Quizno’s Brilliantly Mashes Up ‘Game Of Thrones’ And ‘House Of Cards’

There’s no ‘formula’ for a viral video, but if you mash together two of the Internet’s favorite TV shows, that’s generally a good start. Quizno’s has done exactly that, creating a clever branded video that combines Game of Thrones and House of Cards to create ‘House of Thrones‘.

The video’s central character is played by an actor doing his best impression of Frank Underwood, right down to the Foghorn Leghorn-style Southern drawl. As he strolls around various iconic locations in Westeros, he spoofs the signature elements of both series, including Underwood’s tendency to break the fourth wall and George R.R. Martin’s tendency to murder just about anyone his fans find interesting.

Be forewarned, though, about potential spoilers. While the ‘House of Thrones’ video only explicitly reveals one major plot point from the last season of Game of Thrones, it hints at a few other major twists in both of the shows it parodies. If you weren’t among the horde of fans who bulldozed through season two of

House of Cards when came out, or if you have to plug your ears anytime your literate friends discuss the more recent Game of Thrones books, you might want to steer clear of this one.

For those of us who aren’t afraid of spoilers, though, ‘House of Thrones’ stands as a clever send-up of two buzzy franchises. While some of its views have been of the pre-roll variety, it has received more than 500,000 total views in just four days, with a strong like-to-dislike ratio to boot.

‘House of Thrones’ is part of Quizno’s #ToastyTV series, which mixes popular shows with toasted sandwiches. The other entries include parodies of Real Housewives, Dancing With The Stars, and Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo. ‘House of Thrones’ is the only #ToastyTV episode that does not advertise Quizno’s lobster and seafood salad sandwich. While I’m sure that’s a tasty sub, I’m glad Quizno’s decided not to introduce crustaceans into the world of Westeros. I don’t even want to imagine the sort of lobster-based torture Ramsay Snow would employ.