There can’t be many shows in the history of television that inspire you to do actual homework before the new season starts, but here we are. This is a show which now runs to sixty-something hours and which has had at least 70 named characters. What we used to think of as great television: X Files, Buffy, NYPD Blue—doesn’t even come close to being in the same league as far as complexity goes.. The multi-threaded narrative is coming towards its end, but I couldn’t possibly predict how.

The Still Watching podcast from Vanity Fair is recapping 15 key episodes, and as well as listening to that, I’ve decided to work my way through this list from Time Magazine. It’s a useful list of 20 episodes, covering the main story beats and taking in many of the most memorable moments.

It’s an odd way to watch, missing out huge chunks. One minute Cersei is sitting on the iron throne calling the shots, and the next minute she’s in a prison cell slurping water off the floor. But it is also a fairly satisfying experience, fast-forwarding through some of the longeurs and skipping out the Iron Islands and other narrative dead ends.

Anyway, it’s Sunday night and there’s school tomorrow, and I’m cramming.