Game of Thrones (series)

Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama television series based on the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novels by author George R. R. Martin. The series was adapted by David Benioff and D. B.Weiss and premiered on HBO in April 2011 and concluded in May 2019. The series was one of the most expensive series to make in the history of television. Cast and crew filmed at locations all over the world, primarily in Ireland and England. Due to its extremely intricate and numerous storylines, the series is also estimated to have had the largest ensemble cast in television history. Game of Thrones is set in the fictional lands of Westeros and Essos. The show’s plot follows multiple characters as they struggle with various issues related to power, family, love, and loyalty.

One of the central plots of the show is the competition for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. In the quest for the throne, a number of noble families attempt to form alliances with some nobles while engaging in conflicts with others. A key plot point involves Daenerys Targaryen, the last remaining ancestor of the realm’s former ruling family, and her efforts to regain the throne. Another important story arc focuses on the threat of creatures known as the White Walkers kept out of the kingdoms by a massive wall guarded by a group called the Night’s Watch. The show’s tagline, “Winter is Coming,” refers to the ever-looming arrival of the long winter, which also serves as a source of concern for the show’s characters. During its run, Game of Thrones was one of the most watched shows in HBO history, garnering millions of viewers per episode. Fan and critical response was mostly positive and the show has earned multiple awards for its writing and acting. The show holds the record for the most Emmy Award nominations, with 161.

Background

Game of Thrones is based on the series of fantasy novels collectively known as A Song of Ice and Fire, by American author George R. R. Martin. Martin had only completed five of the seven planned novels by the show’s premiere in 2011. These books included A Game of Thrones (1996), A Clash of Kings (1998), A Storm of Swords (2000), A Feast for Crows (2005), and A Dance with Dragons (2011). David Benioff first approached Martin’s agent about adapting the novels into a series in 2006. Benioff had only read a few hundred pages of the first novel when he suggested adapting them to his partner D. B. Weiss. The pair thought the story would make a great television show. They met with Martin to discuss a possible adaptation and spent hours discussing plot and vision with the author. Martin eventually gave the pair the rights to his stories after they correctly answered the question “Who is Jon Snow’s mother?” Benioff and Weiss then met with HBO to pitch the series, and the network swiftly acquired television rights to the novels.

Development of the series began in early 2007. Benioff and Weiss served as the show’s executive producers and cowriters. Martin also signed on as a producer and would write some episodes of each season. The network planned to make a season out of each novel in the series. A pilot was not ordered until late 2008, likely due to the writer’s strike that lasted between 2007 and 2008. The pilot was shot in early 2009, but test audiences were not impressed, so extensive reshoots were done that involved script rewrites and cast replacements. The pilot episode reportedly cost more than $5 million to make. After the series premiered to rave reviews, more seasons were greenlit and production budgets skyrocketed to upwards of $10 million per episode by season six.

The network cast dozens of actors to portray the characters in Martin’s universe. Veteran actor Sean Bean was cast as Ned Stark, head of House Stark, one of two primary families in the series. Ned Stark was husband to Catelyn Stark, played by Michelle Fairley. He was also the father of Robb Stark, played by Richard Madden; Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams; Sansa Stark, played by Sophie Turner; Bran Stark, played by Isaac Hempstead Wright; and Jon Snow, played by Kit Harrington. Peter Dinklage was cast as Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf and member of House Lannister, the other primary family in the series. Other Lannisters included Lena Headey as Cersei, Jack Gleeson as Joffrey, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime. Mark Addy was cast as Robert Baratheon, King of the Seven Kingdoms and husband of Cersei. Emilia Clarke was cast in the pivotal role of Daenerys Targaryen, with Harry Lloyd portraying her brother Viserys. The main cast of the series shifted from season to season as characters died and new characters emerged. Characters that became important to the series included Samwell Tarly, played by John Bradley; Ygritte, played by Rose Leslie; Theon Greyjoy, played by Alfie Allen; Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie; Bronn, played by Jerome Flynn; Sandor Clegane, played by Rory McCann; Lord Varys, played by Conleth Hill; Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, played by Aidan Gillen; Davos Seaworth, played by Liam Cunningham; Jorah Mormont, played by Iain Glen; Missandei, played by Nathalie Emmanuel; and Daario Naharis, played by Michiel Huisman. At various points throughout the series, the show had a cast count of more than two hundred actors.

