Game of Thrones still shapes fan expectations: 7 things it made fans expect

People are looking at HBO’s Game of Thrones again as a model for event TV. The reasons are pretty clear: the show had a seasonal rhythm people recognized, and it came out of that older HBO tradition of making television feel big.

By reports, Game of Thrones went from around 9.3 million U.S. viewers per episode in season 1 to roughly 46 million viewers across platforms by its final season. HBO also reportedly aired the series in 207 countries and territories, making it the network’s most widely licensed show.

A lot of what kept people coming back was the pattern. The tension kept building, then came a betrayal or death that changed everything, whether it was Ned Stark or Daenerys Targaryen. Episode 9 usually brought the huge jolt, like the Red Wedding or the Battle of the Bastards. Then the finales cleared the board and set up the next round, while still holding onto the story’s fire-and-ice core.

The scale behind it kept growing too. Production reportedly rose from about $50 to $60 million for season 1 to around $15 million per episode in the final season. Game of Thrones also filmed in 10 countries, including Northern Ireland, Croatia, Iceland, and Spain.

If you still keep up with HBO fantasy, it’s worth looking back at the Game of Thrones legacy, even with all the arguments over the rushed ending. That feels especially relevant now, with House of the Dragon premiering in 2022 and already renewed for seasons 3 and 4, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the animated series The Sea Snake are still in development.

You can stream Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon on Max.