Nic: When comparing the expansive nerd bibles that are “Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones,” there is only one clear victor. Adapted from J.R.R Tolkien’s imaginative books of the same name, the “Lord of the Rings” films serve as a more faithful and epic adaptation than the often meandering “Game of Thrones.” While “Game of Thrones” has had inconsistent development through the years with some underwritten and some overwritten characters, “Lord of the Rings” perfectly executed its story on the most riveting and fantastical scale possible.

Jack: I do love that you refer to “Game of Thrones” as “meandering” when you’re arguing the case of the worst offender. “Lord of the Rings” basically wrote the book on meandering. In each film’s ridiculous three hour runtime, at least 75% is spent walking from place to place. I’ll give them credit for the scenery being pretty to look at, at least, but hours of walking is still just hours of walking. “Game of Thrones” however, has a key difference in that they have several storylines going on at once, so while one or two may be “meandering” along, the rest are moving forward.

Nic:  Perhaps the real argument here is film vs. television. In any case, film wins in this scenario because a clear cut plot, told through characters journeying (walking), trumps a bloated television series with no end game, While I admit that “Game of Thrones” can certainly appeal to audiences (primarily through sex and violence instead of storytelling), let us not forget that the third installment of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise actually won the Academy Award for best picture in 2003.

Jack: For one, “Game of Thrones” has significantly cut down on the gratuitous sex and nudity since its earlier seasons, and the violence most often serves a purpose. The show has never been for the faint of heart, and they will certainly never stray from that. Storytelling is absolutely necessary and really the most central thing in a show or a movie, but without any sort of action or violence most people lose interest. You can only hold people’s interest in plot lines about politics for so long before the average viewer gets restless and demands some bloodshed.