YOUR arts&entertainment the fate of the world. The other ways in which Game of Thrones diverges from high fantasy that precedes it is in its portrayal of intense scenes of violence and sex. No punches are pulled graphically, which is one more element that fits with the no nonsense, less idealistic, ruthless world that Martin creates. The book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, has enjoyed sustained popularity for the way it challenges the genre and the readership’s preconceived notions. The show, though, has reached an immediate and broad audience for its accessibility. Viewers know that with an HBO series there will be a high production value and a seriousness of content, which fits with the expectations of the show. There is also the audio/visual punch given to the violence and sex that is absent from the books. Viewers and readers today want their expectations challenged. The aesthetic in vogue has turned darker, colder, and bitterer. This is evident in video game culture, where a game like Skyrim succeeded with its snowy, harsh setting and apocalyptic storyline. The modern media consumer wants norms destroyed. We are the apocalypse generation, after all, and the media should reflect that. The media we want is less expected, less easy, and less Christian. Much of the traditional story tropes are being dismantled, making Martin’s stories more than something for a niche audience.
Besides the show, Martin’s series has spawned comic books, card games, miniature figurines, a video game, a tabletop game, a board game, and replica weapons. Clearly, it’s not just the format that people respond to. The media market for this series is almost allinclusive, meaning that it truly is the tone and style that we respond to. In any format today, the idea of “reality” is paramount. Gone is the upbeat pop of the nineties, and in its place is a grim, snowy, and ruthless world. Melancholy and dissatisfaction are important emotions associated with much lauded new media. Paul Levinson, a professor of media and communications at Fordham University, believes that the attacks on 9/11 had a direct effect on what people wanted reflected in the media. “The most profound overall change was one of tone. The world suddenly seemed a more dangerous and uncertain place, and that was reflected across the board.” Then came the large hadron collider with threats of a black hole. The recession hit, and 2012 scares abound. With so much threat it’s hard to get in Tolkien’s mindset of simply setting off on a magical journey to see where it goes. There can be no good versus evil in a milieu of distrust and danger; people now opt for more difficult moral dilemmas. What Game of Thrones gives us is our reality put into fantasy, and the people want blood. Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9:00 PM on HBO.
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