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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:

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 17/08/2017 23:39

I've not had the opportunity to watch the new series yet. I like fantasy usually but wasn't sure if it would be too violent and political for me. I ended up doing a binge of series 1-6 in about 3 weeks at New Year and loved it. Yes it's violent and gory, but there's a context to it (and I've realised that the swish of steel bothers me far less than machine gun fire in DH's usual thrillers/ action films). The characters are flawed but credible. Some utterly despicable, some admirable, most some complex combination in the middle.
I agree that as the series develop, strong, intelligent female characters emerge and develop. There's violence and sexual misconduct on all sides, but it is all in context and relevant. The production is great too.

I'm trying desperately to avoid spoilers. I daren't open most threads about it!

Rumplestaleskin · 17/08/2017 23:39

Do it. I avoided it until last year due to the hype. The only show I've watched that matches its reputation IMHO.

scottishdiem · 18/08/2017 00:48

I dont watch it and haven't read the books. But I have read this -gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_Wiki

So can keep up with a lot of the story arcs. Then add in a couple of news sites that review the most recent episode and I am all set to bluff it.

Pivoine · 18/08/2017 00:52

Um, why on earth would you go to all that trouble for a show you're not watching?!

Pivoine · 18/08/2017 00:54

It's like you're swotting up for an exam you're never going to take. Mind bottled.

scottishdiem · 18/08/2017 01:28

Pivoine

Because I watch other programmes so dont have time to watch this one but I also like to have social interaction with people who do watch it. Including my DP who as read the books and loves the TV series. I find reading sites like that much easier. 2 minutes gives me a complete character arc as opposed to all the books or all the series to date. Which takes a lot more time. I suppose it is an exam though, which I pass with flying colours, when it comes up at work or with friends. Which is every day or two when the series is running.

Pivoine · 18/08/2017 01:34

I do get why you would want to be social, but you are spending your time - precious time - on something that's not even on your list of enjoyable pastimes. If it was, in and of itself, you'd be watching it. I'm not trying to attack you, just think it might be more beneficial to you to spend that time on something that really interests you.

CerealShopper · 18/08/2017 01:55

I was the same, op, until a few weeks ago, and now I absolutely love it!
I only managed to see the first one and a half seasons on Now TV before it ended, so have borrowed the dvds and I'm now working my way through these.
I have to have the Wiki site open on my phone at the same time so I can follow who is who!

Marymoosmum14 · 18/08/2017 02:14

Its not Anti women even in the first series there are very strong female roles, Cersei has been a strong woman all the way through, but has gotten even stronger throughout as she has faced a lot as has everyone in it. The thing is most of the lead female roles were very young and naive at the start of series one and they are now strong independent women. Tbf I think the women have pulled the strings all the way through to be honest. That's not to say there aren't some terrible scenes, some of them are horrific, such as death scenes and rape scenes, but the are part of a bigger story.

MorbidBibliomancy · 18/08/2017 03:44

Depends on whether you're in to fantasy type stuff. Lots of dragons, battles, witchy stuff, etc. Also depends on whether you're alright with a fair bit of gore and a lot of sex scenes, as it can get quite grim and most episodes have something explicit in them. But as far as the treatment of women goes, it sort of balances out I think. There are plenty of examples of men treating women appallingly, but there's an equal amount of women rising above that misogyny in various ways. At the moment the main players seem to be pretty equally divided between male and female.

But if you really think you won't enjoy it please don't waste your time. Plenty of other things out there to get in to, and while the rest of us are glued to GoT you can be exploring everything else that's on offer. That way you'll be ahead of a bunch of us once the season ends

BroodyMoody · 18/08/2017 05:40

I haven't watched it, I've got a feeling I just won't like it...A little like why I haven't tried asparagus or mushy peas

DopeyDazy · 18/08/2017 08:12

Ripped the leaked episode 6 and watched it so I can stay in bed on Sunday night now

BitchQueen90 · 18/08/2017 08:27

I love GOT but if it's not your thing don't watch it just because everyone else is. I had this when Love Island was on. 99% of people I know watched it, I didn't. I was pretty much ignored for 8 weeks. No way am I watching that tripe.

turinbrakesarefab · 18/08/2017 08:42

Do it! I omly started watching it because I read all the books and was waiting for the next instalment. Have now given up hope so am now on series 2. I don't normally enjoy box sets but am liking this a lot. The gratuitous sex of the first few episodes seems to have calmed down a lot. I quite enjoy the violence.

