Game of Thrones (TV series)

Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series produced by the HBO cable network. It is based on the novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, written by George R.R. Martin, who serves as a producer, creative consultant and scriptwriter on the television series. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss created the television series and serve as executive producers, showrunners and main writers.

To date, the series consists of five seasons, each consisting of ten hour long episodes each.

Production of the series is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, mainly at the Paint Hall Studios. It is the largest and most expensive television production ever mounted in Northern Ireland. Filming for the series has also been conducted in Malta, Iceland, Croatia, Morocco, Spain, and the USA.

Premise
The series is set in a world where the seasons can last for years at a time. The main setting is the continent of Westeros, which was home to seven feuding kingdoms until they were united by the Targaryen family using dragons some three centuries ago. The dragons died out and the Targaryen Mad King was unseated in a civil war led by Lords Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Jon Arryn. and Hoster Tully, seventeen years before the series opens. Robert has ruled as King ever since, but when the series opens his rule is increasingly undermined by other factions. At the same time, the only two known surviving Targaryen children, Viserys and Daenerys, having grown to adulthood in exile on the eastern continent of Essos, are now planning to return to Westeros and retake the Iron Throne, and to this end are seeking military alliances with other factions.

As both civil war and an external invasion threaten Westeros, another danger arises in the lands to the far north, beyond the vast Wall that forms the realm's northern border, where a supernatural threat believed to be mythical seems to be stirring after millennia of sleep. The only defense lies with the Night's Watch, an undermanned, underfunded order of soldiers once held in honor but now used as a dumping ground for criminals and exiles.

Great Houses
==== House Stark of Winterfell : rulers of The North, the largest region of the continent. Led by Lord Eddard Stark, whose heir is Robb Stark. ====
 * Sean Bean as Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North
 * Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark, wife of Eddard Stark and Lady of Winterfell. Eldest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully.
 * Richard Madden as King Robb Stark, Lord Eddard's eldest son and heir. Later King in the North
 * Queen Talisa Stark, wife of King Robb Stark
 * Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Lord Eddard's eldest daughter.
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, Lord Eddard's youngest daughter.
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark, Lord Eddard's middle son.
 * Art Parkinson as Rickon Stark, Lord Eddard's youngest son.
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Lord Eddard's "bastard son". Later Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
 * Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark, Lord Eddard's younger brother. Serving as First Ranger of the Night's Watch.

==== House Lannister of Casterly Rock: rulers of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West. Led by Lord Tywin Lannister, whose heir is Tyrion Lannister. ==== House Tully of Riverrun: rulers of the Riverlands, the well-traveled central region of the continent, and Lord Paramounts of the Trident. Led by Lord Hoster Tully, whose heir is Ser Edmure Tully. House Arryn of the Eyrie: rulers of the Vale of Arryn and Wardens of the East. Led by Lord Robin Arryn. House Tyrell of Highgarden: rulers of the Reach and Wardens of the South. Led by Lord Mace Tyrell, whose heir is Ser Loras Tyrell. House Baratheon of Storm's End: rulers of the Stormlands and now the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms. Led by King Robert I Baratheon, whose heir is Joffrey Baratheon. House Martell or Sunspear: rulers of Dorne, the southeastern peninsula of Westeros. Led by Prince Doran Martell, whose heir is Trystane Martell. House Greyjoy of Pyke: rulers of the Iron Islands off the western coast of Westeros. Led by Lord Balon Greyjoy, whose heir is Theon Greyjoy.
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West.
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister, Eldest daughter and child of Lord Tywin, wife and widow of King Robert Baratheon, and mother of Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen Baratheon
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister, eldest son a knight of the Kingsguard, twin brother of Cersei and the true father of Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen.
 * Peter Dinklage as Lord Tyrion Lannister, Cersei and Jaime's younger brother, and heir to Casterly Rock. Called the Imp for his dwarfism.
 * Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister, Lord Tywin's younger brother and closest adviser.
 * Eugene Simon as Lancel Lannister, Ser Kevan's son, a squire to King Robert.
 * Karl Davies as Alton Lannister, a distant cousin of the main branch of the family.
 * Tobias Menzies as Lord Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident.
 * Clive Russell as Ser Brynden Tully, Younger brother of Lord Hoster Tully.
 * Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie and Warden of the East.
 * Kate Dickie as Lady Lysa Arryn, wife of Lord Jon Arryn and Lady of the Eyrie. Youngest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully
 * Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lord Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South.
 * Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell, son of Lord Mace and heir to Highgarden.
 * Natalie Dormer as Queen Margaery Tyrell, wife of King Joffrey Baratheon, and later King Tommen Baratheon.
 * Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell, former Lady of Highgarden and mother of Mace Tyrell.
 * Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon, King of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, and Lord of King's Landing.
 * Gethin Anthony as Lord Renly Baratheon, and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. King's Claimant.
 * Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone. King's Claimant.
 * Alexander Siddig as Prince Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear.
 * TBA as Princess Arianne Martell, the eldest child and daughter of Prince Doran, and the heir to Sunspear.
 * Toby Sebastian as Prince Trystane Martell, the eldest son of Prince Doran
 * Patrick Malahide as Lord Balon Greyjoy, Lord Reaper of Pyke and Lord of the Iron Islands.

The North
House Bolton of the Dreadfort: new Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North