The Atlantic

As <em>Game of Thrones</em> Returns, One Question Looms: Who Will Be King?

The season premiere offers four possibilities for who could take over in the succession crisis.
Source: HBO

The season premiere offers four possibilities for who could take over in the succession crisis.


“It’s been a remarkable journey.”

Tyrion Lannister

No network makes bigger gambles than HBO, and Game of Thrones was a high-risk, high-reward gamble that has paid off bigger than anyone could have imagined. The grim, dense HBO fantasy series overcame its not-inconsiderable barriers to entry to become an unexpected phenomenon: In the year since Game of Thrones premiered, it’s been referenced in everything from The Simpsons to Major League Baseball, earned Peter Dinklage an Emmy Award, and set HBO records for DVD sales and digital downloads.

stellar first season set an unusually high bar, but the second season has ahas won audiences over, can it keep them? If last night’s season premiere, “The North Remembers,” is any indication, best years are still ahead of it. This is deft, bold, deeply intelligent storytelling, demanding and uncompromising, with sky-high production values and a quality cast to match.

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