I Think I'm in Love with Peter Dinklage...

HBO has just finished airing the new series "Game of Thrones." Over ten roughly hour long episodes, Game of Thrones has introduced me to a bevy of characters jostling for wealth, power and blood. Some of the characters jumped out and grabbbed me by the throat, thereby demanding  attention. Others are less physical, wily and quietly command me to notice. Peter Dinklage plays such a character.

I first noticed Mr Dinklage in "The Station Agent," a wonderful movie with great character studies. He plays along with Bobby Cannavale and Patricia Clarkson. I think I may have almost as big a crush on Ms Clarkson as I do Mr Dinklage. But Mr Dinklage has a huge presence in The Station Agent and delivers an understated yet very powerful performance as Fin McBride, a decidedly withdrawn man who is forced into friendships he doesn't solicit. I loved Fin McBride form the moment I first laid eyes on him and that love carried over to Peter Dinklage.

I knew nothing of Game of Thrones when I tuned in to the first episode back in April. I didn't have any clue as  to who played the starring roles, or what the story was about. Big Love had ended its fifth and final season and I was sad and lonely for my friends in Sandy. The loss of Nikki Grant was overwhelming. I had no idea how I would spend my Sunday evenings after that. But the Starks, The Lannisters and the Targaryens quickly soothed my aching heart and took me in.

I'm a sucker for stories about people and their relationships and Game of Thrones paid off rather well. Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lannister, the third child of a powerful man, but he is different than everyone in his family. Where they openly seek power, Tyrion seemingly seeks only to please himself.  His strengths are his intelligence, education and a good head for politics. Tyrion does possess a scathing wit and has somewhat of a mean streak for people he considers enemies, but his strengths are not valued by his family. And because of that he has largely taken to whoring and drinking. There is something else though, he actually makes important connections with two members of the Stark family who are also hurt in one way or another. Tyrion Lannister actually holds a place in his heart for other sufferers and in his own way, has helped them immensely.

I'm not sure another actor could have pulled this off. Peter Dinklage has given me part of himself in playing this role. Part of him has actually transcended the fourth wall and come in to my home and crawled into my heart. As Fin McBride or Tyrion Lannister, Peter Dinklage has stolen a huge part of my heart.