This code reproduces the data and plots in this blog post on each Game of Thrones character's screen time on the show in seasons 1 to 3.

GoT_screentime.R

got <- readLines("GoT_screentime_full.txt", encoding="UTF-8")

gotdf <- data.frame(name=vector(), 
                    minutes=vector(),
                    seconds=vector(),
                    seasons=vector(),
                    episode_count=vector())

for(i in 1:length(got)) {
  char <- strsplit(got[i], split=" = |\\. |\\(|\\:|; |)")
  char <- unlist(char)
  gotdf[i, ] <- char[2:6]
}

# fix data types
gotdf[ ,c(2:3,5)] <- apply(gotdf[, c("minutes", "seconds", "episode_count")], 2, FUN= as.numeric)

# calculate screentime in seconds
gotdf$screentime_seconds <- (gotdf$minutes * 60) + gotdf$seconds

# extract family name from 'name' variable
# Beware: gives first name, if no family name provided

for(i in 1:nrow(gotdf)) {
  split_name <- unlist(strsplit(gotdf[i, 1], " "))
  gotdf[i, "family"] <- tail(split_name, 1)
}

# Generate a Lannister-Stark-Other factor variable
gotdf$sl_dummy <- ifelse(gotdf$family == "Stark", "Stark", 
                         ifelse(gotdf$family == "Lannister", "Lannister", "Other"))

# I manually coded sex
gotdf$sex <- c('m', 'f', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'f', 'f', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'f', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'f', 'f', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm', 'm')

# extract info in how many seasons character appeared

for(i in 1:nrow(gotdf)) {
  seasons <- unlist(strsplit(gotdf[i, "seasons"], ","))
  gotdf[i, "season_count"] <- length(seasons)
}

# same thing with ddply:
# ddply(gotdf, 
#       "name", 
#       function(df) { 
#         df[,"season_count"] <- length(unlist(strsplit(df$seasons, ",")))
#         return(df)})
# 
# I think the loop's more reader-friendly, though, & it doesn't make much difference in terms of speed

# Manually fix Balon Grejoy entry
gotdf[gotdf$name == "Balon Greyjoy", "season_count"] <- 2

#########
# Plots #
#########

library(Cairo)

# plot screentime as a function of episode count
CairoPNG("st_epc.png", width = 800, height = 400)
plot(gotdf$screentime_seconds ~ gotdf$episode_count, xlab = "Episode Count", ylab="Screen time (seconds)")
dev.off()

# Lannister vs. Stark vs. Other screentime boxplot
CairoPNG("lan_stark_other.png", width = 800, height = 400)
boxplot(gotdf$screentime_seconds ~ gotdf$sl_dummy)
dev.off()

# male vs. female character screentime
CairoPNG("got_sex.png", width = 800, height = 400)
boxplot(gotdf$screentime_seconds ~ gotdf$sex)
dev.off()

GoT_screentime_full.txt

1. Tyrion Lannister = 166:15 (1,2,3; 28)
2. Daenerys Targaryen = 127:35 (1,2,3; 25)
3. Jon Snow = 126:41 (1,2,3; 24)
4. Arya Stark = 100:11 (1,2,3; 27)
5. Eddard Stark = 94:35 (1; 9)
6. Catelyn Stark = 91:14 (1,2,3; 25)
7. Cersei Lannister = 90:02 (1,2,3; 27)
8. Robb Stark = 89:16 (1,2,3; 22)
9. Sansa Stark = 85:42 (1,2,3; 24)
10. Theon Greyjoy = 84:11 (1,2,3; 23)
11. Jorah Mormont = 72:18 (1,2,3; 24)
12. Jaime Lannister = 71:25 (1,2,3; 19)
13. Samwell Tarly = 61:48 (1,2,3; 19)
14. Petyr Baelish = 60:00 (1,2,3; 19)
15. Bran Stark = 57:56 (1,2,3; 21)
16. Varys = 57:17 (1,2,3; 18)
17. Joffrey Baratheon = 54:22 (1,2,3; 23)
18. Tywin Lannister = 49:39 (1,2,3; 19)
19. Davos Seaworth = 44:00 (2,3; 10)
20. Ygritte = 42:55 (2,3; 12)
21. Shae = 40:45 (1,2,3; 16)
22. Brienne of Tarth = 39:38 (2,3; 14)
23. Gendry = 39:14 (1,2,3; 17)
24. Sandor Clegane = 39:03 (1,2,3; 21)
25. Bronn = 36:54 (1,2,3; 16)
26. Stannis Baratheon = 36:45 (2,3; 12)
27. Margaery Tyrell = 32:51 (2,3; 10)
28. Talisa Maegyr = 32:25 (2,3; 12)
29. Melisandre = 32:22 (2,3; 10)
30. Osha = 30:53 (1,2,3; 14)
31. Robert Baratheon = 29:38 (1; 7)
32. Grand Maester Pycelle = 28:38 (1,2,3; 15)
33. Khal Drogo = 27:20 (1,2; 10)
34. Barristan Selmy = 25:43 (1,3; 13)
35. Renly Baratheon = 25:26 (1,2; 8)
36. Maester Luwin = 24:22 (1,2; 14)
37. Jeor Mormont = 23:42 (1,2,3; 12)
38. Ros = 22:12 (1,2,3; 15)
39. Loras Tyrell = 21:54 (1,2,3; 11)
40. Viserys Targaryen = 20:15 (1; 5)
41. Gilly = 18:08 (2,3; 9)
42. Rodrik Cassel = 16:46 (1,2; 12)
43. Hot Pie = 15:47 (1,2,3; 10)
44. Thoros of Myr = 15:35 (3; 6)
45. Olenna Tyrell = 14:54 (3; 5)
46. Yoren = 13:48 (1,2; 7)
47. Ramsay Snow = 13:43 (3; 6)
48. Roose Bolton = 13:41 (2,3; 11)
49. Edmure Tully = 13:08 (3; 5)
50. Walder Frey = 12:26 (1,3; 3)
51. Brynden Tully = 12:00 (3; 5)
52. Yara Greyjoy = 11:50 (2,3; 5)
53. Missandei = 11:39 (3; 8)
54. Beric Dondarion = 11:07 (1,3; 5)
55. Tormund Giantsbane = 10:27 (3; 7)
56. Daario Naharis = 10:12 (3; 3)
57. Jaqen H’qhar = 8:15 (1,2; 7)
58. Balon Greyjoy = 7:58 (2;3; 3)
59. Qyburn = 7:16 (3; 4)
60. Lysa Arryn = 7:03 (1; 4)
61. Benjen Stark = 7:00 (1; 3)
62. Maester Aemon = 6:49 (1,3; 4)
63. Mance Rayder = 6:22 (3; 3)
64. Syrio Forel = 6:15 (1; 3)
65. Robin Arryn = 4:37 (1; 4)