One of my friends has just started "Game of Thrones," and when I mean started, I mean like from season one, episode one. (This girl has shown up late to the "Game of Thrones" fandom, the series has just finished season five.) So, being the sucker for the fandom as I am, I watched episode one with her. This was literally the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! As she is asking questions throughout the episode, I have to seriously think about my responses before I tell her anything because I know what’s going to happen and what it leads to throughout the series. And if you have watched "Game of Thrones" you know how episode one ends, right? How do I even begin to try and not spoil it for her? So without further ado here is how torturous and unsuspectingly funny it is to watch one of your friends go through a series you have already watched.
1. The Warning
When my friend told me she was going to start "Game of Thrones" I took her aside, sat her down and proceeded to warn her of the violence and sex that will completely occupy the series. I don’t quite think she took my warnings to heart because when “those scenes” came up she was sort of shocked. But hey, I warned her, right?
2. Coming Home
As soon as the familiar introduction started for "Game of Thrones," it felt like I was coming home for the holidays. Nothing feels more nostalgic than going back and watching the very first episode of a series that you have become invested in. There are characters that you haven’t seen in seasons that just make you feel bitter because you know what is about to happen.
3. Facial Hilarity
Soon after the
4. Restraint! I must use restraint!
Okay, this is when the hard part starts and I think I can speak for everyone who has had a friend come late to a series. This part starts when the episode has ended and your friend is speechless for a few moments and then it’s like a dam breaks, except instead of water flowing, there are questions. What happened!? Will he live? Does he think their love is real? What the heck was that in the forest? And on and on the questions go. However, you can’t say a thing because you will literally spoil the next episode and/or the whole freaking plot line.
5. Bitterness
This is the one thing that I envy about people who start a series late in the game — they get to see what happens next automatically because all the episodes are out for them to watch. They don’t have to suffer a week to find out what happens next. They just hit the next button on Netflix or wherever they are watching the show. This makes me bitter because I wish I had waited like them.
6. Fandom Entry
Even though it’s hard to watch your friend go through the roller-coaster that is a TV show, it can bring you closer together. You know when the horrible scenes and events are going to happen so you can warn them ahead of time and be there for them when they happen. I already warned my friend about the last episode of season one of Game of Thrones and about the infamous “Red Wedding.” I’ll be there for her when it happens because when we all watched it being aired on time we were alone and unprepared. I will be bringing plenty of tissues and chocolate when she gets to these episodes though because once you enter a fandom you are never alone.
