TV Review: Game Of Thrones - Episode 5 (The Wolf and The Lion)

And so the pieces start moving.

Sunday’s 5^th episode of GAME OF THRONES on HBO, titled THE WOLF AND THE LION, was basically a chess match coming to a head in which all the pieces that had previously been laid delicately into place, started firing around the board at high speeds.

The action ramped WAY up in this one from minute one. The dialogue sequences (those from the book and those not from the book) are so telling and well acted at this point that I have a hard time deciding which of those scenes is my favourite. The gore factor jumps within minutes, not to be outdone the creepy and crazy factor jumps as well, and all the while one of your favourite characters begins to make poor decisions that while altruistic and honorable, will ultimately have you yelling at the screen “Just go Ned! Run!!”

I honestly would have trouble trying to break this down into a proper review, so I thought I’d go with point form awesome. What say you?

-Maester Luwin going about lessons with a bored Bran while Theon Greyjoy practices archery was really well executed, and I think I need to add that Issac Hempsted-Wright is absolutely firing on the same acting cylinders that fellow child actor Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) is. This kid can act, and brings the perfect balance of bored kid and son of a lord to the scene. The added discussion of fleshing out the Greyjoy rebellion a bit more was nice to see as well.

-Varys is all over this episode, discussing with Ned that the fate of the king might be the same as Jon Arryn if he’s not careful. Facing off against Littlefinger in the Iron Throne room about who knows more about the other, and finally his secreted discussion with Magister Illyrio in the bowels of the Red Keep about Khal Drogo and Daenerys and how things will be affected. I think the Conleth Hill who is playing Varys is really nailing the eunuch now.

-Speaking of Littlefinger, He has a brief “I’m still a creep whispering to Sansa at the Tourney” moment at the beginning, but later on he has some really good scenes, especially the last scene with Ned and Jaime outside the brothel.

-The fight in the Mountains of the Moon with Cat, Tyrion and Bronn and the other bannermen was well executed and acted. The action was palpable and visceral. Tyrion’s defense of himself (saying of the assassination attempt on Bran that Cat accused him of) “What sort of idiot arms an assassin with his own blade?” was perfect and Cat had a moment of doubt. I loved that moment especially because if you really think about it…the events later on in Kings Landing between Ned and Jaime are her fault, and for something that Tyrion didn’t even do. It actually puts my feelings about Catelyn as a character into “stark” (pun!) relief. I feel she’s a great strong woman and mother, but on the other hand I feel she spends a lot of time making really dumb decisions, and that’s not just confined to just this stuff, she continues to make bad decisions.

-This leads into the scene at the Eyrie where Cat finds her sister Lysa (widowed wife of murdered Hand of the King, Jon Arryn) gone right round the bend crazy, like full-on batshit. As she scolds Cat for bringing a cursed Lannister to her impregnable castle in the mountains, she also has a breast out and is breast feeding her son Robert, a boy of eight…yup…I’ll let the creep factor of that settle in for a second…ready to move on? Excellent! Lysa, prompted by her sickly son Robert (“I want to see him fly mommy!”) puts Tyrion in one of her sky cells, a cell with no wall on one side open to the thousands of feet drop off the mountain…much to Tyrion’s chagrin. Kate Dickie who plays Lysa was perfect in the few minutes she was on screen and every bit the woman I recall Lysa being in the books. And of course Peter Dinklage continues to prove why he should win an Emmy for his role, his delivery is impeccable!

-Gethin Anthony and Finn Jones, as Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell respectively, have the responsibility of revealing something to the audience of the show that fans of the book series had to speculate on till book four, and that is that they have an illicit gay relationship with one another, and Tyrell spends a bit of time convincing Renly that even though he’s 4^th in line, he should be king. What’s interesting here is that I feel that this scene (not in the books obviously) is a great addition because it will give far more weight to later happenings in this season and especially in season 2 including other people with feelings towards the king’s younger brother (I’m looking at you Brienne of Tarth!).

