Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.
Would like to call Season 1's fourth episode by its title, but due to it containing a prohibited word in the review guidelines (from my understanding) have decided not to in fear of guidelines violation. None of the episodes up to this point have disappointed, and this episode is not an exception. That it is very exposition-heavy and quieter in action could have easily crippled it, heavy exposition is not always kind to film and television, but this is a case of it benefiting from the exposition which does a fantastic job with developing the characters, their motivations and their backgrounds.
It also doesn't suffer from trying to having too many characters and stories to introduce, "Lord Snow" did suffer a little from this but still managed to be a great episode because the characterisation and storytelling were still so superbly done. Not many shows have their overall quality, tones, themes and characterisations so spot on and well-established when it first starts, but 'Game of Thrones' is one of the strongest exceptions. The slower, more reflective and loose feel to the storytelling was appreciated and actually was appropriate considering the character and story density.
Visually, it looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about the episode without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again, even with the odd rambling part here and there. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The monologues and exchanges all add hugely to the character development The story is paced mostly very beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
Where the episode excels the most in terms of the storytelling and standout scenes is in the Night Watch scenes, where connecting with the characters was easy to do, Jon Snow's time at the Wall, Viserys and Doreah's bath scene and the final scene.
Helped by the superb character and multi-layered writing throughout, Kit Harrington's understated charisma and Peter Dinklage's authority continue to shine, as does the affecting Emilia Clarke. Particularly good elsewhere are Michelle Fairley giving some of her career's best acting in her closing scene and the great addition of John Bradley.
Overall, another wonderful episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Would like to call Season 1's fourth episode by its title, but due to it containing a prohibited word in the review guidelines (from my understanding) have decided not to in fear of guidelines violation. None of the episodes up to this point have disappointed, and this episode is not an exception. That it is very exposition-heavy and quieter in action could have easily crippled it, heavy exposition is not always kind to film and television, but this is a case of it benefiting from the exposition which does a fantastic job with developing the characters, their motivations and their backgrounds.
It also doesn't suffer from trying to having too many characters and stories to introduce, "Lord Snow" did suffer a little from this but still managed to be a great episode because the characterisation and storytelling were still so superbly done. Not many shows have their overall quality, tones, themes and characterisations so spot on and well-established when it first starts, but 'Game of Thrones' is one of the strongest exceptions. The slower, more reflective and loose feel to the storytelling was appreciated and actually was appropriate considering the character and story density.
Visually, it looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about the episode without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again, even with the odd rambling part here and there. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The monologues and exchanges all add hugely to the character development The story is paced mostly very beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
Where the episode excels the most in terms of the storytelling and standout scenes is in the Night Watch scenes, where connecting with the characters was easy to do, Jon Snow's time at the Wall, Viserys and Doreah's bath scene and the final scene.
Helped by the superb character and multi-layered writing throughout, Kit Harrington's understated charisma and Peter Dinklage's authority continue to shine, as does the affecting Emilia Clarke. Particularly good elsewhere are Michelle Fairley giving some of her career's best acting in her closing scene and the great addition of John Bradley.
Overall, another wonderful episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox