As much as I have enjoyed the books and the show, the three driving actions of the entire story are the result of impossibly illogical choices made by Ned (allowing the rightful heir to the Iron Throne renounce all rights and risk his life by joining the Black), Jamie (trying to kill a boy too young to even understand what sex is) and Catelyn (capturing Tyrion while her family is surrounded by Lannisters), within the first four episodes. I think the level of stupidity shown by Tyrion’s plans breaks all records, so it’s hitting us in the face and breaking our suspension of disbelief during the episode, instead of afterwards.

Greek tragedy is based on the tragic flaw, which could be the lack of self-knowledge, lack of judgment, and often hubris.

Maybe the American counterpart is just stupidity.

We have thieves who post the evidence to their Facebook pages, stories about people whose fatal accidents are so ridiculous they become posthumous recipients of the Darwin Awards, and, of course, the most damning evidence in our nation’s history, the election of Genghis Tang (props to a Larry Wilmore podcast listener for that one).