When it comes to television shows, there are very few series
which can be claimed as being completely remarkable. Game of Thrones, a
television series which is based on George R. R. Martin’s novel series, A Song
of Ice and Fire, is a medieval fantasy-based tv show. It falls into the
categories of complicated, diverse, imaginative, and truly remarkable. It is
definitely a well written piece of fantasy fiction which has been produced
excellently for an on screen adaptation in the form of a television series.
The first season of Game of Thrones is a faithful adaptation
of the first book in the novel series, A Game of Thrones, which also lends its
title for the entire television series. The plot picks up with the death of the
Hand of the King, the second in command who takes care of the day-to-day
operations in the kingdom in the absence of the king. King Robert Baratheon
visits his old friend Lord Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark to ask him to take up the vacant
post of Hand of the King. The king travels along with his wife Queen Cersei
Lannister and children, the eldest of who is Prince Joffrey Baratheon. Also
travelling with the king is Ser Jaime Lannister, brother of Queen Cersei and
brother-in-law of the king. Thus, the opening of the series introduces the
three most important families in the story, the Starks, the Baratheons and the
Lannisters. The plot continues with Ned Stark accepting the position of
second-in-command to the king while his son suffers an accident which cripples
him for life. Ned Stark leaves his family home in the north and moves to the
capital city called King’s Landing where he will take care of the matters of
the state. During this time, he discovers that the previous Hand of the King
was murdered while he was uncovering the truth about the king’s family. Ned
Stark picks up where the last Hand left off and the story follows.
The series has an unlimited supply of characters, both
starring and recurring, which makes it hard to follow. But nevertheless, this
series is one of the most interesting fantasy tv shows to grace the screen in
the recent past. The protagonist of the series is the family of Stark which
comprises the patriarch Lord Eddard Stark, his wife Lady Catelyn Stark and
their five children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. Ned Stark also has
another son, Jon Snow, who was born out of wedlock and lives with the family in
their castle.
The entire series is constructed in a fictional land of
Westeros, with a parallel story running on an adjacent land called Essos. The
characters can be divided based on their family line and the areas they are
from, thus the most important family is the Starks who are the ruling family in
the North, the Baratheons are the current monarchy and the Lannisters are
related to them by way of marriage. The other important families in the story
are the Targaryens, the previous monarchy who were overthrown by the death of
the king and his children banished to the far off lands of Essos. Viserys Targaryen
and his sister Daenerys roam the wastelands trying to find a way back. Finally,
Daenerys is married off to Khal Drogo, leader of a nomadic tribe called
Dothraki, in exchange for an army which will help Viserys take back the throne
in Westeros. As the story unfolds, more households and families come into the
fray to add depth to the plot.
The production value of the series shows with the excellent
costumes, sets and props. The parlance in the series matches that of medieval monarchal
times. In terms of letdowns in this series there are near to none, barring the
long parade of characters which is less of a hindrance and more of a positive tick
in the plot.
The series touches upon a long list of topics like loyalty,
honour, pride, religion, hierarchy, crime, sexuality, morality, incest, and
more. It is a truly well rounded plot which is crafted to perfection and
executed splendidly. At the same time, the themes in the series may not be for
everyone and will not suit the fainthearted and the weak-willed.
Game of Thrones serves as a paragon for fantasy tv shows and
is a must watch as it can be enjoyed by all. It has the ability to convert a
fantasy cynic into a fan.
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