Game of Thrones (2011)
Winter is coming.
Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 17 April 2011 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 19 May 2019 |
| Genre | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Action & Adventure |
| Created by | David Benioff and D. B. Weiss |
| Starring | Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau |
| Seasons | 8 seasons, 73 episodes |
| Episode length | about 57 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 69 hours |
| Rated | TV-MA |
| Scores | Metacritic 80/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 89% · IMDb 9.5/10 · TMDB users 8.5/10 |
Where to watch Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 2 months of Max, or $36.98 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 30 September 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama that treats political betrayal as a survival sport. Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, it adapts George R. R. Martin’s books into a sprawling war for the Iron Throne. With 8 seasons and 73 episodes, the total runtime is 69 hours. That is a significant commitment. It is for viewers who enjoy watching powerful people make fatal mistakes while an ancient evil waits in the cold.
What the critics said
The scores are high enough to suggest consensus, though the sources do not agree on the ceiling. Rotten Tomatoes sat at 89% as of February 2020. Metacritic settled on 80 out of 100, a number that implies approval with a raised eyebrow. IMDb users gave it 9.5 out of 10, which is less a review and more a group hug. No named critics are recorded in the file, so the verdict rests entirely on the aggregate. It is a rare case where the numbers do the talking, leaving the critics to nod along in the background.
How it did with audiences
HBO tracked the climb. Season 1 averaged 2.5 million viewers. By season 6, that figure hit 25 million, with 40% tuning in via digital platforms. Season 7 pushed the average to 32.8 million. The finale drew 19.3 million, making it the network’s most-watched episode. One season even set a Guinness World Record for the largest TV drama telecast. On TMDB, users rate it 8.5. IMDb audiences give it 9.5/10. The numbers suggest people stopped thinking about it and just watched.
Awards
The show collected 13 awards, spanning categories from costume design to stunt ensembles. Peter Dinklage took home a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2011. It also picked up the TCA Award for Outstanding New Program that same year. The rest of the haul is a long list of technical nods.
What came next for the cast
Peter Dinklage moved from Elf to Avengers: Infinity War. That is a specific trajectory. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau went from Kingdom of Heaven to The Flash. Lena Headey shifted from 300 to Dredd. The credits list what followed. They do not prove the show caused the pivot. Sometimes a single role changes the shape of a resume. Other times it just fills a gap.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Game of Thrones.
Read more: House of the Dragon
Sources
- Game of Thrones on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q23572 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Game of Thrones” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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