This spot centres around Ian and Sarah, a young couple who’ve just started dating. We join them just as Sarah asks Ian around to her place for the season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones. Ian accepts happily, but we soon discover he’s never seen an episode.

Luckily, Ian has Foxtel so every episode of the show is at his fingertips at home and on his devices. We watch as he relives every twist and turn on the emotional rollercoaster of five seasons in five days. When he finally arrives at Sarah’s door, we witness his realisation that he may have overdone things slightly. We’re guided through the action by an all-seeing narrator.

To understand the urgency around Ian’s binge, it’s important to note that Foxtel is the only place Australians can watch Game of Thrones. This is also why Sarah inviting him around to her place on a Monday is significant, because in Australia Monday is Game of Thrones day. It’s an event that everyone who watches the show identifies with.

The line that Ian delivers to Sarah when she opens her door is ‘Valar Morghulis’. It’s a greeting in High Valyrian, one of the fictitious languages featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones. As Ian mentions in the spot, it means ‘all men must die’ and is usually followed by the reply ‘Valar Dohaeris’, meaning ‘all men must serve’. This call and response features heavily in the show.

We open on a rooftop carpark at night. Ian and Sarah, a bookish couple, have just ended their first date and are lingering near Sarah’s car. We punch in on a nervously lovestruck Ian.

V/O: It's what Ian's been waiting for. The invite round to Sarah’s.

Sarah stops slurping her drink for a moment and blurts out-

SARAH: Would you like to come over to my place on Monday and watch the new episode of Game of Thrones?

Ian looks ecstatic. He says ‘yes’ at the same time as our VO.

V/O: Yes Sarah. You bet he does.

Suddenly, we see the bliss drain from his face.

V/O: Oh, hang on? A crack? A tell?

We punch in closer as Ian swallows nervously.

V/O: You haven’t seen it, have you?

He gives a tiny shake of the head as if in answer to our VO.

V/O: Oh dear.

Sarah flashes him a reassuring smile. We zoom in on Ian as the harsh winds of winter blow snow into his face.

V/O: Brace yourself Ian. Winter is coming.

The Game of Thrones theme tune roars to life as a montage erupts on screen. Think Rocky if he were an awkward 30 year old cramming 5 season of Game of Thrones into 5 days.

Ian perplexed by the gratuitous incest in the opening episode. Cramming in some breakfast, still glued to a tablet. Unable to switch off while in the shower.

We jump through time to the end of season 1, the content merging together into a shocking blend of obscene deaths.

We see him continuing his mission at the gym, on the bus and back home in his dressing gown. Rapid firing Game of Thrones related searches into Google.

SUPERS: Who is Jon Snow’s mother? Is winter still coming? Where is Tony Stark? What is the height of Peter Dinklage? Hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor?

Couch. Toilet. Back to couch. Time passes. Ian’s office. The agony of the Red Wedding. The ecstasy of Joffrey’s death.

Back home. More carnage. Crossbow bolts, eyes gouged out of their sockets, a knife plunged directly into a skull, a child burned at the stake. Jon Snow bleeding out.

He drains a carton of milk, openly weeping. Please. No more.

Cut to him arriving at Sarah’s door, flowers in hand. As she opens it, he greets her smoothly in High Valyrian.

IAN: Valar morghulis.

She looks puzzled.

SARAH: Sorry?

Cut to a flustered Ian. He’s gone too deep.

IAN: It just means that... all men must die.

Realisation dawns on Sarah. She laughs nervously.

SARAH: Oh..from the...ok.

Cut to Game of Thrones opening sequence.

V/O: Stream every episode ever.

Foxtel. Make it yours.