Game Of Thrones has a turnover like that of your typical fast food joint: characters are introduced, killed and replaced with frustrating speed. The Viper was introduced, became vaguely interesting, then killed in the space of a mere matter of episodes. This method does have its merits, characters don't hang around long enough to grow stale and then there's always the intrigue of a new character coming in. But there are obvious shortcomings with this approach. Yes, it's interesting when a new character enters the fray, and it's normally equally fun when they kick the bucket, but when the dust has settled, there's an empty feeling left in the stomach, a space that should have been filled with an emotion. There are so many characters in Game of Thrones, so many introductions and deaths, that it's hard to actually form any type of emotional bond with them. It's a bit easier in Kings Landing where there's a lot of interaction, but outside the capital, there's not many you actually care about: Jon Snow, maybe; Daenerys, maybe... Maybe even Theon. But does anyone really care about the characters around them? What about Bran and his entourage? Or Stanis? Or Theon's sister? it is impossible to care about any cast this large. Did anyone actually feel anything other than shock when Rob Stark was killed? It was a very hollow death, mostly because he did pretty much nothing all season except get married when he was supposed to be fighting a war.
