In a new interview with the New York Times, “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin offered more detail about the wide range of spin-offs that HBO has in development and the approach that he hopes to see the network take when it comes to producing them. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. He added: “We have some animated shows going, one of which was set in Yi Ti, which is basically the fantasy version of Imperial China or the Far East. We got a terrific script on that. Obviously, not all these shows we’re developing are going to make it to air, but I hope that several of them do.” Perhaps more interestingly, Martin was asked about his approach to the high-level strategy that goes into planning all of these spin-offs. While he noted that he likes the wide variety of Marvel shows currently airing, he also thinks that the “Game of Thrones” spin-offs could mirror those of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Martin believes that his universe could replicate the way the iconic sitcom was able to deliver spin-offs in completely different genres. “Another model that I think was interesting was the old ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show,’” he said. “That show generated a number of spin-offs: There was ‘Rhoda,’ about her friend. Phyllis got her own show. And the one that really excited me was ‘Lou Grant.’ They took this character from a sitcom and they made him the hero of a serious journalism show. That’s pretty amazing to take a character who is a comic foil and make him the center of a serious show. I’d like to see a range in our shows.” “House of the Dragon” premieres Sunday, August 21 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
