Winter is coming…

It’s been four years since the first season of Game of Thrones and every time I write or talk about this series I feel the need to preface it with this disclaimer: I don’t like to watch fantasy shows or movies.

 

There is a kind of shame attached to watching some of these shows, but GOT is not a typical fantasy story. The characters in this series are so well crafted and humorous (Tyrion Lannister, anyone?) that you just get sucked in and have to keep watching. Additionally the story is always unpredictable, a hard ask when you consider that the series is based on the book. Often the show’s writers take liberties and change things from the original, A Song of Ice and Fire novels - and it makes it so much better.

 

Since the third season finale there has been a lot of trolling the net for spoilers about the fourth season. And when that failed, DSTV thankfully had all of the first three seasons available for those who wanted to catch up - or relive the horror that is The rains of Castemere, aka The Red Wedding.

I consider myself something of a super-fan, and I am excited for the fourth season. But there are some people who exceed even my love for the series. For one, there's this incredibly intricate interactive map of Westeros that fans have created. Oh, and hundreds of Americans are now naming their babies after GOT characters. Most of them have chosen Khaleesi (queen) after Daenerys Targaryen,  Mother of Dragons. She is also my favourite character on the show because she is so gentle but does not take nonsense from anyone – so I am not complaining. 

 

The first two episodes of this season have already aired in the States. The worst part of seeing episodes after they’ve been broadcast is the spoilers. I have had to unfollow the Game of Thrones Twitter account and some of the show’s stars. I would suggest you do the same – at least until the end of the season. 

 

This year there will also be some new cast members. Pedro Pascal (who played in Homeland and The Good Wife) will play the infamous Prince Oberyn AKA the Red Viper and a sworn enemy of the Lannisters. He is bound to throw a spanner in the works at King’s Landing. The role of Daario Naharis has also been recast in a genius move by the show runners. Ed Skrein exited the show to be replaced by Michiel Huisman who previously acted in Treme and will feature in the second season of Orphan Black. 

 

Some fans of the show (myself included) have spent the last eight or so months brewing and swearing to never return to the show after what show creators David Benioff and D.B Weiss did to us with the deaths in the Red Wedding episode. But really, who are we kidding? We love it. And after Ned Stark, really, what did we expect? No one is safe and Season Four is no different. There is a lot to look forward to including Daenerys  (after three seasons of walking, losing a husband and child and raising dragons) finally arriving in Westeros. It will be interesting to see if the Starks (what’s left of them) will align with her as she tries to take the throne, or if they will fight against her too.

 

Hopefully I am not guilty of over-analysis but one of the tags that has been attached to this season is “All men must die.” I am secretly hoping that this means the women will take on a darker and more dominant role in the series. Here’s to 10 weeks of great watching, and remember, Valar morghulis!!!

 

- GOT returns to Mnet on Friday the 18th of April at 21:30