What makes this series so popular? It's the complete lack of regard for Hollywood's bland TV programme making machine and script writing, dictating how we should experience films and TV series.
For many years we have been fed the line the that "good will always triumph over evil" and that the baddies never win. Up until now the majority of Americans could not stomach an unhappy ending or losing the lead good guy, as this was too much like the unpredictability of life and a good positive end was what was needed to keep everyone going.
Enter Game of Thrones where no happy ending is promised and your alpha male and all round superstar goody (Sean Bean) was beheaded in the first season, leaving viewers speechless and open mouthed at the shear ruthlessness of the script and complete disregard for Sean Bean's superstar status. Brilliant!
It didn't end there though. We saw a flurry of established lead male and female characters going the same way as Eddard Stark. With murderous villains more vile and horrendous than anything we have seen since the middle ages and more notably the War of the Roses.
And there is it, the War of the Roses where bloody battles raged for 30 years splitting England and its families, their child heirs slaughtered, clearing ways for individuals to be crowned.
Many historical fictional films and plays have been produced detailing the shenanigans of these times but it has to be Shakespeare's Richard the Third to whom Game of Thrones author George R R Martin gets his inspiration. Add to that the depth of his historical knowledge and warped mind and he conjures lets a fictional time that let's us relive the spirit of the Royal Houses of York and Lancaster.
I just hope we don't get a triumphant end to whole show and books with the goodies walking away with the head of the baddies on sticks or the Dragon Queen marrying Jon Snow although this seems to be a distinct possibility if rumours are to be believed.
So far though George R R Martin has been thinking outside of the box when it comes to plot twists. Being a designer that's just the kind of mindset I admire.