When I saw this introduction I knew this was going to be an awesome show. It is carefully and artfully crafted. Game of Thrones lived up to the intro. There are a few areas where HBO truly excels and where they boldly differ from the standard American television writing template. Unlike most TV shows the narrative moves forward relatively slowly. The producers take their time and do it right: they build tension and create a compelling world filled with interesting characters. The show is visually addictive to the point where you can't look away, meanwhile, they develop both story arcs and character arcs so when stuff does happen, you're hooked. Although this is a work of fantasy Martin did his homework. King's Landing, Winterfell and the kingdoms loosely mirror Britain in the middle ages. The Dothraki are loosely based on steppe cultures of the east (Mongels). The details about the various cultures, customs and traditions all feel very authentic and believable on the one hand