The fixation with “Game of Thrones” (GOT) and “House of the Dragon” (HOTD) just doesn’t make sense to me.

TFD – Not everyone is captivated by the highly anticipated second season of “House of the Dragon.” Some fans, like our writer, are choosing to skip the latest season despite the show’s popularity. Discover why they’re okay with missing out on the action and why you shouldn’t feel bad if you’re not a fan of “Game of Thrones” or “House of the Dragon” either.

I never experienced winter.

Though I’m not even close to knowing what that means, I know it means a lot to “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” aficionados.

I’m ready for criticism on everything I’m going to say, so start breathing fire. I get fandom entirely. Considering that I am a reporter for entertainment by trade and choice, I should.

Not to mention that HBO, which owns the same parent company as CNN, has seen enormous success with those two shows.

When others are really engrossed in pop culture, I also readily admit to experiencing some FOMO because I want to join in! And “Game of Thrones” is a popular show among people. I genuinely adore it.

Pop culture, particularly television series, has virtually always been ingrained in me, as my mother will attest. When I was a child, you used to put me in front of the TV or give me a book to keep me quiet. Particularly anything related to historical fiction.

So it would make sense that “Game of Thrones” would be my jam since it’s based on the incredibly popular “A Song of Fire and Ice” fantasy book series by George R. R. Martin. Upon seeing the promotional photos before the series debuted in 2011, I immediately thought “medieval drama!” and was ready to be all in, starting with the novels.

I was having trouble reading the first book in the series when it started. I’m that obnoxious person who has to read the book before the release of the material it’s based on. I’m also required to read book series in order, but I’m getting off topic.

The first book is titled “A Game of Thrones” and I settled in fully expecting to be engrossed by all 694 pages. I even poured my favorite beverage in my chalice goblet to set the mood for what I had heard was a powerful tale of the inhabitants of the fictitious lands of Westeros and Essos.

Not everything went as expected.

Martin writes a great book, but I just couldn’t seem to get into it.

“Maybe I just can’t read it,” I thought, and downloaded it on Audible to listen instead.

It turned out to be the first audiobook I had ever dozed off while listening to, darling reader.

So when the show first aired, I didn’t have high hopes. Not simply because of the subject matter, but also because I tried to watch the first few episodes and found them to be too dark. There were moments when I thought it was difficult to see the characters because of how dark the cinematography seemed.

It felt so hopeless. I choose to tap out after realizing that, as an empath, I truly can’t handle beheadings.

“Succession” armed with blades

My social media feeds were rapidly taken over by the program, and I started to feel excluded from what a lot of other people seemed to be enjoying.

I made an effort to figure out exactly why the “GOT” franchise wasn’t appealing to me.

Was it the fact that I’m not a huge fantasy fan? No, I adored Shadow and Bone and The Lord of the Rings.

Was it the aggression? Maybe, but anyone who knows me (or has read my writing or followed me on social media) is aware of my intense passion for mob movies. In fact, I was inspired to write an essay by my weekly rewatches of Martin Scorsese’s iconic film “Goodfellas”—though, to be fair, I watch a sanitized version that I recorded off of television, so it’s not as violent as the original.

The only reason that comes to me is that the characters in “The Game of Thrones” aren’t the finest people, and even Kit Harington’s breathtakingly gorgeous appearance can’t make that any different.

Swords and all, it actually is like “Succession,” as my editor Megan Thomas noted. Every character has a backstory, and the most of them aren’t the kinds of people you would want as real-life pals.

Consider it another successful HBO series, “Succession,” if you will, and draw any conclusions from that.

Ultimately, “Game of Thrones,” with its themes of rape, war, and incest, was simply too violent to me—even for someone who loves to watch anything and everything related to the mafia.

Community is frequently a source of solace, and Adam Elkus did a great job capturing this in his 2015 Medium article, “Why Game of Thrones Is Making Us Stupid.”

He describes it as a type of power pornography where viewers watch as people humiliate, harm, betray, abuse, and destroy one another. Following this, viewers become obsessed with creating the most creative gif or Imgur image possible out of such filth.

Thick, huh?

I made the decision to give it another shot when the second season of the “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “House of the Dragon,” debuted this past weekend. This is the bit where I should write something admirable about how, years later, having survived the pandemic, I feel like a different person or that I am in a different location, or something along those lines.

The fact is that my friend, the actress LaNisa Renee Frederick, has been posting videos of herself watching “Game of Thrones” on Instagram. Her comments, which make me laugh, include “These folks need baths,” “Is he going die soon,” and “Is he Black? Does this feature any Black people?

I attempted to binge watch “GOT” once again with the remote and some food, but it didn’t work. Not for me, still.

Before you recommend that I watch “House of the Dragon” right away and give up on any hopes I had for its precursor, go back and read the section where I discussed my compulsive desire to read things chronologically. That also applies to observing things chronologically. Even if it is a prequel, the idea of going back that far seems like it would destabilize the cosmos. (I realize that’s a Star Wars allusion, but I’m genuinely attempting to appease the fantasy enthusiasts who would be inclined to attack me.)

In addition, I’m looking for as many positive things in my life as I can these days. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t seem like we were meant to be, House of the Dragon.

I’m cool with missing out on all the action of the highly anticipated second season of a show, so don’t feel sorry for me. And share this article with anyone who tries to make fun of you for doing the same thing or says they can’t believe someone doesn’t like “GOT” or “HOTD.” I wish they would realize it was me.