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Questions and Answers
What is Game of Thrones?
What is Game of Thrones?
When did Game of Thrones premiere?
When did Game of Thrones premiere?
How many episodes of Game of Thrones were broadcast over eight seasons?
How many episodes of Game of Thrones were broadcast over eight seasons?
What are the fictional continents where the series is set?
What are the fictional continents where the series is set?
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How many Primetime Emmy Awards did the series receive, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019?
How many Primetime Emmy Awards did the series receive, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019?
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Who composed the music for Game of Thrones?
Who composed the music for Game of Thrones?
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What was the most-pirated television series from 2012 to 2019?
What was the most-pirated television series from 2012 to 2019?
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What was the criticism of the final season of Game of Thrones?
What was the criticism of the final season of Game of Thrones?
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What did Game of Thrones boost in Northern Ireland?
What did Game of Thrones boost in Northern Ireland?
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Study Notes
Game of Thrones TV Series Summary
- Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO.
- It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin.
- The show premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and concluded on May 19, 2019, with 73 episodes broadcast over eight seasons.
- The series is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos and has a large ensemble cast and follows several story arcs throughout the course of the show.
- Game of Thrones attracted a record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, and international fan base.
- The series received 59 Primetime Emmy Awards, the most by a drama series, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.
- The series has been praised for its acting, complex characters, story, scope, and production values, although its frequent use of nudity and violence has been subject to criticism.
- The final season received significant critical backlash for its reduced length and creative decisions, with many considering it a disappointing conclusion.
- The series has been praised for its medieval realism and its exploration of the relationship between good and evil through the questions of redemption and character change.
- The series has been inspired by European history, gothic fiction, and various historical antecedents such as the English Wars of the Roses and the legend of Atlantis.
- The series began development in January 2007, and HBO acquired the television rights to the novels, with Benioff and Weiss as the series' executive producers and Martin as a co-executive producer.
- The main cast was assembled through a process of auditions and readings, with Peter Dinklage and Sean Bean being the only exceptions, whom the writers wanted from the start.Game of Thrones: Cast, Writing, Adaptation, Filming, and Visual Effects
Cast:
- Some characters in the pilot were recast for the first season.
- Many new characters were introduced in each of the following seasons, leading to some recurring characters being recast.
- Benioff and Weiss selected most of the cast in the second half of 2009.
Writing:
- Benioff and Weiss wrote most of each season's episodes.
- Martin wrote one episode in each of the first four seasons.
- Cogman, who wrote at least one episode for the first five seasons, was the only other writer in the writers' room with Benioff and Weiss.
- The writers spent several weeks writing a character outline before creating a detailed outline for each episode.
Adaptation schedule and episodes:
- The series was based on a plot outline of the future novels provided by Martin along with original content after the sixth season.
- The showrunners planned to shoot 13 more episodes after the sixth season.
- The series was renewed for a seventh season with a seven-episode order, and the eighth season was announced as the final season.
Filming:
- Principal photography for the first season began in July 2010 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
- Exterior scenes in Northern Ireland and Malta were filmed for the first two seasons, and Croatia was used for the later seasons.
- Iceland was used for scenes set north of the Wall, in the Frostfangs, and at the Fist of the First Men.
- The production used three units filming in parallel, six directing teams, 257 cast members, and 703 crew members.
Effect on locations:
- Game of Thrones boosted Northern Ireland's creative industries, contributing to an estimated 12.4 percent growth in arts, entertainment, and recreation jobs.
- HBO converted its filming locations in Northern Ireland into tourist attractions to be opened in 2019.
- Some tourism organizations reported increases in bookings after their locations appeared in Game of Thrones.
Directing:
- Each ten-episode season of Game of Thrones had four to six directors, who usually directed back-to-back episodes.
- Alan Taylor directed seven episodes, the most of any director.
Production design:
- Michele Clapton was the costume designer for Game of Thrones' first five seasons before she was replaced by April Ferry.
- Over 130 makeup artists and prosthetic designers worked on the show.
- The designs for the series's costumes were inspired by several sources, such as Japanese and Persian armor.
Visual effects:
- For the large number of visual effects used in the series, HBO hired British-based BlueBolt and Irish-based Screen Scene for season one.
- Because the effects became more complex in subsequent seasons, German-based Pixomondo became the lead visual effects producer.Game of Thrones: A Summary of Production, Music, Language, Availability, Copyright Infringement, and Reception
Production
- Visual effects were produced by various studios, including Pixomondo, Mackevision, Peanut FX, Spin VFX, Gradient Effects, Rodeo FX, Scanline VFX, Image Engine, and Crazy Horse Effects.
- Pixomondo retained a team of 22 to 30 people focused solely on visualizing Daenerys Targaryen's dragons, with the average production time per season of 20 to 22 weeks.
- The series's title sequence was created by Elastic and won the 2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Main Title Design.
- Ramin Djawadi composed the series's music and was nominated twice for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for his work on the show.
- Dothraki and Valyrian languages were constructed by linguist David J. Peterson based on the few words in the novels.
Availability
- Game of Thrones was broadcast by HBO in the United States and by its local subsidiaries or other pay television services in other countries.
- The series was widely pirated, primarily outside the US, and was the most-pirated television series from 2012 to 2019.
- The complete series is available on HBO Max in 4K, Dolby Vision HDR, and Dolby Atmos.
Reception
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Game of Thrones received critical acclaim, particularly the first six seasons, although the series's frequent use of nudity and violence has been criticized.
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The series was highly anticipated by fans before its premiere, and some critics and publications have called the show among the best HBO series of all time.
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The show's final two seasons, especially season eight, received more criticism, with some fans even starting a petition for the final season to be remade with different writers.Game of Thrones: A Summary of Criticisms, Cultural Impact, and Awards
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Game of Thrones has been both praised and criticized for its writing, music, visual effects, and portrayal of sex and violence.
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The cast performances, especially Peter Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister, were highly praised throughout the show's run.
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Concerns over the amount of female nudity, violence, and sexual violence depicted in the series have been raised, with some critics calling it excessive and gratuitous.
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The lighting in darker scenes has been criticized since season six, with some viewers having difficulty seeing what is happening.
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Game of Thrones has been credited with increasing the popularity of the fantasy genre and led to an increase in sales of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels.
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The series has become a subject of academic and scientific inquiry, including studies on emotional sentiment and character relationships.
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Game of Thrones has a broad, active international fan base, with fans including political leaders and parents naming their children after series characters.
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The series has won numerous awards, including 59 Emmy Awards, eight Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Peabody Award.
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The show's final season established a new record for most Emmy nominations received in a year with 32.
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Game of Thrones was a ratings success for HBO throughout all eight seasons, with the show premiere being watched by a large audience.
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Test your knowledge of the epic fantasy drama television series, Game of Thrones, with this quiz! From the show's characters, plot, and production to its impact on popular culture, this quiz covers it all. Are you a die-hard fan or just a casual viewer? Take this quiz to find out!