re: Where does GOT rank?

Like a lot of fads it will be remembered for being intensely popular in its day and a bit underwhelming when viewed later on.

It is a master class in "event" TV. It didn't matter whether the episode was good or not, though they did have some good ones, it mattered if you watched it because it was the thing to watch. Sort of like Paris Hilton being famous for being famous.

Now some dyed in the wool GoT fans will throw an absolute wobbler here thinking I'm mocking their favorite show. I'm not. It did what it did very well for the most part and HBO managed to give it that aura of must see TV.