of why, precisely, you find the show "better than 99% of the stuff appearing on the small screen these days", when much of that 99% doesn't have those same failings, or not to the same degree. Evidently there must be some pretty big upsides to the show, then - or is it just the enjoyment of watching a story you know to be good being acted out by pretty good actors and a huge special effects budget? Which makes it sound rather a lot like the Lord of the Rings movies, come to think of it - but I definitely would not call those unusually good movies, even so.

I mean, as arguments go, you've built a whole post around the failings of GoT - with many solid points - but then just base your final conclusions about television in general on an axiom of GoT being supposedly so superior to most other television. Which I'm rather inclined to doubt. Not that I watch much television, mind you, so most of my favourite shows don't qualify as "these days" anymore. But still.