season finale drew in a series high 8.9 million live+same day viewers. Across all platforms, season six averaged 23.3 million viewers, making it by far HBO's most popular offering of all time. But given the changes within the company and the lack of slam dunk projects on the horizon, it's fair to wonder if HBO can keep this up once winter has come and gone.
