i came to “game of thrones” very late, as usual, but what a pile of nonsensical violence and stunningly crude misogyny. it’s supposed to be “fantasy”? indeed, it’s the fantasy of the stereotypical deeply disturbed teenage boy. i’m surprised that something this boring in its mediocrity could have ever garnered so much attention. and the misogyny? it’s so embedded in the show, so vile and routine, that it’s hard to take. digs deep into how far we’ve come as women, when this is an acceptable mainstream show in 2017. i assume it’s still going.
p.s. i know this justification well, that it’s a “period” piece. i’m sorry but it’s not a historical depiction of misogyny. look at the way it’s shot, which has nothing to do with medieval europe. they didn’t have cinematography back then. it’s the gratuitous consumption of the female body. it’s putting women in positions of subjugation where they lose all control, all identity, all the time, for no reason. it’s not about character arcs, it’s about ambient misogyny – misogyny as background noise, as backdrop to the show, much like a video game meant for teenage boys.
and the defense of the show on the basis of all the apparently strong, complex female characters and their so-called empowerment? i don’t find women acting like misogynistic men empowered and therefore don’t find the show (or alternatively the books) to be that feminist. also, i’m a bit confused about the unquestionable, historically accurate parameters within which these characters are supposed to function. as far as i know there were no dragons or zombies in medieval europe. isn’t this genre supposed to be fantasy? if we can’t fantasize about revolution, where women can be more than men in skirts, then how do we have the temerity of talking about/hoping for revolution in real life?