Game of Thrones, the HBO series based on the books by author George R. R. Martin, is known for stories filled with cheery characters, bloodless resolutions to potential conflict, and examples of tight, unbreakable familial bonds. That’s why it was a bit jarring to see the newest teaser trailer that HBO just dropped ahead of the season 6 premiere on April 24th. Talk of death, how we all have it coming, sour faces, ne’er-do-wells–This isn’t the Game of Thrones I’d grown to know and love over the course of many novels and five seasons. I’m hoping this change in tone won’t signal a case of viewers walking away in droves from the series they’d come to know and love. Judge for yourself.
Maybe this is all a gross misreading of the footage on my part. We’ll have to see when the season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones hits HBO on April 24th.