You’ve never watched Game of Thrones?

If you haven’t already hopped on the Game of Thrones bandwagon, do not fear. I am here to knock some much-needed sense into you. The HBO show based off of George R. R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire is about to kick off its third season at the end of the month, so now is the perfect time to set aside your social life for a while and dive into the direwolf-eat-direwolf world of Westeros.

But wait … Isn’t Game of Thrones a nerdy show for teenage boys who spend their time and money on Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings paraphernalia? Well … yes and no. Obviously any show set in a fictional medieval world with swords and violence and dragons is going to attract that crowd—especially when nudity is thrown in the mix (and considering it’s HBO, there’s an abundance of that). However, the wonderful thing about Game of Thrones is that its appeal extends far beyond the blood, guts, and sex.

Perhaps the most unique characteristic of the show is its diverse cast of dynamic characters. There are very few distinctive antagonists and protagonists. This makes for an exciting and unpredictable storyline, and there’s a little something for everyone—gay characters, straight characters, gender ambiguous ones, young, old, big, small, even a dwarf. Almost all of them have done both “good” and “bad” things, so in most cases determining who the heroes and villains are is a matter of opinion.

Speaking of diversity, unlike similar medieval/fantasy shows and movies, Game of Thrones features many strong female characters. For those of you familiar with the Bechdel test, you’ll be happy to know that Game of Thrones passes it with flying colors, while movies like The Hobbit, which features only one minor female character, epically fail it. Whether they’re using their “womanly wiles” to charm unsuspecting men into doing what they want, spending their free time learning how to swordfight, or leading an entire clan of people, the girls in this show kick some serious ass.

And did I mention they’re all gorgeous? Unlike most shows that have the one or two “super-attractive” characters, Game of Thrones is jam-packed with mega-hotties of both genders (yes, I just used the term “mega-hotties”). Sure, after being introduced to the Tyrell siblings, you might weep every time you look in the mirror, but the eye candy is worth it. Just don’t get too attached to any of the characters—you’ll thank me later.

Of course, a cast of dynamic and diverse characters would be useless without a troupe of talented actors and actresses to play them. Luckily, casting director Nina Gold has not fallen short in her duties. It’s almost eerie how perfectly each of the actors in the show fit into the role they’ve been chosen to play. Peter Dinklage, for example, has received an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister, the quick-witted underdog brother of Queen Cersei. There really is no other way to describe Dinklage’s interpretation of Tyrion as anything but perfect.

Unfortunately, I’ve barely scratched the surface of everything addictively entertaining Game of Thrones has to offer. I didn’t even get to talk about the snow zombies. Fortunately, you have the power to find out for yourself. Stop wasting your free time re-watching episodes of How I Met your Mother on Netflix and do something worthwhile with your life. Season 3 of Game of Thrones will premier Sunday, March 31 on HBO. Until then, be sure to borrow the first two seasons from a friend, or find another means of watching them. All the cool kids are doing it.