Why you should all watch Game of Thrones. Now.

First things first, before you continue reading this, put the first episode of Game of Thrones on to download. You’ll thank me later for saving you 10 minutes of waiting time. Why? Because this is a show you absolutely must watch as soon as humanly possible. This is a triumph of storytelling that should be celebrated by all.

So I guess before I go on, I should at least tell you what Game of Thrones is.  It’s a medieval/fantasy TV show based (extremely closely) on a series of books called ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R. R. Martin. But before you go thinking this is just another Lord of the Rings, stop thinking and just listen. Or read. You know. Unlike most fantasy which has dwarfs, elves, trolls, dragons and/or wizards around every corner, this show is something different altogether. This tale is much more realistic, based on the most noble families of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, who are all fighting for the Iron Throne. I’ve heard it called ‘The Sopranos in Middle Earth’, which is just about on the money.

This show runs like one continuous multi-chaptered movie, and has everything you could possibly want shoved in. Love, betrayal, nudity, incest, a dwarf, death, blood, gore… The list goes on. Heck, there is even a 10-year-old breast-feeding in there for you, if that so happens to float your boat. When the fantasy aspects do come into it, the people of Westeros would be as shocked as we would be if a troll suddenly strolled into town. Not that troll’s stroll, (and not that they are in Game of Thrones, so far at least). This works far better than the usual tactic as it makes the supernatural elements far more intriguing for the viewer, instead of just ‘oh, here we go again’.

While this show does only have a television budget, you can tell production got as much out of it as possible. The CGI enhanced sceneries, which include massive castles and a giant man-made ice wall, are spectacular, and make this medieval world all the more believable. It makes the whole thing feel vast and brilliant. The only thing you might want more of are battle scenes, which unfortunately are few and far between, but considering the fact that they are working on an HBO budget, you can tell they used up every cent.

So this show looks beautiful, but that only gets a show so far. The acting and scripting are what make this show truly a television masterpiece. Firstly, the cast of this show is quite possibly the most superb ensemble possible. Sean Bean (who just so happens to be of Lord of the Rings fame) leads a strong central cast as the honourable Ned Stark. Highlights include Lena Headey as the deceitful Queen Cersei and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys. On top of this are the most impressive and talented child actors ever seen on any screen. They put as much soul and emotion into their characters as any adult in the cast, and seen as there are many cases when the children are the centre of events, it’s a big relief that they can pull of the task. And this isn’t even mentioning the thousands of extras that fill out this world and make it feel real.

However, the greatest character you will find is Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage, who deserves every award in the book. Tyrion is ‘The Imp’, the dwarf son of the most powerful man in all of Westeros. While in most films or TV shows, dwarfs are used as comic relief, here Tyrion is an intense character study of what you become when your parents treat you like a disappointment. The womanising, morally ambiguous Imp is a character you will root for, and every scene with him will have you gripped to the screen.

Then we come to the plot and scripting. This show has more unpredictable twists and turns than network television has seen since the turn of the century, and I’m not talking about cheap tricks like those in shows like Lost, I’m talking true jaw-dropping deeds, some of which will leave you in tears and plotting your own vengeance. The end of the penultimate episode of the season is quite possibly the most shocking moment in television history (trust me, I’m still reeling!) Sure, all of this can be credited to the books and Martin, but the production team should be given credit for not softening it for the television audience.

This show also has a great deal of exposition, (and in many cases ‘sexposition’) but none of it ever becomes boring. Despite the many subplots every conversation helps fill in the greater picture, make this world and these characters feel more fully formed than any you have ever seen before. Some of the quieter moments have just as much weight as the action. Some conversations weren’t even pulled from the book, but they feel at home and the
production team has done those characters justice.

All in all, what this all amounts to is the most believable world ever seen on screen, as while watching Game of Thrones you’ll feel like you’re getting just a snapshot into this vast land. The cultures and characters are all so well-rounded that they feel 100% real. And even with the massive plot twists, nothing seems out of the question or out of character, which is a big achievement.

In some ways, I worry that to you reading this, it might seem like this is all empty praise, but I must stress, it is not. Game of Thrones is some of the greatest viewing I have experience in a long, long time. To the point where words won’t simply describe. Besides, I have to be light on details so you can experience the glory yourselves. So, how’s that download going?