It benefited from the devoted following for
Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” clutch of novels.
It was richly and painstakingly produced, filmed
in 10 countries including Northern Ireland,
the Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Iceland and
Canada. Its appealing cast became household
names, and the female characters that grew in
stature and strength as the drama unfolded are
routinely namechecked as part of the female-
empowerment zeitgeist.
“Game of Thrones” could boast of its Emmy
dominance as well, with 47 trophies to date
including three best drama series awards. Last
year, it denied a second consecutive win to a
worthy opponent, Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,”
but HBO itself lost valuable Emmy bragging rights:
It was surpassed in total nominations for the first
time in 17 years and by relative newcomer Netflix,
and the streamer tied
HBO in wins.
Analyst Gerbrandt, of Media Valuation Partners,
isn’t counting the channel out. Many viewers still
like so-called “curated” TV delivered to them, as
opposed to searching online through dozens or
hundreds of offerings, he said. There’s also the
power of perception at work.
“If there’s a brand that survives strictly on name,
it’s probably HBO,” he said.