The Next Big HBO Thing

When you want to escape from the same tired cop and courtroom dramas, HBO is the place to go. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of addictive network shows out there that are well worth a watch. You can see my top five active favorites here. Following in a successful long line of fresh programming comes the newest offering from the network that brought us True Blood, Entourage, and The Sopranos. It's called Game of Thrones and it's off to a promising start that completely sets it apart from anything else on TV right now.



Game of Thrones is based on the best-selling seven-part epic fantasy series "A Song of Fire and Ice" by George R.R. Martin. When you think fantasy, whimsical fairy tales may come to mind, but since it's on HBO it's not hard to guess that this is a much darker series made for an adult audience. In a nutshell, Game of Thrones is about the power struggle between several royal families in a fictional seven province kingdom. Although the costume drama has a Lord of the Rings setting vibe (Sean Bean who played Boromir in Rings is actually one of the main characters in Thrones), the storyline couldn't be further from JRR Tolkien's trilogy.

Nothing's off limits in Game of Thrones. They definitely don't sugar coat the nudity or violence (even against kids and animals). It's the constant shock therapy that keeps you guessing when you're watching this show. Besides Sean Bean, the cast is filled with newbies. That's what makes it work. You wouldn't be able to completely immerse yourself in a fantasy show like Thrones if you recognized the actors. Money is no object for the producers. It seems like you're watching an epic multi-million dollar movie and that gives everything a more authentic feel.  Even though it's only three episodes old, Game of Thrones has me hooked. Considering it's already been picked up for a second season, I'm excited to see where the series goes.