-Now the meat. Ned VS Jaime. Gods this scene was perfect. I actually sat down after watching it and re-read just that scene in the book to see how accurate it is and it’s not only accurate (dialogue and all), but the additions and live interpretations of the things that happen are welcome and exciting! Ned allows his need to uncover every rock concerning Jon Arryn’s death to overcome good sense, and stupidly goes to talk to the last person Arryn spoke to instead of grabbing his girls and leaving to go north…even though you want to scream at him to just leave. This of course results in Jaime Lannister having the time to hear of his brother’s capture by Lady Stark and confront Ned, Jory Cassel and two other Stark guardsmen outside the brothel. This is the scene where the Starks and the Lannisters REALLY go to war. This is the opening salvo. Jaime wants his brother back and Ned wants justice for Bran (whilst protecting his wife’s decision by taking responsibility for it) and so the standoff begins, but it doesn’t last long. After Littlefinger heads off to find the City Guard, Ned and Jaime have a few short words, then all hell breaks loose. This scene is nice because it gives Jory Cassel a death that is only touched on in the books. The chapter in the book is from Ned’s perspective so he doesn’t see what happens to Jory (and only cradles his dead body after the fact), but here Ned and (we as audience) get to see it…and it also has the added weight of Jory’s conversation with Jaime in the last episode. An excellent scene and homage to the subject matter all told. A really good swordfight between two excellent swordsmen. Nice to see Ice (Ned's Valyrian steel greatsword) in action other than being used as a tool for beheading.

Lastly, Robert and Cersei have a chat that wasn’t in the books, and it actually comes out as one of the best of the quieter scenes in the episode. There is this grudging respect that borders all the words they exchange, and even a touch of humor, but deep down they know what they are to one another. To Robert, Cersei is the key to her fathers money and therefore ability to rule the kingdom, and to Cersei Robert is a means to an end for her family and her desire for the throne.  You can tell all this in the conversation, and even know that at the basest level they are being as honest as they can be with one another about those goals and reasons. It’s also nice to have Cersei finally ask about Lyanna Stark and Robert’s feelings for her…to which Robert is more honest than he’s ever been, and so is Cersei in her response. It’s a quiet scene in which I kept expecting the King to get riled and he doesn’t. He stays calm and the restraint on his personality is well achieved. I think this is Mark Addy’s best work as Robert Baratheon in fact as the emotion is very surface and real.

Indeed and easily the best episode of the season so far, and having read the book I am aware that things will only ratchet up from here. I can’t wait for the next episode!

TV Review: HBO's Game Of Thrones Episode 4 (Cripples, Bastards & Broken Things)

 

Ah, now things are settling into a nice rhythm and groove. It’s not as if the actors playing the various parts haven’t been good till now, but having been a fan of these books for like fifteen years, I needed them to settle into their parts completely. I think Daenerys and Catelyn especially take their roles to new levels in this episode.

Titled “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”, the 4^th episode of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES starts to set the bigger machinations of the first book into play, and it’s nice to see that at only episode 4 of 10,  things seem ready to ramp up to level ten as of episode 5. 

The production is again, gorgeous across the board. With the series still staying fairly close to the book, the writing is well done and everything that needs to be represented is. 

Bran. Here we start to see one of the larger plot arcs, and that would be Bran's dreams and most especially the 3-eyed crow, show up...those who haven't read the books, this will make more sense down the line, trust me. Bran being a fave character in the books, it's nice to see this attention to his character being paid early on. Also, Hodor! Hodor, Bran's large stablehand friend (and /transport/carrier) who is simple (and only ever says "Hodor" to varying degrees) shows up in a part that I am sure is hard to play, and it is done justice to the books.

Dany starts to show her true character arc, one in which she is NOT to be messed with, and with the collected might of Khal Drogo’s Bloodriders (his bodyguards, and therefore hers as well) and that of Ser Jorah Mormont, her nasty brother Viserys finally starts to see that he is Dragon of nothing.

