Unfortunately, this season was a show about nothing. That's the real reason there isn't a second season lined up right away.

The rest of the text that I'm about to write is because there is a requirement of so many characters that have to be written. So many required characters that I feel like I'm one of the writers for the show, and will detail some insignificant plot twist over the course of five episodes. It's too bad George RR Martin wasn't able to keep pace with the script writers. Here's to hoping for a better second season in 2 years. Alas, this feels like a college paper where you BS 75% in order to meet the professor's requirements, even though you could have summed it up in three sentences.