The Game Of Thrones series may well be one of the greatest television shows, as well as the biggest, of all time, even if the ending left something to be desired for most fans. One major factor in the quality of the show is how it blends the political and human drama of it all, with the high fantasy world created by George R. R. Martin.
There are arguments on both sides to be had over what is the better aspect of the show, whether the fantasy part along with the immense battles reign supreme, or whether the game itself, the political maneuvering, is the show's highlight.
The Game - The Fantasy Is An Extra Layer
At its core, Game Of Thrones is a story about humans; it is about the political drama, the relationships, the players of the Game of Thrones and their stories throughout the series.
The fantasy, the magic, it is all just an extra layer. For the most part, it is an absolutely incredible layer for the show and often adds so much to the human stories, but it is just a layer, the story lies in the game, with the people.
Battles & Fantasy - Blurs The Lines Of TV & Cinema
One of the ways in which Game Of Thrones helped change television and usher in a new era of shows and their meteoric rise was by blurring the lines between TV and cinema. This was mainly done by way of the fantasy and battle aspects.
The movie-like budget for each episode, the cinematic nature of events like the Battle of the Bastards, the Battle of Winterfell, and Hardhome, the production value in the cinematography, CGI, and landscapes, it is all utterly breathtaking.
The Game - "When You Play The Game Of Thrones, You Win, Or You Die"
Few quotes sum up the game of the show better than Cersei's famous line to Ned in season one. For the longest time in the show, it was a quote that rang true in spectacular fashion.
If you made a big mistake, or a series of errors, you paid for it, usually with your life. Look at Robb's death, all the mistakes leading up to that brought that event about, he played the game, he lost, and he died. Even as late as season seven, the greatest player of them all, Littlefinger, made an awful, nonsensical play that did not seem to benefit him, and it cost him his life. The realism of these events helped make the show so fantastic.
Battles & Fantasy - Exhilaration & Fear
There are few events in Game Of Thrones that fill the audience with more excitement or dread than the on-screen battles, or for a long time whenever a White Walker would come near our heroes.
Look at that moment at Hardhome, where Jon is about to be killed by one of the White Walker's and desperately scrambles Longclaw up in the air, with fans believing that would be the end for the sword and the hero, and the Valyrian steel blocks the White Walker's blade. It is perfect. Moments quite like that, or when Ygritte and Jon meet Battle of Castle Black, or when the Night King catches Arya at the Battle of Winterfell, are almost always from the battles.
The Game - People Talking
It is as simple as that, people talking. Think of how many times Game Of Thrones has been at its very best with just two people in a room having a conversation.
The many conversations between Varys and Littlefinger in front of the Iron Throne. When Tywin met his match in the Queen of Thorns. When Tyrion outwits just about everyone he meets in early seasons. These moments and many more prove how good the game is.
Battles & Fantasy - Not Your Typical Fantasy
A lot of people have and will get put off Game Of Thrones due to not liking fantasy, or not getting interested at all by dragons and magic, but George R. R. Martin and the showrunners crafted a fantasy that is not typical of the genre.
The characters are mostly grey, with not a lot of clear heroes, the fantasy aspects never really overpower the human stories, and is, in fact, absent for most of the show except for the dragons. There is no clear solution to any problem, heroes do not all die nobly, religion and politics interfere with the fantasy, the world is bleak and void of a lot of hope, and there are not a lot of genuine love romances, just to name a few ways in which the show and books deconstruct the fantasy genre.
The Game - The Characters
The game would be nothing if it were not for the players, and the players are phenomenal throughout. Even when the classic players lost the game, new players proved themselves.
Seeing Littlefinger, Varys, Tywin, Margaery, Tyrion, Olenna, the High Sparrow, even Cersei by the time of season six, all of these people played their own games tremendously. Even the people outside of the game but who are still involved in the realm and its protection, or the fight for the kingdom, like Jon, etc. they have their roles to play.
Battles & Fantasy - Arguably More Memorable Episodes
All in all, it is generally hard to remember whole episodes off the top of the head based purely on a conversation, but when it comes to the enormous scale battles, they are pretty unforgettable.
People will long remember "The Battle Of The Bastards" for its titular battle, or "Hardhome" for the same, and fans will be both thinking about and debating "The Long Night" and the Battle of Winterfell for years to come. There are obviously episodes revolving around the game that people will remember like "The Winds Of Winter," but pound for pound the battles win out.
The Game - The Subversion Of Expectations
Game Of Thrones instantly established itself as different from anything audiences had ever seen, through the genius use of subversion of expectations. Not just surprises for the sake of shock, but subverting what the audience believes in furthering the story in a sensical way.
Of course, later, D&D diverted away from this idea that made the show so amazing. Still, events like the execution of Ned Stark, the Red Wedding, Jon's death, Oberyn's brutal death, Jaime losing his hand, these all came about by way of people making mistakes and getting punished for it. It is what helped make the show what it was.
The Game - Arguably When The Show Was At It's Most Consistent Best
Fans will likely debate the best seasons of Game Of Thrones for a long while, but all in all, most fans agree that the first half of the show was when it was at its very best.
The first four-season stretch was perfect, there were no bad episodes whatsoever, and seasons three and four especially just bled into each other outstandingly. Season five had ups and downs, season six was more generally fantastic, with most fans having an issue more with season seven and eight. For those first four, even first six, if it needs to get stretched that far, the show focused primarily on the game, not the fantasy.