BanyanTree · 18/08/2017 08:51

I am on episode 5 of series one. I am still bit meh about it. So far I have been pretty disgusted with the way women are depicted and used in the show. I find myself sitting there imagining some fat balding sweaty director with a fat cigar in his mouth shouting to do her from behind at the actors. I am actually quite disgusted.

If it didn't have Sean Bean in it then I would have switched it off by now. Call me an old fuddy duddy but you can actually watch and enjoy something without seeing women hit and taken from behind. I will watch the first series to see if I can be converted.

It's like Outlander. I was enjoying it until one episode where the main actress was attempted raped about 4 times. I am on the penultimate episode of series one and know what's coming and I don't really want to see it.

I don't understand why women put up with this TBH. No wonder some men think this is how women are meant to be treated if this is what they see on the telly all the times.

badabing36 · 18/08/2017 09:10

BanyanTree

I agree with you to a certain extent. They got a lot of criticism for rape scenes, but in the early seasons you couldn't have an episode without an unnecessary scene in a brothel, which was very off-putting. But the rest of the show was so good I could ignore it and now it rarely happens.

I do wonder if the show would ever have gotten so popular without all the nudity though.

EdmundCleverClogs · 18/08/2017 09:15

BanyanTree misogyny is a key part of the plot. Violence towards and control of women never quite goes away in the show, but the writers and show runners are using this for specific plot points, and it makes excellent reflections of why anti-women sentiments are wrong in any society (and can even literally come back to burn you). It's fantastically complex and insightful, I feel sorry for anyone who can't see beyond that when watching it.

As for watching it purely for Sean Bean when hating violence against women, I find that quite ironic.

honeyroar · 18/08/2017 09:17

I binge watched the first three seasons and was addicted. I'd previously read the first book and not been hooked (I'm an avid reader normally). I then read the rest of the books and carried on watching. It's one of the few things that we both enjoy watching.

I think the first series is the worst really. They added in so much sex and you don't know the characters well enough yet.

I know what you mean re the sex from behind etc, but it was to show those men were a bit animal/uncaring but they soon get "changed' by the strong female characters in the show. A lot of the strongest leaders in GoT are female.

I'm desperately trying to avoid spoiler threads and even general discussion threads now.as everyone is speculating. It's so near the end I don't want it spoiled!

Crispsheets · 18/08/2017 09:18

I am late to GOT and have just bought the boxed set. I am.hooked and so never watch fantasy.
So well acted and has a very British feel to me.
Very funny in places.
I am.in love with Brienne of Tarth. I gave that name in Starbucks last week.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 18/08/2017 09:22

Life's way too short. I did try it when I went out with a guy who was really into it - watched the first few but couldn't get who was who, who belonged to what clan and got confused with trying to keep up with who was shagging who. Sad when the relationship ended but I guess not watching any more episodes was my silver lining lol.

BanyanTree · 18/08/2017 12:46

It's fantastically complex and insightful, I feel sorry for anyone who can't see beyond that when watching it.

As mentioned Edmund, I am on episode 5 of series 1. So far I am yet to see anything complex and insightful.

Runny · 18/08/2017 12:50

How the hell is it anti women?! All the strongest characters in it are women.

BoredOnMatLeave · 18/08/2017 12:59

I found it really hard to watch at first but by the end of the first episode was hooked. Now I love it.

I really don't think it's anti-women but some scenes are hard to watch. There are some kick ass women in it though, even the evil ones!

LaurieMarlow · 18/08/2017 13:14

As mentioned Edmund, I am on episode 5 of series 1. So far I am yet to see anything complex and insightful.

Trying looking a bit harder then, but for starters I give you ...

Tyrion's complex and immensely fucked up relationship with his family
Ned Stark: Honorable hero or just catastrophically inept player of the game of thrones?
How does Dany reconcile House Targaryen's 'right to rule' with her brother's obvious ineptitude (not to mention her father's)
Is Joffrey just a natural born evil fucker or the sad result of an absent father figure and a toxic mother?

The best example of all is the characterization of Theon/Reek, which will test your empathy to the limits and beyond, but admittedly you haven't got there yet and it's much better done in the books anyway.

However, if all you're determined to see is sex and violence, that's all you will see.

StormTreader · 18/08/2017 13:22

Men treat women awfully in GOT - they also treat men awfully, and women are not virtuous and innocent either, they do their fair share of plotting and violence without it being "a huge deal that its done by a woman" every time.
Characters will do awful things, and then have awful things done to them, and you'll end up rooting for everyone even though you know everything they've done because you also see why they did it.

"GOT - No-one is really having that great a time".

I do love it though

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