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Is Game of Thrones for Nerds?

Episode 6 scene 5
Episode 6 scene 5 Photo: HBO

Is Game of Thrones for nerds? Of course it is! Of course it is. But is it for nerds only? That’s what Neil Genzlinger suggests in today’s Times, that GoT only appeals to “Dungeons & Dragons types.” While the number of times you’ve rolled a twenty-sided die certainly correlates with a propensity to enjoy George R.R. Martin’s work, does that really matter? Don’t plenty of people enjoy Game of Thrones? What’s so bad about appealing to Dungeons and Dragons types? Couldn’t a show that appeals only to Dungeon Masters still be a good show? Is Game of Thrones an example of nerd culture going mainstream, or does it function more as a gateway for the uninitiated to fall for fantasy?

Is Game of Thrones for Nerds?