Sorry, But I Just Don’t Get Game of Thrones

Please tell me why I should care about Daenerys Somethingen and her dragons

“So, did you see Game of Thrones last night?” Oh dear, I think. This is the part of the conversation I can’t join in with. I’ll just have to sit quietly until the subject gets changed.

Yes, you read that right. I don’t watch Game of Thrones. Or any of the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit or any other fantasy TV series/film. I don’t really have any interest in doing so either.

It often feels like I’m the only one not watching Game of Thrones, especially when everyone on Twitter is reeling over yet another character dying at a wedding – seriously, by the sounds of it everyone on this show dies. Even without watching it, I’ve been exposed to the fact winter is coming and Jon Snow knows nothing, but what the different royal houses in the show are actually fighting over I don’t know.

I know some people will think I just need to give it a chance, but trust me I have. I watched a few episodes while at university to see what the fuss was about but instantly knew it wasn’t my thing. The opening credits and the show’s theme music are great, but they also made me immediately aware how complicated this world is. Maybe it’s easier to keep track of if you’re really into the series and have read all the books (as my boyfriend has) but that’s a significant investment of time.

via GIPHY

*Daenerys seems like a cool character, she seems particularly passionate about getting whatever it is she’s trying to get.

Looking at the size of the Game of Thrones books sitting on his shelf, I can’t help but wonder how long it must have taken him. I enjoy reading but I was too lazy to even finish the Harry Potter series. (I also didn’t make it past the second film, as seeing an increasingly moody Daniel Radcliffe glaring at me on all the posters put me off. I know it made sense to the plot because VOLDEMORT WAS BACK OMG, but it just didn’t seem fun anymore.)

Although Game of Thrones does nothing for me, I can see it’s well made full of talented actors (I really like Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage in particular), strong writing, and great special effects, but beyond that it just leaves me cold. I don’t see why fantasy stories have to involve millions of characters and families to remember, as well as different species to get your head around. There’s so much to follow that I end up immediately feeling behind.

Although I feel a bit left out when everyone’s talking about Game of Thrones, sometimes I’m actually glad I’m not hooked on it. I’m admittedly a bit of a wuss when it comes to blood and gore, and it sounds like the show takes it pretty far sometimes. There’s also a lot of rape from what I’ve heard (something the show has been criticized for), and I don’t really get why anyone would enjoy watching a show in which half the characters die and the other half get raped.

Obviously, a TV series like Game of Thrones was never going to be all fluffy bunnies and rainbows, but I can proudly say it’s not for me. That said, if you enjoy it, that’s great. I’m never going to tell someone they shouldn’t watch something just because it’s not my thing. Just remember to find something else for us to talk about instead.