The School of Thrones hype may have died down in favour of that vaguely popular show it’s actually based on – you know the one, you might have heard of it – but time has done that thing time does and whipped us forward to the halfway mark of the season. So for those of you not consumed with thoughts of the Red Wedding (finally, finally, finally), you may be wondering if School of Thrones will attempt to fill the Game of Thrones-shaped hole all set to open up in our lives post-June 9.
Or at least, I certainly have been. During both the lead-up to School of Thrones and its actual run, I couldn’t help but be struck by what an excellent idea it was, and how brilliantly it was executed – to the point where, as an observer, I’d definitely cite it as an example of ‘How To Make A Successful Web Series 101.’ Here’s why:
The Timing Was Perfect
The team behind School of Thrones couldn’t have picked a better time to debut. By airing the episodes in the final weeks leading up to the third season premiere of Game of Thrones, they totally capitalized on the rising hype of a fanbase reaching the end of a year-long wait for one of the most anticipated seasons of the show yet. Sure, there’s always some consistent level of excitement amongst more eager fans (the Sherlock fanbase is a prime example), but with more and more clips, pictures, and general information being released about Game of Thrones, excitement was high amongst casual and die-hard fans alike – a great atmosphere for School of Thrones to get in on the buzz.
The Casting Choices Were a Great Selling Point
Speaking of buzz, the marketing for School of Thrones kicked off just as The Lizzie Bennet Diaries was starting to draw to a close – and such was the popularity of the latter that when Mary-Kate Wiles was cast as Sansa, the intrigue surrounding School of Thrones definitely kicked up a notch. Again, the timing here just worked out excellently in School of Thrones’ favour. There’s probably no need for me to reiterate the cast list – suffice it to say that when publicizing a web series, it is a very, very good idea to get as many popular names attached as possible. Bonus points for Starkids in Speedos.
It Was Well-Informed
The thing about any movie or book or TV show that achieves as much attention and popularity as Game of Thrones is that they often wind up becoming the subject of comedic picking apart. Which is fine and entertaining and can result in great things like A Very Potter Musical, but can equally result in half-assed parodies by people looking for easy targets and cheap laughs. Happily, School of Thrones knows its source material, and actually, to paraphrase Mel Brooks, loves the thing it’s parodying. The little shoutouts to the books and show are clear evidence of that.
It Had A Great Premise
Much has already been made of how hilariously the high school prom-focused setting of School of Thrones worked, despite the much heavier source material. Sure, there were people who didn’t like the premise, but hey, people are entitled to their opinions. I hesitate to make too many comparisons to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but the LBD’s success really was the most recent (as in, prior to School of Thrones) affirmation that there’s a market for modern adaptations of popular period stories, especially in the form of a high-quality web series.
It Wasn’t Overly Ambitious
The cast size may have been fairly sizeable, but the show was self-contained and nicely wrapped up – which is why I feel any attempts to revive the series ought to be made carefully. At least part of the reason for School of Thrones’ success can be attributed to the fact that it was a short-term project not requiring the consistent juggling of commitments and schedules. Of course, the sheer number of characters that haven’t been introduced yet leaves room for a whole new story with an entirely different cast – if the production team are willing to give up their current stellar cast list. I’d love to see a spinoff with Jon Snow taking a hall monitor oath, though – especially the bit where he goes undercover and falls in with Ygritte and the rest of the shady constant-detention crowd Beyond The Halls. I assume that’d be, like, under the bleachers or something. Beware the lure of the hot tub, Jon!
Ahem.
Essentially, School of Thrones may have had its flaws, but it was a highly creative and excellently publicized venture. I’m intrigued for more Thrones – both in game and school form. What do you guys think? Should the series continue, or has it had its day? Let us know in the comments – in the meantime, RED WEDDING! *hums Game of Thrones theme*
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