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‘Game of Thrones’ scores 9.2 on IMDb and has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one highly regarded show. The IMDb score is exactly the same as the (in my humble opinion) the far superior ‘The Sopranos’.  

I understand that while telling the overarching story of Tony Soprano, ‘The Sopranos’ tells season-length stories, whereas GoT basically tells one continuous story and this is to be admired in a TV show. But it kind of makes Seasons 1 through 7 equivalent to ‘Infinity War’. The only reason for its existence is to lay the groundwork for what’s coming next. 

I have made it to Season Four. After bingeing the first three seasons, I suddenly just wanted to watch something else. The optimal length for a TV show is five seasons. Anything more and it’s probably out-stayed it’s welcome. The thought that I was only just reaching halfway was off-putting, to say the least. That and the fact that nothing much had actually happened. 

Oh, for sure, a lot of people die in the four seasons I have seen this far. But the story is no further forward than it was at the end of Season One. Daenerys is still wandering around in the sun going nowhere with her three dragons; Bran is just wandering – first this way, then that; Jon Snow is – well, messing about in the snow; Robb Stark was winning every battle – until he wasn’t (or so we’re told often enough, never actually getting to see him actually fight anyone); and on it goes, getting nowhere. It is basically a soap opera with beards and beheadings.  

Obviously, I am being incredibly hard on what is, without doubt, a quality TV show. I suppose my main problem is with the game that is being played. Tyrion tells Varys, in one episode barely distinguishable from any either side of it, that he loves the game, wants only to keep playing it. And therein lies the rub, for I really don’t care who wins the Iron Throne.  

The Starks seem to be the closest thing to nice people so maybe they should rule? Seems to me, though, that Ned Stark could have taken the throne if he’d wanted it. That he never did speaks to the Starks despising the game as much as I. And, when it came down to it, Ned never had what it takes to sit the throne.  

The Lannisters play the game supremely well and I even quite like Tywin. At heart he is a family man, living in a world that requires a modicum of strength and determination – both of which he has in spades. Parents, however, can never be absolved of abdicating responsibility for their children and Tywin does seem to have been remiss in this department. Though I do retain a soft spot for Tyrion.  

Daenerys is interesting. A woman sold into marriage to serve the needs of a weak brother is no good starting point and does explain her clever strategy of offering freedom to slaves. But, as she says at one point, if she can’t keep what she has won, how can she ever rule the Seven Kingdoms? And, quite frankly, why would she want to? 

Even if she wins the throne, she will sit on it only so long as she can keep playing the game. As of Season Four, she shows no sign of having half the nowse of Tywin Lannister. Despite her successes in Essos, she can hardly rule Westeros by freeing slaves. Dragons are powerful allies, but as we’ve seen already, they are not to be trusted entirely. She may be the Mother of Dragons but just ask Tywin Lannister how well children live up to expectations. 

All in all, it is the game itself which makes these people who they are and none of them is who I would like to see sitting upon the Iron Throne. Which of them would you trust to have the interests of the people at heart? Precisely none because that’s not what the game is about. This game can only be played by the most self-centred and narcissistic. This is not about ruling to the benefit of the ruled. The only objective in this game is self-aggrandisement. Ask King Charles of England what he thinks about his people not being able to afford to feed their families or keep them warm. All you will get in reply is bluster because there is no way for him to understand the question. A man who lives in palaces cannot relate to people in council houses.  

Ultimately, despite the production values (always excepting the Starbuck’s cup), the quality acting by a stellar British cast and the longest of long form TV, ‘Game of Thrones’ is little more than ‘Dynasty’ or ‘Dallas’ done with dragons.