I was introduced to Game of Thrones via a hard disk containing its first four seasons, an apt initiation to the most pirated programme in...
I was introduced to Game of Thrones via a hard disk containing its first four seasons, an apt initiation to the most pirated programme in the world. My viewing of the series went legit in Season 6, when Hotstar gained rights to stream uncensored versions of each episode at the same time it showed in the US.
As we approach the tenth anniversary of Got, as it is commonly known, and as HBO get ready to milk its biggest hit through a bunch of spinoffs and prequels, it is worth asking what lies behind the show’s unprecedented global appeal. My sense is that its popularity is rooted in a mix of qualities rarely seen in conjunction. An epic scale of action, moving across two continents from frozen wasteland to blazing desert, combines with a masterfully intricate plot in which each thread is given its due weight. Supernatural elements like fire-breathing dragons and an army of the Undead interweave seamlessly with a human realm of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy, romance and renunciation. Villains receive their just desserts in cathartic acts of retribution, but a few fan favourites are killed off with perverse determination, signalling a show that goes beyond simple crowd pleasing.
