If you're a show-only Game of Thrones fan and still have no idea what's going on, don't worry. Higher education is here to help.
A new summer class in the Film Studies program at the University of California, Berkeley, is devoted entirely to the HBO hit series, delving into its themes, theories and controversial aspects (like its portrayal of women).
Elsewhere in the university, students who are super interested in Westeros can check out actual remains of dire wolves -- the extinct North American canine that inspired George R.R. Martin's creatures.
UC Berkeley's course isn't the first of its kind in America, however. Northern Illinois University had an honors course about the series in spring of this year.
If you're doubting the worth of all this, remember that an HBO Go account is cheaper than the average college textbook by about $300.