Is Game of Thrones becoming a bit boring?

We’re well over half way into season five of Game of Thrones and it feels like not much has happened. One or two of the plot lines are finally threatening to ignite, yet as someone who’s loved the show for years, it’s difficult not to feel disappointed by Season Five to date.

The show itself faces a slight dilemma. Every season new characters are introduced, which seems to take time away from any main plot progression. Sub-plots can be brilliant, but aren’t appreciated in isolation. Watching characters talk away about pretty irrelevant aspects to the overall story can become a little dull. There’s also the issue of having too many stories on the go at once. Some characters with interesting situations can go two episodes without appearing.

Daenerys’ story is an example of where the show’s becoming a little tedious. We’ve watched her dabble around in Slavers’ Bay for what seems like an eternity. The idea that she’s learning how to rule makes sense, but isn’t particularly entertaining to watch.

Similarly, there was much anticipation around Arya’s character this season. What’s materialised so far is her washing dead bodies and being whipped for answering questions incorrectly. Who knew that training to be an assassin could be so boring?

Many fans share this view and have made their opinions known on Twitter:

On the flip side, as big a Game of Thrones fan as I am, this season has been boring

— Anthony DiMoro (@AnthonyDiMoro) May 18, 2015

Never would have thought that Game of Thrones would feature more boring meetings than Mad Men.

— Alex Baze (@bazecraze) May 18, 2015

I'm telling you, two or three more miserably boring seasons of Game of Thrones and I'm going to be quit watching. I'm serious.

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) May 18, 2015

Given how exceptionally good the show has been for many years now, it’s perhaps a little greedy to expect non-stop riveting entertainment. Despite this, it would be a crying shame for such a great show to drift off into sub-plot obscurity.

Considering that viewers have to wait almost a year between seasons, such slow plot progression has been rather disappointing. You have to wonder if there’s a danger that Game of Thrones might end up being overdone. Continuing to explore relatively irrelevant stories will ultimately turn some viewers off.

Last night’s episode finally suggested that some of the plot lines are bubbling to boiling point, but such action cannot come soon enough. The recent season of the Walking Dead seemed to follow a similar path. A big final episode was not enough to recover what had been an uninspiring season overall.

Whatever happens in future Game of Thrones episodes, the plot pace needs to increase a bit to keep everyone engaged.