A Question About Game of Thrones

I like great storytelling.
I like a suspenseful plot.
I like great acting.
I like great cinematography, editing, a great score.
I like it when a tv show gets all of this right.
I like it when a movie gets this right.
I like tv shows and movies.
I like being culturally relevant and not missing out on what everyone is talking about and getting excited about.
BUT…

I really love my wife.

That’s why I don’t watch Game of Thrones. From what I know, Game of Thrones has it all: the storytelling, plot, acting, the budget to do it all incredibly well. It seems to be the standard right now for excellence in a show. It sounds like it was produced with me in mind, as something that I would totally connect with and get excited about. It seems like I should be riveted and counting down the days to each new episode. But that’s not true at all. And it’s precisely because…

I really love my wife.

I love her more than great storytelling.
I love her more than a suspenseful plot.
I love her more than great acting.
I love her more than great cinematography, editing, and a great score.
I love her more than tv and movies.

And she (rightfully so) told me years ago while we were still dating that she was uncomfortable watching a show where actresses get naked.

I’m not trying to repeat what other, wiser men have already said about Christians watching Game of Thrones (John Piper and Kevin DeYoung, among others). But here’s a healthy exercise I think every dude who watches Game of Thrones should do: ask your wife if she’s comfortable with you watching the show. If she doesn’t know what’s in it, let her read the IMDB Parent’s Guide page (approximately 60 entries containing sex/nudity/rape). Ask her to read it carefully, and then ask the question again.

But before you even ask your wife that question, here’s a great question to ask yourself: IF your wife says that she’s uncomfortable with you watching it, are you willing to stop watching it cold turkey? Are you willing to never see how it concludes? Are you willing to miss out on being culturally relevant? Are you willing to explain to your friends why you’re not watching it when they want to talk to you about the newest episode? Do you love your wife more than Game of Thrones?

I don’t think this is the end-all-be-all reason to not watch the show. And this doesn’t help single dudes (although you could ask your mother, or imagine what your future wife would say). And maybe, just maybe, your wife will say that she doesn’t care and give you her blessing. Maybe she’ll watch it with you. That’s where I think Piper and DeYoung would be helpful (or just the Bible). I think that many dudes got caught up watching it for all the things it does well, and decided to excuse the things that should make them run away (or, as a friend pointed out, they’re actually watching it FOR the things that should make them run away, and using the things it does well as a crutch to keep watching).

Men, would you be willing to give up watching Game of Thrones if your wife were uncomfortable with you watching it?

Men, are you willing to ask your wife that question?

Men, if we’re not willing to do either of those, maybe we should ask ourselves a few deeper questions.