Those of you that are loyal Throners like myself were likely grabbed by the title of this article. To these people, I say hello and happy reunion between you and the greatest story ever told on network television. To the rest of you, the uninitiated, I say: block off your next available hour and become a part of something that began in the mind of an American novelist and has now become a global movement. By now, you must know I'm talking about HBO's Game of Thrones.
This month of April marks the return of a television series that has captured the hearts and minds of people in all corners of the globe. It's been about year since the last episode of season 4 was aired and now the masterpiece has returned. I'm writing this not as a typical fanboy, spouting the usual praise that you've likely heard about this show in a desperate attempt to convert you. I'm writing this as a fellow enthusiast of a well-told story. I one day hope to be a novelist with a fraction of the fame that the great George R. R. Martin has attained in his career; and I have a deep appreciation for the the bigger picture of this series.
Yes, it has the necessary elements for any successful HBO series: blood, sex, suspense, and mind-bending twists. But I think that what this show does better than anything else on TV is offer a large cast of characters, each one with a crucial role in the story, a deep and identifiable backstory, and an excuse to love or hate him or her. Never before have I had such strong opinions about so many characters in a single show. I've written about AMC's Breaking Bad before, another show at the top of many critics' lists, citing my equally strong opinions about those characters. But there are really only a handful of characters in that show that are developed so thoroughly and have fostered such deep love or hate in the hearts of fans that could be compared to the characters in Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones has an entire world of characters, each with their own detailed ancestry that can be followed back for centuries within the absolutely massive fictional literary scope that Martin has built. He hasn't just written a book, he's created his own world that we've been graciously invited to visit for one hour every Sunday at 9 PM. Martin has created a story with such incredible depth and complexity that he hasn't just captivated aspiring storytellers like me; he's got the whole modern world by the throat with his narrative.
In Game of Thrones, no one is sacred and no one is safe. Characters you've followed for a whole season could have their heads lopped off or a dagger plunged into their hearts at a moment's notice. Kings are crowned and violently unseated with lies, deceit, and blood feuds at every turn. As Cersei Lannister so eloquently put it, "When you play the game of thrones, you either win or you die," and those that watch the show know she definitely wasn't kidding.
