based on the epic serial novels, hbo has adapted this sopranos meets lord of the rings fantasy. just brilliant. season three just started (and book three was by far the best read of the bunch)...
not sure you can jump in without watching the first two seasons, as there are hundreds of characters. and I wouldn't grow too attached to any one character...because anyone is likely to die at any time. I don't ordinarily fall for something like that...but this is exceptional.