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| Peter Dinklage |
Over the course of five seasons, Game of Thrones has become a juggernaut for HBO. It has even become the channel's most watched series in history, beating the likes of The Sopranos. The series has a celebrated history of shock and terror as it pushes the boundaries of violence and sex, not specifically consensual or with good intentions. It is The Lord of the Rings with a more chauvinist and cynical attitude in which pretensions are cast aside in favor of a medieval soap opera with impressive production qualities and a growing list of names you'll never memorize. It became such a phenomenon that it dragged me, someone who doesn't care for shows like this, to watch the series to understand the public conversations. As season five wraps up with a pressing and powerful episode, I want to make my first public opinions about the show and ask: why does this bother you?
I am not asking why me watching the show is bothersome. I am asking why Game of Thrones warrants the controversy. It is true that it shows us a lot of unpleasant things. This season alone featured rape and children burning. We are five seasons deep and should know how the game is played, especially for those who have read writer George R.R. Martin's source material known as the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. While there's talk that the series has sped ahead of the source material, leaving room for original content, we still should know what we're in for. We do know that the show's chauvinist viewpoint is prone to make shocking (and sometimes enthralling) deaths. We see time and again sex being used as a power move. Yet each time, we are shocked to the nines. Is it because of great writing? Sometimes. Most of the time it is just baffling, especially as Martin has become the patron saint of "I'll kill everything you ever loved" memes. In a series that is so predicated on death, why do we become invested in anything?
These are the general conflicts that arise when I watch Game of Thrones. I am willing to go along with the majestic scenery, occasionally clever setting, and a cast of very good actors. I am fine with this despite noticing the formula that nothing exciting happens until halfway through a season. I like that it is occasionally funny and is the most HBO show (note: not necessarily the best) in the channel's history. It is escapism that shows like Outlander try to capture, but cannot. I am unsure why this is, considering how predictable the show's beats can be. In the end, I think that the increasingly large cast plays in its favor and allows even the most minuscule of characters to have their moment. Some are obvious in their despicable nature. Maybe it is the voyeurism that is most appealing.
However, there was something to the series that felt missing in season five. While I generally have a lot of gripes with the series, I have found the show to be consistently engaging. Season four marked a certain high point with the death of evil incarnate Joffrey and "The Mountain and the Viper." There was a changing of the guards, thus creating uncertainty that piled in episode after episode. It broke from the formula and produced something captivating. True, the show largely worked because Joffrey was a character that defined "loved to hate." He made his unpleasant existence worthwhile in ways that no rapist or pillager this season has. If anything, it has reduced most conflict to the less captivating philosophical debate format.
Yes, there have been some excellent episodes. "Hardhome" is a reminder of what the show does best. While it is packed with characters, it still will use them effectively. Through implicit moments, we begin to care and soon the epic peril feels more real. What makes Game of Thrones particularly unique is that despite record numbers in episode piracy, its production scale is unmatched, even on HBO. Not since Rome has there been such an expensive show that effectively used most of its artillery. We get the sense that we are in Westeros and that we are watching dragons fly. From a production standpoint, it makes sense why this show is so popular and causes some misleadingly to call TV as being cinematic. For all of its constant death, the show looks good doing it.
Maybe it is hard for me to appreciate Game of Thrones largely because I don't like this genre too much. It could also be that I watch with the jaded eye in which nothing is shocking. This world exists in its own moral compass and will defend it until I'm concerned that misogynists are getting the wrong idea. The show is extremely silly and so are people who watch just to be surprised. At a certain point death isn't surprising. Rape isn't surprising. It is all just in doing with another episode of the show. Do I think that it raises interesting moral debates? After five seasons, not really. You had 40 previous episodes to realize the show's intentions as being unfavorable. To be mad by the nth moment of sexual abuse is more on you. I don't condone the actions and feel that as a viewer, we are not being lied to. If you're feeling like your buttons are being pushed too much, then maybe invest in a new console.
As a whole, Game of Thrones's legacy makes sense, as it embraces all of the animal instincts that viewers have. While The Wire is far more intelligent and Deadwood uses profanity and sex far more effectively, there's something to this large fantasy cast and their futile goals. We know that they're all going to die or get brutally violated. We know that after 50 episodes, they can still pull the same familiar card and expect it to work. In this sense, the show has reached stagnation. However, it is quite a majestic stagnation that looks really good and is often filled with interesting dialogue. For all of the show's faults, I am captivated by this strange world still. Do I care who lives or dies? That would take too much effort. Is it the best thing that HBO has made? Only in terms of populous entertainment. It may unfortunately overshadow more significant shows, such as the last season of Mad Men, but at least it's really good at being a stagnant show.
Season Five Rating: 3 out of 5
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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