Look Past The Dragons In Game of Thrones

New York Magazine ^ | May 19, 2013 | Matt Zoller Seitz

[OddLane]

We’re only halfway through the season, and it’s only May, but it’s already hard for me to imagine any show topping Game of Thrones on my 2013 year-end best-of list. There are more innovative and original series, but none that satisfies on so many levels, or that juggles so much plot and so many characters with the appearance of ease.

Since HBO’s blockbuster adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s fiction debuted in 2011, many have lodged complaints about the show’s racial stereotypes and simplistic sexual dynamics—and rightly so; Thrones was a problematic series and still is, despite course corrections that suggest showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss heard their critics. Beyond that, however, the show doesn’t get enough credit. Nearly a decade after ­Peter Jackson won Oscars for a film ­series about wizards and hobbits, fantasy is still seen as disreputable nerd bait rather than a legitimate mainstream genre.

That should change this year, and if it doesn’t, fans can cry foul.

[fr_freak]

After three or four episodes, I’m having the same problem I had with “24” - I get so angry at the evil characters, and the delayed sense of justice, that I can hardly watch it...

Actually, I think that is one of the show's main failings, which tends to make it boring: there are plenty of evil characters, but not really any good ones, so you never really get emotionally involved with the story. You're just watching a bunch of a**holes battling for supremacy. I know the show is designed to have the audience root for the Stark family, but they aren't particularly endearing either. I think a really engaging show has to give the audience someone to root for, and ideally, someone to root against. Instead we have a glorified version of "Jersey Shore" with dragons and ballgowns. I'd say the only character I actually like is the dwarf, not because he's good, but just because he's cool.

[gorush]

You are correct...I had another episode of mentalpause.

[Perdogg]

I am assuming that a strongman will emerge from Dany Tagaryen’s Praetorian guard.

I just received my Folio Society’s copy of “The War of the Roses” by Desmond Seward.

[Tax-chick]

I read that recently.

[Future Snake Eater]

You're just watching a bunch of a**holes battling for supremacy.

I really enjoy the show, but I have to agree with your analysis. I get the impression that George R. R. Martin doesn't much care for his characters either. Apparently when asked about how it would end he said that the end would be a cloud of dust or snow being driven by the wind across a vast graveyard full of tombstones.

Not exactly a "happily ever after" scenario there...

[varina davis]

I love Game of Thrones and I don’t even care much for fantasy. The characters are strong, the acting and direction is first rate and it is filmed on location. The story is powerful and intriguing. Can’t get much better than that for a tv series.

[Future Snake Eater]

The problem with the show is it uses violence, sex (including homosexual), and nudity as shock value rather than adding anything to the plot.

I'm reading the first book now, and though the show sticks pretty closely to the book, I have been surprised by how relatively little of this stuff is in the book. Shock value, for sure.

[BenLurkin]

“Now is the winter of our discontent.”

[vladimir998]

It’s scenes like this that make the show what it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-S9VVH-toc

[LegendHasIt]

As much as I despise The author, who is an anti-American leftist and a huge douche in general, I do love the ASoIaF books.

So many parallels to the current “Game of Thrones” in Washington.

Jeoffrey = 0bama: We have the Petulant Child as King / President.

Cersi= a composite of MoochHell, Hillary and Valerie Jarrett

King Robert = Bill Clinton; more interested in whores than running his nation.

Tywin Lannister = George Soros

Renley Baratheon= Mitt Romney

Theon Greyjoy= John McCain

Petyr Baelish= Lew, Geithner, Bernanke composite

Walder Frey= About every Democrat Senator (and half of the GOP ones)

Janos Slynt= Janet Napolitano

Ygritte= Sarah Palin

Brienne= Michelle Bachmann

Ser Loras = Reggie Love

The Weeper= John Boehner

Unfortunately, I don’t see any Danerys, Jon Snow, or Tyrion Lannisters or any of the smart and somewhat honorable characters in real life. Ted Cruz maybe.

[RegulatorCountry]

Despite the excesses, I've really enjoyed Game Of Thrones. Having not read the books I had no preconceptions. The characters are almost perfectly cast, the locations are stunning, the props and costuming are phenomenal and the story is elaborate enough to have the undercurrents and back channels that make for surprise yet it remains true to a simple trajectory.

I have had high hopes for the development of the Daenerys Targaryen “Mother Of Dragons” character, she's physically very beautiful and therefore easy to watch. But, thus far this season, the few examples of stilted or strained storylines or ancillary characters has centered around her. This whole “great white hope” freeing all the slaves is racism masquerading as anachronistic progressivist fantasy. It's as wooden as one of Ayn Rand's protagonists hopping on a soapbox for a chapter-long soliloquy.

Maybe there's more going on, a leader is emerging among “her” people, “The Worm.” Given the particulars though, I'm a little concerned that the author and the directors just can't help themselves and will end up going full Mandingo on us.

It feels that predictable to me at this point. They'll lose me if so.

[OddLane]

I'm about three hundred pages or so into A Storm of Swords,, the third book in the series.

I've only watched one episode of Game of Thrones, but I was impressed.

[Tax-chick]

Tom (#2 son) is reading that now. We got a disc from Netflix, but decided it really wasn’t suitable for our viewing audience.

[OddLane]

I can just imagine.

Not much on HBo is family friendly.

[Tax-chick]

So I understand, from what I read on FR! We don’t actually consume much current pop culture, just read about it.

Well, I do recognize several X-men, like Captain Picard and Halle Berry, since Tom watched the movies before I went to bed.

[Truth29]

"Only thing that really bugs me is the continued insistence on showing gay sex. I figured it was done since Renly is dead, but I should have known that as long as Ser Loras remains, so does the potential for more...crap."

I haven't seen the series, so perhaps this unfair, but that is really off putting to any idea to watch the program.

[higgmeister]

I’ve never had the urge to watch it.

[matginzac]

Whoa, Nelly...not quite...
The House of Lancaster was established by Henry IV who killed Richard II for the throne. Henry was the very legitimate son of John of Gaunt by Blanche of Lancaster, daughter of the very wealthy Duke of Lancaster.
And those “bastard children” were legitimized by the Church after John married Katherine when his last wife died.
You are right, though, that the children of John and Katherine were fashioned Beaufort and Henry VII is a Beaufort, hence their blood is in ER II’s veins...with more German blood than anything else!
Cheers....

[matginzac]

Another excellent and recently published book on the War of the Roses is by Alison Weir...not too hard to follow and actually entertaining.

[gorush]

Cheers!