To call Game of Thrones anything short of a global phenomena would be doing it a great disservice. This show was one that broke onto the scene with an incredible first season that was loved by fans and critics alike and spurred millions across the globe to start reading the books that the show was adapted from.

Unfortunately, the fall from grace that the show experienced due to its last 2 seasons is something that will live forever in infamy in cinematic history. The less said about seasons 7 and 8 the better. 

However, despite the fact that the last 2 seasons might have destroyed the legacy of one of the greatest shows ever made, they shouldn’t take away completely how amazing the first 6 seasons were, even though seasons 5 and 6 had their fair share of problems.

This list will mainly focus on seasons 1-4 because they are unanimously regarded as the golden era for the show, as well as some focus on seasons 5 and 6. These seasons and this list tell why the show has cemented itself in the top echelons of cinema and why its influence is still seen in media today.

10. Great Adaptation

George R.R. Martin has created one of the greatest and most memorable fantasy series in existence, to the point where his writing is one of the main reasons why Game of Thrones was once as well received as it was, as he was one of the main writers for the first 4 seasons. The adaptation of his books for Game of Thrones was done impeccably.

All the characters were perfectly cast and are one of the (very) few positives about seasons 7 and 8. Of course, not every single thing could be adapted exactly as it was in the books because of how short shows and movies are as an art form. But, all the things that were adapted were perfectly done as the writers included all the things that were integral to the story and removed things that weren’t.

9. Production Value

The production value required for Game of Thrones to make it as a show was why HBO was the perfect network to make it. With the amount of money they had, they essentially gave the showrunners as much as they needed to make the best sets, to use the best equipment, use the most expensive CGI, have the best cast and crew etc. 

Each town and city felt real and lived in and every single extra actually felt like they were actual townsfolk that actually belonged in this world, with every single aspect of the show being exquisitely detailed and executed. Everything about the show was perfectly done. The role that the network played in bringing this world to life should never be understated.

8. Music

Ramin Djawadi is an absolute master at his craft and it is never more apparent than in Game of Thrones. Every single piece that he has written for the show doesn’t only sound super memorable and amazing, but it even makes sense and fits in with the story of the person or place that he has written it for. The music bolsters the lore.

One of the fan favorite tracks of his is the Rains of Castamere from the frightful Red Wedding episode. He took the song from the books and turned it into a masterpiece that sends chills down the spines of every fan whenever they hear it. 

The pieces that he has made for characters perfectly reflects the kind of characters that they are. For example, the Stark theme reflects the cold environment they are from, as well as the hardy people that they are and the secrets that they carry. All this is conveyed through just the music itself so it makes Ramin truly stand out as a composer.

7. Fantasy

Come on, who doesn’t love fantasy stories? Fantastical worlds filled with knights, dragons, castles and strange little forest people? Game of Thrones isn’t much different in this regard, only that in the initial story the fantasy aspects are a little toned down.

Fantasy worlds are so wondrous and magical to behold because they offer a look at a world that is so different to ours and can tell stories in these worlds. The magical aspect of Game of Thrones is even more interesting than most other fantasy worlds because it isn’t like them, it is more veiled in mystery and is rare to the extent that many characters in the world doubt its existence.

This aura of mystery is super intricate and allows for the viewers to start guessing and coming up with their own conclusions for much of the stuff they see, ultimately giving way more mystery and intrigue to the world itself.

6. Realism

While Game of Thrones is a show with a lot of fantasy elements set in a fantasy world, these magical aspects of it are very toned down as compared to other fantasy worlds like Lord of the Rings. This, of course, is a very deliberate choice as it allows for the realistic and political aspects of the story to be at the forefront.

The biggest appeal of the show are the characters and the relationships between them, which all play out as they realistically would in real life. The world feels more real this way. It functions on real world laws of nature and has no magical macguffins that explain every different plot hole, making the overall world feel way more alive and immersive.

Instead of capturing viewers' interest with magic and dragons, seasons 1-4 did so with its characters and the world itself.

 5. Story

The story of Game of Thrones is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s masterful A Song of Ice and Fire series, which is an incredible tale of many different powerful families all scrambling for supreme power of the land. The entire story is so intricately woven, with plot twists, betrayals and surprises at literally every turn that the viewer can never surely know what is going to happen next.

However, while there are a ton of twists in the story, they never feel cheap or contrived. Many stories fall into this category, only pulling off cheap tricks like twists merely to shock the viewer. Game of Thrones, however, doesn’t. Every single thing that happens in the show has reason and explanation behind it, making it so the viewer is always engaged within the story.

4. Unpredictable Story

Ask anyone who has seen the show and they will tell you that one of the biggest reasons that they love the show is that they never know what’s going to happen next. This is because George R.R. Martin has perfectly woven a story with very real and human characters who are always on the lookout for outcomes that would only benefit them and their own families. Truly selfless and altruistic characters are hard to find in this world.

Never do any of the twists feel cheap or undeserved as they are all consistent with the characters and the story, making the viewers truly care for the characters and the setting, as well as always remembering the characters that they don’t like. You may always be rooting for a character but just because he’s the hero doesn’t necessarily mean that he is safe!

3. Nuanced Story

Jumping off from the last point, one of the biggest draws of the show is that all the characters are very human, making it so much easier to sympathize and root for them. There is no black and white. There are only characters that reside in shades of gray, and no matter how good and kind they may be, they often resort back into the pitfalls of being human and make very real and silly mistakes.

Robb Stark is a great example of this, a character who takes his fathers extreme code of honor and sense to do the right thing, but ends up bedding a girl different from the one he was supposed to marry. This leads to one of the greatest twists in show history. Just like many of us in the real world, he puts love over duty.

The show is littered with characters like this who are all flawed in a very human way, so even some characters that most people hate have a great amount of realism and nuance to them.

2. The World Itself

The world of Game of Thrones is as interesting as it is massive. This world is composed of various provinces that are different from each other, both in terms of geography and even the people that live there. These people are all products of their environments and as such, they reflect their environment in their personalities as well.

The Dornishmen live in Dorne, which is a desert-like, barren area. Due to this, they have darker skin than those who live in cooler and forgiving climates in the South and are even said to be harsher people. The Starks are hardy and robust in order to combat the unforgiving cold of the North, the Lannisters are rich and arrogant because of their wealth etc.

All these traits go hand in hand with the actual areas themselves. The Arryns live secluded in the mountains of the Vale, the North of the Starks has little farmable land and consists of wide and cold plains. All these aspects come together perfectly and are always consistent and make the world thatmuch more realistic.

1. Characters

The characters of Game of Thrones are by far the strongest part of the show. George R.R. Martin wrote each character so perfectly that whether you hate the character or love them, you are almost always invested in their stories. It also helps that the actors who all play their respective characters in the show are perfect in their roles.

All these characters have their own motivations and their own goals, but the kinds of characters that they are either see them selfishly pursue these goals or cast them aside for the greater good. There are characters that are traditionally heroic and those that are so selfish that they convince them their selfishness is for those they care about, making each character unique and brilliantly performed.

The best example of a great character arc is that of Jaime Lannister, who goes from a self absorbed character to one that is unanimously loved by the entire fan base. The characters of this show are truly the main reason why it is worth watching, at least seasons 1-6.

You may also be interested in: 

• 10 Most Powerful Game of Thrones Characters
• Top 10 Most Evil Game of Thrones Characters
• 20 Movies Like Game of Thrones You Need to Watch
•  
• The 25 Most WTF Moments in Game of Thrones
• Top 10 Reasons Why Jon Snow is The Best Character in Game of Thrones
• Top 50 Game of Thrones Characters and Their Most Memorable Scenes