00:00 Game of Thrones, a popular TV show and book series, has had a significant impact on shaping popular perception of the medieval period and how people view the past.

06:13 Game of Thrones is a distinctive TV show that invites viewers to empathize with a particular family before killing off characters and introducing twists, while also incorporating elements of zombies and dragons that reflect medieval beliefs and serve as symbols of ultimate power.

11:04 Game of Thrones is rooted in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, incorporating themes of civil wars, sexual violence, and the consequences of decisions made by the elite, while also drawing on authentic historical material and giving it a contemporary spin.

15:35 Game of Thrones draws on British history, particularly the Wars of the Roses, and incorporates elements of Shakespearean drama and Tolkien's high fantasy, while also perpetuating Western stereotypes of the East as exotic and cruel.

20:15 Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones is a white savior figure who liberates slaves using her dragons, but ultimately becomes a totalitarian ruler and incinerates the capital city.

25:07 Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones has similarities to Tony Blair in terms of being a liberator who causes destruction and devastation.

30:31 Game of Thrones portrays the Middle Ages as a violent and brutal time, but in reality, medieval civilization had more inhibitions and controls on violence, including codified warfare and ethical frameworks that governed behavior, which the show fails to accurately depict.

35:55 Game of Thrones is not realistic in its portrayal of religion and lacks the inner crises and genuine belief that would be present in a medieval setting, making Tolkien's Lord of the Rings a truer representation of the Middle Ages.

41:04 The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones is shocking because it goes against the laws of hospitality and desecrates a sacramental event like a wedding, which is highly unusual in the Middle Ages.

45:33 Valyria is compared to Rome, as it is an ancient empire that has fallen and is now in ruins, and the high Valyrian language spoken in Game of Thrones is likened to Latin; Martin's writing style in Game of Thrones is more realistic and lower in register compared to Tolkien's higher register, and while people being killed on toilets did happen in medieval times, it wouldn't happen in Tolkien's works; the Iron Bank in Game of Thrones is similar to Italian banks in the Renaissance, but medieval kings would default on their debts without consequences, whereas the Iron Bank would come after you if you defaulted; Game of Thrones has had a negative impact on Dubrovnik due to mass tourism and the city becoming a Game of Thrones theme park; and Martin's portrayal of Hadrian's Wall in Game of Thrones is not accurate, as it was not meant to be an impenetrable barrier but rather a forward operating base or customs border.

50:04 The portrayal of the wildlings in Game of Thrones humanizes them, contrasting with earlier interpretations of similar groups as frightening figures, and drawing parallels to British soldiers on the frontier in British India.

54:54 The podcast episode ends with a discussion about future topics, including an upcoming episode on Oliver Cromwell and the protectorate, as well as the promotion of the World Cup of Ancient Gods on Twitter.