Blood, Boobs, Carnage? Sounds like Game of Thrones to me

I have to admit to you that normally I can take or leave ALL these things. I don't object to them. I am not squeemish or prudish. I just also don't really NEED them. They don't necessarily add for me.

Why then, is my very favorite TV show ever so full of all three? [I read these books, too, but these descriptors in the books have far lower prominence, though they are there--how graphically depending largely on the PoV character at the time and how much they understand and would care to describe.]

[Minor spoilers included, though kept to a minimum other than the first episode and the one I think most of the world knows about]

Jaime pushing Bran out the window

The very first episode doesn't have ACTUAL blood--oh wait... there IS a beheading of a deserter of the Night's Watch--but what it lacks in blood it makes up for with two different incestuous scenes, which I think we will call a draw. Besides that, MOST episodes have blood. And there are boobs... I think Danaerys gets the first full boobal scene (yes that's a word—it means “all about boobs” though it might be Roz—a whore, so her boobage can be forgiven. And carnage? An eight year old boy is thrown out a window of a high tower for stumbling across one of those incest scenes mentioned. And there are hints that someone (John Arryn) was murdered.

It isn't the blood itself, but the implications

Favorite Blood in the Series

Oh, sure, there is gory death and battle blood. Lots of it. But I think the BLOOD MAGIC ("Only death can pay for life" and "There is Power in a King's Blood") has a lot more appeal to me. Also, there is a scene where Sansa wakes up from a dream of being raped (after she nearly was—it is a PTSD dream) to find she has “flowered” (moon's blood, aka: started her period)--this puts her in imminent danger as it means she is old enough to marry the sadistic young king.

They showed this from both angles, but in the interest of PG...

Favorite Boobs in the Series

Erm... this show has coined a phrase. “Sexposition”--when someone has to SAY something that can't be shown, then somebody in the scene is inevitably having sex to make it visually interesting... or something. I guess though, I forgive the boobage as it is one of few shows to not shy from full male nudity, too. The best scene this way is Hodor because it is largely so innocent. Hodor is believed to be part giant with great strength, but the wits and temperament of a sweet three year old. He comes out of a pool to find Bran, Osha and Rickon and Osha raises an eyebrow, “Now there's a big man” and Bran tells Hodor to put his clothes on. Hodor has no clue he's been inappropriate (and in a better world, neither would anybody else--it's just nakedness). It just is this sweet, comedic nakedness.

Nobody is safe. Nobody.

My Favorite Carnage

Man, this show is so full of it. And my favorite scenes this way are favorites not because they were “good” but because they were full on wrenches to the gut. The first is in season one and even people totally unfamiliar probably know: killing the person we all thought was the MC. Then there is the George RR Martin Wedding Planner thing... and the trials by combat... In short, I like the carnage in this show because it has proven to have such power as a game changer. Anyone is expendable, which increases the tension all the time. And tables can turn in an instant. This series took a lot of inspiration from War of the Roses, which is actual history, and I think this piece is where that is most powerfully displayed.



So I encourage you to go check out the other participants. And what about you? Do you like violence? Nudity? What is your favorite book, TV show or movie that is heavy on these?