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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To start watching Game of Thrones just so I can join in conversations?

84 replies

NapQueen · 17/08/2017 22:30

90% of what people around me (work, fam, friends) talk about is GOT.

Ive never seen a full episode, what I did see looked violent and quite anti women.

However convos tend to go "seen the new GOT?" "No I dont watch it, guessing it was a good one?" And then off they go.

Like the tv equivalent of when Rachel Green takes up smoking to keep in with the gossip.

OP posts:

HarryDresdensLeatherDuster · 17/08/2017 22:33

I saw some of the first series when it first came out and felt much the same way as you. I recently caved, however, and binge watched the whole thing and am now completely addicted!!!

Try a few, if you hate it, don't bother and just say you can't get into it!

Notknownatthisaddress · 17/08/2017 22:34

DO IT. It's fucking brilliant!

Seriously, you won't be sorry!

Trb17 · 17/08/2017 22:40

It's so good that I'm jealous of people who haven't watched it... because they can watch it all from beginning with new eyes! I'd love to go back and start over to enjoy it as new once more

Best TV show I've ever watched imo.

LaurieMarlow · 17/08/2017 22:41

To call it anti-women is simplistic and misses the point. It casts a brutal eye on what it's like to be female in a harsh, war driven, patriarchal society. The current series is actually dominated by female rulers (and they are good, indifferent and downright evil in turn).

It is very violent, yes. But life in such times is violent.

I'm a huge fan of the books and enjoy the TV show well enough. If nothing else, the show will at least finish the damn thing. It's high quality television, I say go for it.

Namechangetempissue · 17/08/2017 22:41

I feel like the only person on the planet who doesn't watch it. I tried the first episode, got 3/4 of the way through and turned it off as I thought it was utter shit. I'm clearly wrong as everyone raves about it!

PollyFlint · 17/08/2017 22:42

I absolutely love GoT but it is extremely violent; there's no getting away from that.

It's not anti-women in my opinion - many female characters have a lot of power in GoT and I'd say have an equal footing with the male characters. My friends and I all consider ourselves feminists and none of us feel it's anit-women at all. That's not to say there isn't violence against women and sometimes sexual abuse - but there is violence and sexual abuse against men too.

It is very gritty and a complete bloodbath so if that really bothers you it's not the show for you.

Ylvamoon · 17/08/2017 22:43

Watch it! I only joined the madness at Season 5.... And binged on Season 1-4!
If you like to watch Adventure/ Action / Fantasy stuff, than it is a "must see".

e1y1 · 17/08/2017 22:43

I too have often wondered this, I've never seen so much as a clip of the program.

I am asked at least 5 times a week if I watch it.

Original poster

NapQueen · 17/08/2017 22:43

Ive promised dh I will commit to the first three episodes, and he is rewatching so can at least answer my "but why are they shagging? Arent they brother and sister?" Etc.

OP posts:

Original poster

NapQueen · 17/08/2017 22:44

When I say anti women I am basing it on maybe 4 times ive seen about 90 secs of it. Im glad to hear that it doesnt turn out that way.

OP posts:

sonjadog · 17/08/2017 22:47

I started watching it last week! It took about 3-4 episodes before I started to appreciate what others see on it, but now I'm really enjoying it (just finished season 2).

LaurieMarlow · 17/08/2017 22:52

I tried the first episode, got 3/4 of the way through and turned it off as I thought it was utter shit

Many people name the last scene of the first episode (Jaime does something pretty unacceptable) as the moment that really hooked them. Perhaps you needed to watch for just 10 minutes more.

Moanyoldcow · 17/08/2017 22:58

Can I make a recommendation? Get a family tree for the main houses from the Internet and watch with it in hand. When you aren't sure how they fit together, pause and have a check.

It was a literal game changer for me and now I'm one of those considering staying up until stupid o'clock to see the new episode asap.

I don't, though. Because I'm not really an idiot.

HurtyTeeth · 17/08/2017 23:00

I watched the seasons and was hooked. When the latest season was being made and I was impatient, I started on the books. The episodes have left sooo many good juicy bits out from the books that I will actually continue with the novels and I won't even watch season 7 now! So I'm with you in a certain way, OP.

IDefinitelyWould · 17/08/2017 23:03

I started watching under protest at dh's insistence last week. We are already on season 4! I don't normally like fantasy and fighting but GoT is brilliant. Definitely give it a good go

IDefinitelyWould · 17/08/2017 23:03

I started watching under protest at dh's insistence last week. We are already on season 4! I don't normally like fantasy and fighting but GoT is brilliant. Definitely give it a good go

LaurieMarlow · 17/08/2017 23:05

Does anyone else think Sansa is remarkably 'together' considering all she's been through? (show not books) That's two of the most abusive relationships imaginable she's survived. I can't see how her shit would still be intact after all that. Compare her to Theon for example.

NotTheDuchessOfCambridge · 17/08/2017 23:11

YADNBU, get on it!

PickingOakum · 17/08/2017 23:12

I wouldn't say it was anti-women at all. In fact, more than anything, I'd say GOT exposes the nature of both male and female violence, and examines its function with a power hierarchy.

GOT is quite brutally honest about violence: who commits it, why they commit it and how they get away with committing it. At the start, when Westeros is a more conventional medieval society, women do suffer but when that paradigm is overthrown, you see how violence then becomes a tool that women actively seek to use.

It really is worth watching because it explores the huge themes of honour, duty, loyalty, family, legacy and power, and very few TV shows do these days. It also doesn't shirk away from addressing the consequences of actions and behaviours, both good and bad, in the way that a lot of other shows casually ignore.

To my mind, and I say this as a GRRM book reader and someone who has spent far too much time on fan forums, what GOT does is show us how a "federalised" country begins to fall apart, leaving it ripe for invasion and/or annihilation.

Nanny0gg · 17/08/2017 23:16

It's amazing.

Give it a proper try.

ManyManyShoes · 17/08/2017 23:18

Do people actually watch tv series thinking if it fits their feminist agenda?! Just fucking enjoy it!

GreatFuckability · 17/08/2017 23:20

i would recommend it to anyone to at least give it a try. its not for everyone and is unashamedly violent, but its very well written and beautifully shot and very funny!
i think it's the opposite of anti-women, but you have to give it a chance to see that.

FaithAgain · 17/08/2017 23:24

It passes the Bechdel test with flying colours! I love it. It will take you a bit of time to catch up but it's worth it. When we first started watching we were a bit 'Meh' after the first episode. Literally had that:
Him: Do you want to keep watching?
Me: Ah may as well watch one more!
Now it rolls round to Sunday and we're like: Ooh Game of thrones tomorrow! Try not to get too attached to characters though, the death toll is high!

SleepingBooty · 17/08/2017 23:26

IKWYM OP. I felt the same after Ep1, I carried on after a few episodes I now love it.

MrsJoyOdell · 17/08/2017 23:29

You are me... until this year We'd tried to watch it three times and just did not 'get' it. The first 4 ish seasons can be veeeeery slow for the first few episodes, but once you hit episode 7 or so it flies in and you're desperate for the next bit.

Last year we'd never managed an episode. This week we excitedly watched the leaked one and now have to keep our mouths shut and it's torture

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