They made a mistake giving me the opportunity to talk about why Game of Thrones is awesome. I could talk ad infinitum about the show, as I (nerd that I am) have read all of the books that the show is based on, the A Song of Ice and Fire series. But I don’t nearly have enough space or time to go on about the intricacies of the Lannister’s deception or why Jon Snow is so cool (pun intended), or talk about that one major character dying (yes, that one). Instead, I will try to give a broad, overarching description and recommendation to any newcomers to the world of Westeros.
The popular HBO show “Game of Thrones” is based on the fantasy series of George R.R. Martin, with the name deriving from the first book in the series, A Game of Thrones. While the show is just named Game of Thrones, it refers to the entire series, instead of the lengthier A Song of Ice and Fire. Plus, Game of Thrones just sounds catchy. While fantasy, Martin keeps things as realistic as he can, with elements of magic sprinkled in sparingly. The show is more reminiscent of medieval times, with noble families, intrigue and deception, civil war, and lots of blood and sex. While there are dragons and shape shifters and giant wolves, both the show and the books focus more on the human aspect of fantasy. Interactions between characters, subterfuge, loyalty, honor, betrayals, and duty are all critical to how the show progresses. Events follow characters across the land of Westeros and beyond, as the stories of characters happen simultaneously across distances of many miles. And the show remains faithful to the books; Martin works closely in conjunction with the show directors, with only minor changes being made. Their collaboration has sparked one of the most highly rated and commercially successful shows in recent memory.
The plot of the story follows a myriad of characters, which over the course of the show become as familiar as friends. Westeros has been plagued by war and deception for many years, where the previous tyrannical ruling family, House Targaryen, has been overthrown, and relative peace has lasted under the rule of the Baratheons. But suddenly, the Hand of the King (see second in command) dies unexpectedly, and the King travels north to the castle of Winterfell, where Warden of the North Eddard Stark (played by Sean Bean) keeps vigilant watch over the rowdy northern wilderness. What follows is civil war, deception, assassination, murder, incest, and all manners of adult entertainment (spawning what has been termed ‘sexposition,’ wherein important plot details are revealed in the presence of sex and nudity). As you can imagine, Game of Thrones is a mature show, and very much R-rated. But even with all this explicit material, Game of Thrones manages to maintain a very deep and complex narrative, compelling characters, a multitude of themes and ideas, and much more. But be careful becoming fond of someone in the show, as Martin takes a delight in killing off characters in spectacular fashion (all with narrative significance, of course).
The only problem one might have in viewing the show is that it is an HBO exclusive, meaning if you do not have a subscription with HBO, you cannot see it (legally). That little obstacle aside, I cannot recommend a more exciting, dramatic, and heartbreaking show. Investing in this show will pay out in dividends, whether you want it to or not. So change the channel, grab your broadswords and black cloaks, (preferably while muttering something about winter coming), and dive in!