Overview

Season one introduces viewers to the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. The first season primarily follows the Stark family and its patriarch Eddard “Ned” Stark, who is asked to become King Robert Baratheon’s main advisor, called Hand of the King. Ned and Robert are old friends and Ned fears that Robert’s wife, Cersei Lannister, has sinister plans for the realm. Ned tries to solve the mystery of the former Hand’s murder as he struggles to protect his family from his enemies. He eventually discovers the Lannisters harbor a dark secret that they are willing to kill for. Across the seas, the Targaryen children, descendants of the previous King of the Seven Kingdoms, are making plans to win back the throne from the Baratheons. Viserys has promised his young sister Daenerys’s hand in marriage to Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki, in exchange for an army. However, Daenerys proves herself to be the more capable leader of the siblings.

Season two picks up after the murder of Ned Stark and follows the paths of each of his children who must navigate a new world without the protection of the throne. The second season focuses on the War of the Five Kings fought between various factions of Westeros, who either wish to claim the throne for themselves or create a new power structure entirely. Daenerys Targaryen stakes her own claim for the throne over in Essos, with three newborn dragons and an army of Dothraki by her side. Daenerys seeks to make alliances with other nations and enlist their military resources for her cause. These storylines continue into seasons three and four. Jon Snow becomes an important character as he befriends members of the wild, free folk culture across the wall and learns more about his true origins.

By season five, multiple pivotal characters have been killed off, leaving the realm in further chaos. Tyrion is on the run after being accused of killing his nephew and crosses paths with Daenerys, who slowly wins his loyalty. Jon Snow and the Night’s Watch begin to prepare to battle the White Walkers, undead creatures controlled by the Night King. The Lannisters struggle to retain their power following a series of tragedies. The Stark children continue their battle to survive the harsh world of Westeros. In season seven, Jon Snow has earned respect among his Night Watch brothers and as a result they name him King of the North. The Lannisters struggle against a religious sect that takes control of the kingdom, while Cersei concocts a diabolical plan to regain power. Daenerys also finds herself a captive of the Dothraki before eventually overpowering them and taking command.

The show’s seventh and eighth seasons were much shorter than previous seasons, with season seven only having seven episodes and season eight only having six. Season seven sees many of the show’s characters and plotlines converge on one another as the showrunners prepare for the eighth and final season. Daenerys finally arrives in Westeros with her army and dragons and prepares for war against the Lannisters. Jon Snow’s main conflict lies outside of Westeros as he prepares to take on the Night King’s army. He teams up with Daenerys and the pair begin a romantic relationship. By season eight, audiences have discovered the true lineage of Jon Snow and what it means for the Seven Kingdoms. Two wars take place in the final season, one against the White Walkers and one for control of the Iron Throne. The final episode of the series premiered in May 2019. The last two seasons were completed despite Martin failing to complete the final two books in the series. Martin gave the writers a rough outline of where the series would go once it ended. The series’ end received mostly mixed reviews from audiences and critics, with some criticizing its rushed pace compared to the rest of the series, but it still garnered thirty-two Emmy nominations in 2019.

House of the Dragon

Only months after the conclusion of the series in 2019, it was announced that the overwhelming, persistent fascination in popular culture with the characters and story behind the successful series warranted further exploration for small-screen adaptation; HBO had accepted a script from Ryan Condal for ten episodes of a new series based in the world of Game of Thrones. Described as a prequel taking place hundreds of years before the events of its predecessor series, the show, deriving its inspiration from Martin's 2018 work Fire & Blood, would focus on the history of House Targaryen. Though the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic slowed schedules in the entertainment industry throughout 2020, production on the series was reported to have begun by early 2021, and the series was eventually slated for a 2022 premiere.

The prequel, House of the Dragon, premiered in August 2022 to positive reviews and strong viewership. The cast included veteran actors Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, and Eve Best, alongside relative newcomers such as Milly Alcock, who played the young princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Taking place two centuries prior to the beginning of Game of Thrones, the series covered events involving the Targaryen family's internal power struggles. HBO said that ten million people viewed the series' first episode within a day of its release, the largest single-day viewership for a series debut in the network's history up to that point. Within a few weeks of House of the Dragon's release, HBO renewed the series for a second season.

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