As a book reader, and one who read the first book in hardback, it's been a long road. Knowing the arc of so many characters and keeping my trap shut around friends new to the show over the years was difficult. For me some of the most satisfying things was watching how they did the Purple Wedding and the battle between the The Red Viper and The Mountain. Watching the growth of Arya, the pain of Catelyn Stark, the incredible portrayal of Joffrey by Jack Gleeson, the incredible Charles Dance, the incredible Pedro Pascal, the clearly defined definitions of power (knowledge is power, power is power, power is where men believe to be) and the ruthless pursuit of this ineffable, elusive beggar. The action and fantastical elements are fun, but for me it's the drawing room dialogues such as those between Balish and Varys, Tywin and Olenna Tyrell (Tywin and anyone for that matter), and now The Imp and Daenerys that captures my attentions. As great as The Wire or Breaking Bad were, it's the long generational view of power, commonality and vengeance that GOT takes that draws me.