So I hardly have time to sleep and work out, hence no blog updates. OK.. it's not that I don't *have time* it's that now that I'm back to work and trying desperately to continue justifying my employment in this increasingly terrible economy, I write a ton at work and have little desire to write and copy-edit blog posts after work. So I'm just going to talk GoT here.

Saw your comment on the blog, Dan, that you liked the series. I'm still not sure, myself. I didn't dislike it, but in the pantheon of HBO originals I've watched, it's probably near the bottom of my list. Rome had more gravitas. Carnivale had the meticulous historical accuracy that felt so real, even if the story was mind-blowingly abstract, like something from a Scientologist middle-school original production. Deadwood managed to pull off sophistication through the use of endless profanity- the dialogue alone kept me sucked in. And True Blood is the great high priestess of all guilty pleasures. It is so over the top, continually, that even crappy seasons (I speak of Season 2) are don't-miss-it entertaining. Even the Sopranos, which I detest because I live in NJ and hate (with a capital H A T E) the effect that show has had on the local culture here, had a certain somethin' somethin'. I think the only show that ranks below GoT for me in Six Feet Under, which started out strong, but then just became one depressing mess after another such that each viewing was an increasingly painful experience to the point that I just had to stop watching it.

Game of Thrones seemed to want to be something great, but I felt like it was a bunch of well-executed half-measures. I watched it closely, often with subtitles on so that I was sure to catch all the dialogue without waking the baby. Still, I don't feel like I really know the characters well at all, except for maybe Tyerion Lannister, but he's hard to miss.

I still can't even name all the players. I know Jamie, Daerneys, Catelyn, Sensa (or Sanka or whatever her name is), Jeoffrey (or is it with a G?), the little girl, Bran, John Snow, Cercie, and Little Finger... I was never clear on what Daerneys' retainer guy's name was or what his relationship is/was with the Starks and/or the Lannisters. I never felt like I understood the deal with John Snow's master of the watch or who his uncle was or how/why said uncle ended up at the ice wall.

Additionally, I know from overhearing the book-fan architects on the other side of my cubicle that dragons are of some importance, but had it not been for them, all I'd know from the TV series is that Daerneys is some kind of asbestos mutant who hatched dragons who are no bigger than teacup pommeranians. Big 'effin deal. Their CG execution was pretty awful, as well, like the final big project at ILM's Summer Camp for Special Kids.

The show had great sets, fabulous costumes, and actors who did their best to take it all seriously. The problem for me is that they were all taking it all SO seriously that it came around the other side and became a spoof of itself, like some fanfic masterpiece, produced by devotees who truly love the work to the exclusion of all other things. I never felt drawn into the story or encouranged to develop any sort of affection for any of the characters aside from Tyerion (again, due in part because he stands out like neon sign in both his characterization and physicality, and is portrayed by Peter Dinklage, who has a ton of theatric range.)

Of course, I've complained at length about the lack of creative programming on TV these days. Reality killed the writing staff, it seems, so I'm grateful for any sort of creative endeavor that doesn't completely blow. Game of Thrones didn't suck. Don't get me wrong. It was far from terrible, but as far as I'm concerned, it wasn't great, either. The Emmy noms, IMO, except for Dinklage's, are all alot of highbrow silliness, a junior version of the Oscars buffoonery in regard to what constitutes award-worthy television. Just because GoT was hard to understand, had pretty costumes, and people talked with accents doesn't mean it was particularly outstanding. Sure, throw in some gay knights. Big deal. It still didn't blow me away or make me go, "Wow" at any point. "Wow" gets Emmys. "Eh" gets renewals, and possibly a re-up of my HBO subscription. GoT is solidly an "Eh" right now.

My thoughts exactly! In the paper-rock-scissors game of what subscription channel original to pay for, True Blood beats GoT and Dexter beats GoT. I guess it's just paper-rock, no scissors.