HBO’s hit show Game of Thrones has captivated the world since its premiere. Millions of people around the world watch it (or pirate it), can quote iconic lines from the series off the top of their head, and are absolutely dying for the next installment in the best-selling series of fantasy novels that the show is based on. There really is no denying the show’s grasp on its diehard fans- 10.11 million U.S. viewers tuned in to the season 7 premiere that aired this past August. However, despite its obvious popularity and hold on a good number of the population, many people straight up refuse to watch the show. Understandable. Totally understandable. I was definitely one of them for a really long time, until this past July as I was contemplating what show to binge-watch next while I paint my nails and wait for them to dry. Game of Thrones had always been on my list of shows that people had constantly recommended to me throughout the years, so I decided to give it a try.
I definitely do not regret it.
First, I’d like to clarify that I’m the type of person who has experience binge-watching shows within days or weeks, depending on the length of each episode, the number of episodes per season, and how many seasons there are in all. However, I have to say that watching Game of Thrones had to be one of the most stressful and excruciating watching experiences of my life. I was distressed when I knew a character was in trouble, shocked as I watched betrayal after betrayal occur, and absolutely heartbroken as I watched the lives of beloved characters flash before their eyes. I needed to know what happened next after practically every single episode. I often put myself to sleep at around 2 in the morning, tossing and turning over the fate of both my favorite characters and the most despicable ones. I think it can, in a way, be a pretty good thing to be stressed out while watching the show- it shows that I was pretty invested in the characters and the story. However, it can be pretty bad too.
One of the biggest cons of binge-watching any long-running series is definitely the burnout. I found myself halfway through catching up (towards the middle of season 3), tired of watching Game of Thrones day in and day out. I mean, I really had nothing better to do- I was often doing household chores like washing the dishes or working out while trying to catch up before the season 7 premiere in August. However, I definitely needed a break. The episodes aren’t going anywhere, so what was the point of rushing through things? Whatever happens in the story, whatever lies in wait for character x or character z was still going to happen, whether I decide to watch the next episode in an hour or next week. There’s no point, in my opinion, watching a show while you’re absolutely exhausted of it. Shows are meant to be enjoyed, even if they can be quite distressing, and the great thing about them is that the story can be put on hold. So no, I did not catch up in time for the season 7 premiere, but I did catch up when I was ready, which was right before the season finale.
While the idea of starting a show that has been going on for what seems like forever (its first episode aired in August 2011, that’s like 6 years ago) can seem quite daunting, you should definitely try out Game of Thrones if you can. You don’t need to binge-watch it like I did, you can take it in small doses and watch it whenever you want to. And even if you know some major spoilers (before I started watching the show, I had already seen the clip of the infamous “Red Wedding” episode), I promise that it doesn’t ruin anything about the experience of watching it. There’s so much more to Game of Thrones than plot twists, even though they are enjoyable, because the impeccable acting, remarkable sets, amazing soundtrack, and beautifully written characters has created a world that millions of people have become captivated with.