Once hailed a “big-budget nerd-out,” HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones has gone beyond that, piercing the hearts of many more than the boy nerd demographic alone. Not only do non-nerds watch it, but people (yes, even women) who haven’t historically been into fantasy fall for it. And hard. So what is it about the show that’s so compelling? It has some obvious hooks: The swordfights, the sex, the nakedness, the intrigue – we can certainly indulge in these elements, for a little escape from reality. But the show runs deeper than just fantasy escapism, and hits us on all kinds of other levels. After all, it asks us to get intimately acquainted with the characters, their histories, and their motivations, while simultaneously teaching us that we have no idea what’s going on at all. And who can resist that kind of delightful manipulation?
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