KOCHI: In the world of Game of Thrones (GoT), you win or die. GoT has won the internet with 54 million views for its Season 8 trailer since its release a month ago. Interestingly, the American fantasy drama has a huge fan following in Kerala as well, with Malayalees literally counting days and hours till the final season premiere on Sunday.
“I have cleared off my schedule for the day. Thank God, it is aired on a long weekend,” says Kevin Thomas, a school student who binge-watched the series. Based on George RR Martin’s novel series ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, Game of Thrones owes its popularity for a number of reasons. With a huge world covering the countries of Westeros and Essos, the picturesque locations in this fantasy world combined with a well-written plot makes this series a favourite among viewers. Filled with lots of twists and turns in every episode including numerous betrayal, deception and play of politics, GoT has a gripping tale to offer. The show has also been very bold in its portrayal of diverse forms of sexuality. The sound effects and VFX of the show are also top-notch, adding to the realism of the show.
House of Cards, Narcos, Vikings and Westworld also have a huge fan following in the state. While these may not be as popular as GoT, they do attract a large share of Malayalees. What is interesting is that such international TV shows are preferred over Malayalam shows. “These shows have an interesting story to offer. The plot of GoT is solid and has no loopholes. It is executed in a top-notch manner. The Indian television industry is still stuck between the in-law serials and the same-old reality shows,” says Rahul VR, a functional English student at Christ College, Irinjalakkuda.
Youngsters say the regional television industry does not have much content to offer to them. “The series in Hindi and Malayalam are ‘meme-worthy’. They don’t offer more than that. Which is why I prefer watching international series,” says Neenu Thomas, an English postgraduate student in Chennai.
(With inputs from Sruthi Madhu)