By: Andrew Baer & Adam Lujan
This spring will bring joy to fans everywhere when HBO’s “Game of Thrones” returns on April 12. The show is based on “A Song of Fire and Ice,” a fantasy book series written by George R.R. Martin. “Game of Thrones” is set in the fictional world of Westeros, in which many noble families battle for power in the capital, King’s Landing, as symbolized by control of the iron throne.
HBO has hit an absolute home run not only with the readers of the novels, but also with audiences simply intrigued by the action and gripped by the drama and immensely complex plot structure. While people from all walks of life tune in weekly to watch new episodes, the viewership and general excitement generated by the show are not its only successes.
In addition to creating an extremely loyal fanbase that thrives on the commitment and recent explosion in popularity of ComiCon-aimed shows and movies, “Game of Thrones” flipped the script entirely on the standard successful TV dramas of the early 2010s. The show looks very differenent from other successful shows such as AMC’s “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” Showtime’s “Dexter” and even Netflix’s “House of Cards,” which thrive on the interesting complexity of intricate lead characters that audiences love to hate.
“Game of Thrones” instead features a large ensemble, which includes characters that definitely break the mold. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams, “The Falling”) is a tough teenager on the run, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke, “Dom Hemingway”) is an exiled royal with a litter of dragons and Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage, “X-Men: Days of Future Past”) is the short-tempered black sheep of a family dynasty. With such a rich group of talent, the show squashes any sort of belief that its premise will be dependent upon any single character.
Because the show boasts such a large cast, it isn’t shy to make bold moves. At the end of the first season, the show killed off Ned Stark (Sean Bean, “Jupiter Ascending”), one of its main characters, in a shocking twist. Just last season, audiences were shocked when Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal, “Narcos”), a fan favorite character, was brutally murdered in a duel.
The willingness of the writers to stick to Martin’s jaw-dropping storylines is impressive, especially when it comes to these major deaths. However, as it catches up to the storylines in the unfinished book series (readers are still waiting for Martin to complete the final two novels), the show is planning to divert from the source material in the new season.
When the show returns, Jon Snow (Kit Harington, “Pompeii”), Ned’s illegitimate son, must deal with new complications in the North upon the arrival of the former king’s brother Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane, “A Touch of Cloth”). Tyrion, meanwhile, flees Westeros after murdering his father (Charles Dance, “The Imitation Game”) only to meet Daenerys, the dragon queen. Arya, too, finds herself in a new land, Braavos, where she will train to become a true warrior.
In the new season, expect even more authenticity in crafting the world of “Game of Thrones.” From incredible castles to genuine costumes to top-of-the-line visual effects, HBO stops at nothing to ensure that the series looks and feels as if it could be an actual retelling of the history of some unknown land. They bring Westeros to life with vivid imagination, capturing a world as diverse, beautiful and horrifying as our own.
The combination of mass appeal, bold storylines and a strong ensemble cast makes the show truly great. As it heads into its fifth season, “Game of Thrones” continues to amaze audiences and offer exceptional entertainment. The show returns April 12 at 7 p.m. on HBO.
