Game of Thrones is a work of art within its genre and within television as a whole. The artistic merit of Game of Thrones can be seen in its cinematography and directing, the casting and acting of leading characters, and the writing of the show as exemplified by the use of foreshadowing.

While all of Game of Thrones is beautifully filmed, there are several scenes that stand out as cinematic masterpieces, most of which are battle scenes. From the early Battle of Blackwater Bay to the unrivaled Battle of the Bastards, the directors and cinematographers of Game of Thrones portray the horrors of war in an elegant and sophisticated manner.

The superb casting and acting in the show can be seen in the character growth of Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark and the villainous faces of Joffery Baratheon, Ramsey Bolton, and Cersei Lannister. Seeing the contrast between a smart-alecky and drunk Tyrion of early seasons and the wise leadership he grows into as the series progresses shows the depth of his character and the quality of acting of the man who portrays him. A second example of a dynamic character can be seen in Sansa Stark, who is hard not to despise in Season 1. The transition from a silly, stupid preteen to the badass Lady of Winterfell is not just inspiring, it’s an impressive feat for such a young actress. Dynamic characters are not hard to come by in Game of Thrones, but Tyrion and Sansa are excellent examples.

As fiercely as audiences grew to love the characters of Sansa and Tyrion, the hatred of the shows villains is even more fierce, none more hated than Joffery, Ramsey, and Cersei. Joffery is an especially impressive case as he was not an actor prior to Game of Thrones and has retired from the profession since his on-screen death. Both Joffery and Ramsey portray a level of despicableness that I have seen in no other show, and produces within me a disgust I did not know possible. Cersei, even with a certain amount of redeeming qualities, is so snake-like that she too is truly detestable. Between the impressive character growth of some characters to creation of fabulous villains, Game of Thrones gives countless examples of top-notch acting.

The show’s writing, both by the author of the original book series and the screen writers of the show, demonstrates intricate planning that creates a high-quality story. Foreshadowing of later events can be seen both on a small scale within episodes, as well as across seasons and story lines. In an early episode, a minor, foreign character is asked some of the things she’s seen in her travels, and she recounts dragon glass daggers and a man who can change his face—both of which are important details that don’t come up again for many seasons. Other examples of foreshadowing have to do with mistaken ancestry (such as Joffery Baratheon’s and Jon Snow’s). Small details in early seasons are later revealed as important, making the writing of the story especially impressive.

Aside from the high quality of the show in many different areas, the story is simple epic. Every episode I’m glued to the screen and left dying to know what happens next.