Discover the most popular TV show the year you were born

2011: Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones first premiered in 2011, and the television landscape would never be the same again. Game of Thrones revolves around the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, and the fight for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. The show features different families fighting over who is the rightful heir to that throne, and incorporates many elements of fantasy, including dragons, and zombies (or “White Walkers”). The show has been a massive hit on HBO, getting critical praise and even earning record viewership for the network.

Game of Thrones has been lauded by critics for everything from its complex web of characters and storylines, to the strong performances given by the show’s cast. While it has been criticized for its gratuitous use of nudity and gory violence for shock value, the series has still received a whopping 38 Emmy Awards, which is more than any other primetime scripted television series. The series has won Emmys for everything from Best Writing to Outstanding Special Visual Effects and Outstanding Sound Mixing, and they have also scooped up awards for the show’s stars, including Peter Dinklage.

The show has become a worldwide sensation, with fans fiending for the new episodes every week, which is rare in the era of binge watching. The seventh season of Game of Thrones ended in August 2017, with the show’s eighth and final season only premiering in 2019. Fans are going crazy waiting to know how it will all finish!