It’s an indisputable fact that “Game of Thrones” is one of the most popular shows on television, and I find that fact disturbing on a culturally existential level. It’s misogynist, it’s homophobic, it’s ultra-violent in a way that substitutes shock value for character development and world building. I’m probably in the minority of people that finds this unacceptable. I have a few points that should sway you, as a viewer, against finishing it come Season 8 or starting it if you haven’t already. I read up until book four and watched the first two seasons before abandoning it myself as soon as I knew the series was not going to do anything interesting or evolve beyond its flawed premise. A thorough critique of what I do enjoy about Game of Thrones, show or book, would be a dissertation’s worth of content and we’ll exclusively focus on what the show offers viewers. I’ll also admit that I’m not a fan of entertainment sensationalizing the horrors of reality and categorizing it as “adult." I find it to be a childish mentality of “edginess” that often sacrifices substance and depth for revulsion and a lack of self-awareness. Obviously, HUGE spoilers ahead for the show.

1. Game of Thrones trivializes violence and rape; it doesn’t treat these subjects seriously

If you’re going to say you want your fantasy cake and also eat your realism too, then Ned Stark dying in King’s Landing for the sake of honor is the last death that means anything in GOT. No, Ygritte didn’t need to die, and no that’s not because I was invested in her as a character. Meaningless death is not something for existentialists to ponder, not something to be peddled as "realist" entertainment to the masses. Do we consider human bodily functions like going to the restroom to be “realism?" We don’t see soldiers dying of dysentery or some fantasy plague in GOT either. The shadow of death and disease should drive the story or contribute to a world event, not drive a male character or give your costuming department a way to copy Monty Python peasant wardrobes because then it renders death cheap and women as uniquely disposable. Women are already considered disposable under White supremacist patriarchy. The United States is out here ruthlessly wars and bombs millions across the global South and for some reason, the “Game of Thrones” fandom finds a peculiar solace in the excessive brutality portrayed on the show. One such moment that was interesting to me at the time but has now lost its impact on the plot and viewers alike was the birthing of Melisandre’s (as Twitter has dubbed it) “shadow baby”. It was profoundly grotesque for...why again? Some wishy-washy “MELISANDRE IS AN EVIL WITCH” trope that’s existed in the genre since the dawn of patriarchy. Same goes for Daenarys’ rape and abuse. It meant nothing in the end and it was unnecessary. Death and horror are wielded like a club instead of a scalpel in Game of Thrones, and that’s bad writing, not “realism."

2. Game of Thrones sells itself as based on subverting fantasy tropes when it doesn’t do that

I touched on this in the previous paragraph, but GOT has what I would term a “low fantasy” in that it doesn’t focus on the magical or supernatural aspects and those that do exist aren’t the main draw of the show. Bran’s “warging” and the White Walkers are the omnipresent counterexamples to this, and I think that’s one of the show’s strongest contradictions that remains unresolved - it’s not committed to any internal logic. Either this is a semi-fantastical recreation of the Wars of the Roses or this is an uber-dark Lord of the Rings. Pick one. Because, right now the show is sacrificing both of the strengths of both approaches in return for both of their weaknesses, like a bastard hybrid of Tolkien and Glen Cook.

3. Game of Thrones over-relies on star power and visuals - i.e. style over substance

The acting in Game of Thrones is competent, sometimes phenomenal. I’ll be the first to admit Charles Dance, Maisie Williams, Peter Dinklage and Natalie Dormer delivered great performances. As much as I love some of the cast, the show is too white and sidesteps this problem with Daenarys’ white savior plotline with token efforts over in Dorne. Moreover, the GOT budget spends egregious amounts of money on CGI and the season seven finale is a grand example of Dragon Ex Machina that is acceptable for style points even though it didn’t make any damn sense (how is a dragon revived as a white walker but still can breathe fire?). None of the battles to date (with the exception that proves the rule, the Battle of the Bastards), although spectacular in scope, had the proper build up and the whole show feels bloated as a result.

Give up “Game of Thrones." It’s an unhealthy cultural addiction that we’re worse off for. Go read “A Wizard of Earthsea." Snuggle up with “The Flash." Do anything besides rot your brain with disgusting misogynist violence. I promise you you’re not missing anything revolutionary or game-changing in media.