5. Not Afraid Of The Dark
Fans of George RR Martin's Westeros and all its capricious inhabitants are quick to point out that Thrones is really dark, edgy and unafraid to mess with taboos. It's the main reason the author refused to sell the rights of his books to anyone until he could get HBO's attention because he knew that that's where his special brand of degenerate characters could have the biggest room to breathe, rape and kill in. Can you imagine what the MPAA would do if someone brought them the rough cut of Jamie doing his sister Cersei doggie style right before he pushes 8-year-old Bran off a ledge? Or the diabolical little shit Joffrey (who is 17 years old) getting his kicks by having one whore beat another with a spiked bat? Yeah, a Game of Thrones movie would have been lucky if it got an X rating, let alone be allowed to screen to the public. But HBO is not TV and it's not cinema either. Dany can get as naked as she wants, Ned Stark can get the most heartbreakingly unfair death ever and all can be wrong with the world. Compared to Rings, Game of Thrones isn't afraid to get nasty, dirty and just plain fucked up, which instantly makes it more enjoyable and attracts viewers hook, line and sinker. Ned Stark's shocking death, the whole concept of Joffrey's existence, the incest, lines like "I would let all his men and his horses fuck you if it got me the crown" make Sauron and his idiotic Orcs look like villains from a Power Rangers episode.