Dr Lauren Ware, Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, appeared on BBC Radio Kent (Lauren appears at 2:70) to discuss viewers’ emotional connection with the Game of Thrones television show in light of the upcoming premiere of its final season, and cast member Gwendoline Christie’s recent statement that fans “will need therapy” after the finale.

In the programme, Lauren discussed questions about emotional connections with art and with fictional entities; a classic problem in philosophical aesthetics.

Lauren, who is a fan of Game of Thrones, commented on how ‘extreme genre’ stories (in the realms of science-fiction and fantasy) contain human elements which can be difficult to explore in other mediums, and went on to discuss how shows like Game of Thrones provide “a playful space for us to think about revenge, or anger, or other things that are a little bit uncomfortable”, which is why the audience gets so attached to the characters within these stories.

Are such outlets good for us? Lauren thinks so. “Sometimes we have emotions within us that we don’t get to satisfy. These mediums can be a way of getting this emotion out in a controlled, safe, and non-consequential environment.”