I was hooked after the first ten minutes of the first episode. Also, best opening credits and theme music probably since the X-Files.
That said, I find the show distasteful at times (the use of 'sexposition'), and sometimes it mishandles morality, making it hard to sympathize with any of the characters if you evaluate their decisions objectively. I suspect that like The Wire (and it's probably in that sort of league) it's weakest point will be unrelenting naturalism - constantly trying to show us how terrible and pointless life is, not offering much to aspire to.
I think the reason you're finding it difficult to sympathize with characters is that you're trying to evaluate their decisions objectively. My favorite part about this show is that no action, character, or decision exists within a binary black/white, good/evil way.
Try to get inside the character's head, think about what perceived injustices they have been wronged by, what their stake is in the decision, how their decision will influence the way in which they are viewed by their peers, etc, but most importantly, view it within the context of the character's emotional state at the time the decision was made.
Absolutely agree with you. G0T's theme song is unusually long. Yet, I haven't forwarded past it even once.Same with Fringe (I love the little changes they make based on the episode's universe or timeframe). The retro theme song was absolutely nerdgasmic. I also used to be quite fond of Rome and Prison Break's (chiefly because of the music, which is also composed by the music director of GoT) opening sequences.
How does a Game of Thrones "mishandle morality"? In my opinion, the shows (and books) present human morality more realistically than any other fiction I've ever seen
It mishandles it because some signals that set certain characters up as the good guys that we should route for are in conflict with actions they take which destroy some of our sympathy for them, indicating that the writers didn't really think through the moral implications of those actions, brushing them off too lightly.
For instance, when the butcher boy is killed, Stark looks mildly perturbed but doesn't protest about it, and is still willing to throw his lot in with the despicable Lannisters. It's mostly shrugged off, but the incident was far too dark for that. Or another example, Robb Stark sacrificing two thousand soldiers on a suicide mission which was a strategic feint. Although one can see how the tactic might work, it just makes no sense on a human scale, unless you buy into that glorious death-in-battle nonsense big time (on a Kling-on scale it would be ok).
That said, I find the show distasteful at times (the use of 'sexposition'), and sometimes it mishandles morality, making it hard to sympathize with any of the characters if you evaluate their decisions objectively. I suspect that like The Wire (and it's probably in that sort of league) it's weakest point will be unrelenting naturalism - constantly trying to show us how terrible and pointless life is, not offering much to aspire to.
But heck, it's mostly just outrageous fun.