Although initially envisioned as just another series to be covered in The Couch Potato, I feel this is going to need a lot more attention and time, and I don't want to restrict the other content in that journal by concentrating too much on this. The only real way around that then is to give this its own journal.
And here it is.
Game of Thrones is based on the fantasy novel sequence
A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, and takes place in the fictional land of Westeros, where the seasons don't behave as you would expect. Winter is coming, and winters around here can last for years, even longer. The balance of power is constantly shifting as families vie for control of the Iron Throne, the ultimate symbol of rule in Westeros, while outside the massive edifice built to keep out the unnameable horrors that stalk beyond its borders, The Wall is patrolled by the Night's Watch, from their holdfast at Castle Black. Based mostly on the English War of the Roses,
Game of Thrones is rife with intrigue, violence, betrayal, treachery, alliances made and broken, and a smattering of magic. Oh yeah, and sex. Lots of sex.
Shown on the HBO Network,
Game of Thrones is famous (or perhaps infamous) for spearheading a new wave of "harder" drama which tends to be more graphic in areas such as sex and violence. It quickly became a massive hit, even with those who wouldn't normally be found dead anywhere near fantasy, sword and sorcery or the like. This is mostly down to the fact that Martin uses, shall we say, more earthy language in his books (and thus in his series) with characters eschewing the likes of medieval speech forms for more colourful, coarse and real language, which in turn makes it more palatable to those who are not familiar with the normal speech patterns used in fantasy. This makes the characters, the situations and the stories more real, and so your average person who has never even picked up
Lord of the Rings or has a clue who Elric of Melnibone is, much less cares, can get invested in this show without seeming to be, well, a geek or a nerd.
Just about to go into its seventh season, the breadth of the show is amazing, with the action moving from Westeros out to other lands, imparting the storyline a sweeping, almost limitless scope, and as for twists: well, all I can say is there are developments over the course of the series that you just can't even attempt to predict.
24? Pah: mere playing with plot twists.
Spooks? Amateurs. Shows like those may have set the initial idea for things not always going as you would expect, but Martin takes this to new extremes, even going so far as to – ah but no: that would be telling.
Game of Thrones is first and foremost a character-driven series, so let's meet some of them.
(Note: to avoid giving away any unintentional spoilers or plot twists, these will be very sketchy and basis profiles)
HOUSE STARK
Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark played by Sean Bean: Lord of the northern stronghold of Winterfell, and in season one asked by the King to be his Hand, ie second-in-command. Things very rapidly fail to work out for him though.
Lady Catelyn Stark played by Michelle Fairley: Wife to Eddard
Robb Stark played by Richard Madden: Eldest son of Ned and Catelyn
Bran Stark played by Isaac Hempstead Wright: Son of Ned and Catelyn
Arya Stark played by Maisie Williams: Daughter of Ned and Catelyn
Sansa Stark played by Sophie Turner: Eldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn
Under the protection of House Stark
Jon Snow played by Kit Harrington: Bastard son of Ned, he is technically not a Stark but Ned tries to treat him as one.
Theon Greyjoy played by Alfie Allen: A hostage/ward, taken by Ned after his father's failed rebellion