I found the show underwhelming and, at times, infuriating in the first season, so I stopped watching it. I could start a whole thread on why, so I'll spare you.
As a huge fan of the books, there is no over-arching villain, as has been said. To be one, you'd have to be a tangible threat at all times in the story, and the Lannisters are not that. In fact, several of the Lannisters are completely redeemable if not all around "good" guys. Tyrion, obviously, but also Jaime and Kevan. As far as Westerosi history is concerned, the Lannisters didn't develop a lot of reputation beyond being "really rich" (which, frankly, several other families are as well, most notably the Tyrells), until Tywin Lannister.
Even Tywin wasn't really a "bad guy." In the context of his world, the only really bad traits he exhibited were his negative treatment of Tyrion (despite recognizing Tyrion's mental superiority to his siblings) and his need to try to install Cersei or Jaime into positions to control the Iron Throne. In fact, his quote:
"When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Elsewise no man will ever bend the knee to you. And any man who must say ?I am the king? is no true king at all. Aerys never understood that, but you will. When I?ve won your war for you, we will restore the king?s peace and the king?s justice."
is incredibly both strategically intelligent and enlightened at the same time. Frankly, if it weren't for his fairly awful heirs, Tywin would have been one of the best leaders that Westeros could have put on the Iron Throne, really matched only by an older and more experienced Daenarys. Rhaegar would have been a good ruler, but probably not a great one. I have doubts as to his ability to deal with intrigue appropriately.
So, in the end, the only real villain we have is the somewhat intangible threat of the Others, who have made a few moves here and there, but have yet to become a really palpable problem.
As a huge fan of the books, there is no over-arching villain, as has been said. To be one, you'd have to be a tangible threat at all times in the story, and the Lannisters are not that. In fact, several of the Lannisters are completely redeemable if not all around "good" guys. Tyrion, obviously, but also Jaime and Kevan. As far as Westerosi history is concerned, the Lannisters didn't develop a lot of reputation beyond being "really rich" (which, frankly, several other families are as well, most notably the Tyrells), until Tywin Lannister.
Even Tywin wasn't really a "bad guy." In the context of his world, the only really bad traits he exhibited were his negative treatment of Tyrion (despite recognizing Tyrion's mental superiority to his siblings) and his need to try to install Cersei or Jaime into positions to control the Iron Throne. In fact, his quote:
"When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. When they go to their knees, however, you must help them back to their feet. Elsewise no man will ever bend the knee to you. And any man who must say ?I am the king? is no true king at all. Aerys never understood that, but you will. When I?ve won your war for you, we will restore the king?s peace and the king?s justice."
is incredibly both strategically intelligent and enlightened at the same time. Frankly, if it weren't for his fairly awful heirs, Tywin would have been one of the best leaders that Westeros could have put on the Iron Throne, really matched only by an older and more experienced Daenarys. Rhaegar would have been a good ruler, but probably not a great one. I have doubts as to his ability to deal with intrigue appropriately.
So, in the end, the only real villain we have is the somewhat intangible threat of the Others, who have made a few moves here and there, but have yet to become a really palpable problem.