Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen on "Game of Thrones" (HBO)

A few weeks ago Liana Maeby tweeted the following: “Want to feel like a five-year-old? Explain the plot of Game of Thrones to someone who has never seen it.”

Not only is this tweet hilarious, it’s also alarmingly accurate. “So you have these families, right? And they all want to take the same throne but there’s a problem because one lady who lives across the water has dragons and there are zombies in the North and everyone has to get married to everyone else. And there are a ton of different gods and there’s a three-eyed crow and one woman has to fight a bear in a big pit.”

She may have only intended to poke fun at how almost excessively intricate and far-fetched Game of Thrones can be, but her tweet also succinctly proves what makes the show so utterly addicting. No five-year-old could watch the show and understand what’s going on (true, even some grown-ups struggle as well).

What it provides instead of a childlike experience is the chance for adults to indulge their internal desire for serious fantasy and drama. The show provides the mystery and mysticism required to pique anyone’s interest, but brings it up a notch by taking it seriously.

The whole world becomes an unbreakable entity where characters develop seamlessly alongside sword and word play and cinematic special effects. Basically, it becomes cool for adults to get excited about something with a child’s fervor.

The show has the benefit of originating in literary form. Few obsessions can rival those of book series (Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter among the more legendary) for no other medium can provide the same length of time to spend within an imaginary world. The fans of George R.R. Martin’s “Song of Ice and Fire” series bring in an automatic fan base, especially since Martin holds an executive producing title. Loyalty to Martin’s crown also includes spreading the message of his kingdom. A proper fan of the books and series would never keep the world of Westeros to him or herself. 

The idea of translating a book to television seems misguided at first because it’s impossible to fully include the unparalleled depth of information and detail. The attempt to do so, however, is what really draws viewers in.

The show makes a commitment to the stories in order to develop them as thoroughly and excitingly as possible. The show caters to fans of the books by maintaining an intricate web of characters and plots, and ends up drawing in new fans in the process. The multiple focuses force the viewer to pay attention in order to keep up with the plot.

If the plot didn’t include riveting tales of politics, war, magic, and incest, the intricacy would most likely push viewers away. Thankfully that’s not the case. As a result, the viewer wants to pay attention, becoming more and more invested in the plot as its paths reveal themselves. 

The numerous story lines also guarantee a multi-faceted world. No stone goes unturned, so what results is an incredibly realistic environment. This sounds oxymoronic considering the abundance of elements like blue men (who look eerily similar to Jim Rash) and 700-foot walls of ice, but I’m not talking about that kind of realistic.

I mean, the way the show covers every aspect of its world that nothing can take you out of the moment—every second of the episode feels real. The world maintains its sense of reality because it develops honest and compelling relationships between the characters. The show grabs your attention with the grandiose effects and locations, but it’s the characters’ decisions and motivations that hold on. The effect is escapism in its greatest manifestation: the viewer can occupy a far off land by recognizing him or herself in its inhabitants. 

"Game of Thrones" has developed the most effective way to allow everything to unfurl while maintaining intrigue in every episode. The format, which switches between scenes of all the characters’ different experiences, means you rarely spend too much time in any one scenario.

The show gives you one hit before jumping to another plotline, and then another, and then another, until you’re a strung-out addict whose only attempt at relief is another episode. Even on the occasion when stories blur during a specific episode, the final cliffhanger of every episode rarely disappoints.

This format doesn’t grow old, though, because the writers know exactly when to draw out the time in a certain scenario.

Take the most recent episode for example. The episode focuses on three plot lines the most, allowing them to breathe and reach their potential after the amuse-bouches of each previous episode.

The importance of certain matrimonies (trying to avoid spoilers is the new, well, no, there’s no equivalent) means the show spends a significant portion of the episode focused on that singular event. As a result, we viewers get a deeper look at how complicated (and frankly depressing) these characters’ lives are becoming. And we get a deeper look at how intensely attached we’ve become to how the story plays out.

Still unconvinced that you should be watching? Just listen to this testimony from the internet’s husband, Adam Scott, as Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation: