ARTICLE 1.0 TELEVISION SHOWS – REVIEWS IN SWITCH MAGAZINE APRIL 2015.

GAME OF THRONES – signifying the golden age of TV….

The main reason why TV shows trump cinema these days is the space it affords for the story to breathe and the characters to grow. When applied correctly, the elongated storytelling opportunities afforded by television trump cinema’s frayed reliance on the drudgery of 120-minute three-act plots. At its best, a TV show can be freeform, veering from comedy to thriller to horror and back again. Take House Of Cards, Breaking Bad, Homeland, The Americans, Battlestar Galactica, Lost or the big bad dragon of them all “GAME OF THRONES”

Viewership for the season 5 premiere topped 8 million first time and cumulatively 20 million the world over. Add in another 20 million who downloaded it and watched. If it were a movie with a $10 price of admission – the first episode itself would have raked in anywhere between 200-400 million dollars !!! It should be noted that the finale episodes get an almost 30% bump up in viewership, so ….. you get the math !!

Starting with the theme song and ending most likely with a twist – this is must – watch television. For the uninitiated, Game of Thrones is based on the still-in-progress fantasy epic book series called A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R.R. Martin. Epic, breathtaking, heartbreaking, vivid, violent, awe-inspiring and addictive, it remains the single most remarkable feat of television, possibly ever, increasingly admirable for its ability to grow rather than simply sustain. Ardent fan Jimmy Kimmel recently noted on his ABC late night show that the series literally could go on for thousands of seasons, given the voluminous goings-on in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy book series. All I’m saying is just don’t kill Daenerys !!!!!

If you’ve not started on this journey, please do so with haste you won’t regret it.

Winter is Coming !!! and it has never looked nor felt so good !!!

SAUMIL BHANSHALI