Winter is here: Why is Game of Thrones so popular?
It's known for its battles, dragons, family feuds and explicit scenes. But what has made Game of Thrones (GOT) such a global success and why do viewers keep on coming back for more?
The TV show, based on George R.R. Martin's best-selling book series, is shortly to launch its highly-anticipated seventh series on July 17.
The HBO drama which has become Sky's biggest hit, reveals the trials and tribulations surrounding two major families - the Lannisters and the Starks.
Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss this medieval fantasy epic has indeed become a hit around the world as people tune in to witness the Starks' apparent fall from grace and the Lannisters ruthless pursuit of power.
That is a somewhat simplified summary of an endlessly complicated and interacting story line following characters' struggle for power. There are a multiplicity of locations, of characters and their particular personal motivations at work throughout the show. There's the Frozen North, the Wall which defends people from monsters, the corrupt coast, the fancy southern capital and overseas full of sun and dragons. It's a complete world, and one that surprisingly, deep down, is not too dissimilar from our own. Indeed, it is also filmed in some familiar locations, including the Giant's Causeway whilst King's Landing itself, the main city in which the series is set, was filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Sam Fleming, PHD student in English Literature at the University of Wolverhampton said: "I think the reason the show is so popular even after six seasons is its unpredictability.
"The audience is lured into a false sense of security in watching the show and investing in the characters.
"If the show demonstrates anything, its the power it has to kill off or maim protagonists as well as provide them with love and comfort.
"It's an extreme representation of how power in the wrong hands corrupts, how people's belief in their god-given right to the throne is absolute.
"In that way, it is very topical, with parallels perhaps being drawn to Brexit and our certain presidents and dictators, naming no names!"
Indeed, one of the main reasons for its popularity could be seen as the show's mixture of pleasure and pain. Arguably, it allows us to feel catharsis through our watching of the characters' struggles through the harsh reality of their everyday lives.
No matter how high born, wealthy or protected anyone in George R R Martin’s world may seem - the show demonstrates how the characters are mere puppets to the whims of fate.
Despite religious belief, family pride, honour, chivalry or any other belief system the characters may cling to – one thing remains clear. The rain pours on the righteous and unrighteous alike. In a nutshell – bad things happen to good people, and bad people, and really, really evil people – everyone in fact.
Arguably, in this world, there is no good or bad – as Queen Cersci says – in the GOT you win or die – there is no second place.
In a setting reminiscent of medieval England, with a feudal patriarchal hierarchy to boot – you have an unequal society, with unequal citizens, with a rigid social system – where bad things just keep happening.
Good qualities are a weakness, bad qualities are a weakness – and random chance seems to rule who may sit the iron throne.
Self-confessed super fan, David Lindsay-Spence, 28, of Birmingham, said: "Game of Thrones for me is the ultimate escapism. A world of violence, plots, intrigue and hidden mysteries that keeps me going back to delve deeper into the rich more again and again and again."
So GOT is not only an amazing piece of television, with some of the best writing, character development and set pieces ever put to TV. But it also allows us to sit in our front rooms, house, eating a bag of chocolate with our partner and say... "You know what love, this isn’t so bad... ohh look a dragon."
And that is why it has an appeal that will last as long as, well, the fight for the iron throne and beyond.