Meanwhile at the Wall, Jon Snow meets one of my favourite characters from the books, namely one Samwell Tarly. John Bradley-West plays the character of fat craven Sam with such an amazing sense of depth that I was rather stunned by his performance and I think he stole the show. His beatings at the hands of the crueler recruits of the Night’s Watch and then Jon, Pip, and Grenn’s later defense of him (including our first look at Jon’s now bigger albino direwolf Ghost) is spot on perfect. The piece that totally steals the show is his response to Jon asking him about being a craven and why he would take the Black in such a case. There is a raw, thick emotion to his voice as he relates the story of his father’s (Randyll, Lord of House Tarly in the South) threat that he go to the wall and join the Night's Watch or Randyll would have him killed in an “accident”…as according to his father he is not FIT to inherit the Tarly lands. That scene is so well done on Bradley-West’s part that I was sold on him as Samwell completely. Sam is such an amazingly realistic character, and one that as the general public we can immediately identify...simply because he's not special, he can't do anything to become special, and in the end he is as everyday as it gets. To me this is why he hits home with us.

Tyrion, on his way south from the Wall stops in Winterfell and gets a cold welcome from Robb (Lord Stark while his father is away), but he then proceeds to help Bran cope with being a cripple by giving him a saddle design that will allow him to ride a horse. This is so key, because up till this point Catelyn and others have made him suspect (especially last week when Littlefinger mentioned he lost the dagger that nearly took Bran’s life to the imp in a wager) in the attempted assassination on Bran. This starts to show that while Tyrion is as ruthless as his brother and sister, there is something in him that causes him to be honorable as well. It was nice to see that show up, and once again Dinklage owns every scene he is in. This point is even more illustrated later on in the episode when Catelyn and Rodrick Cassel are at the inn and she calls the bannermen of her father’s house to her aid in accusing Tyrion of organizing the assassination attempt and taking him prisoner. I like that because it’s one of those things that really shows Catelyn for what she is, a mother who will do anything at her wits end. Tyrion is clearly innocent of the charge since he is the smartest of the Lannister brood and would never do something so plainly stupid as hire a common thug for the job. If he had organized it, he’d have hired a Faceless Man of Braavos (assassin culture across the narrow sea) and Bran would be dead. No, he didn’t do it, and finally we start to see that to be the case. Tyrion also has a quick scene with Theon Greyjoy, ward of Ned Stark. It’s a nice little scene that explains the backstory of Balon Greyjoy’s  (Theon’s father) rebellion when Robert was first on the throne, how that rebellion was subsequently put down and Theon taken as a ward/captive for Balon’s good behavior. Since the Greyjoys take a much bigger role in the story down the road, this was a nice little preliminary setup piece that I quite liked.

The Tourney. Ah, this is great scene. Why? Because it is paid little attention to. Ned doesn’t want the Tourney to happen at all, and so the first part of it (the rest will show in the next episode) is treated almost as an afterthought. I liked that. Here we have the last remnant of Jon Arryn’s time as Hand (in the form of his squire-turned-knight Ser Hugh) taken out. Thus do we get our first look at Gregor Clegane (the Hound’s brother), otherwise called the Mountain That Rides and he is absolutely huge and quite menacing. We get our first real death, and it’s a gory one (kudos to HBO for not skimping on the gore).  Then there's King Robert (who in the books I actually had more respect for) who continues to prove that in his old age he is a fat, drunk, whoring, piss poor king making bad judgments. It clearly illustrates that Robert’s best time is in the past when he was a young warrior and he stood for something righteous and just. It continues to reveal that he is not even a shadow of that person anymore and Ned clearly sees it.  Robert has literally beggared the realm to Lord Tywin Lannister (Cersei, Jamie and Tyrion’s father) paying for excesses.

It should be noted that there are a number of scene’s that aren’t in the book within this episode. They are small scenes, and I don’t feel like they detract from the story at all. One with Arya speaking with Ned about her future is actually very poignant and simply adds to her character plotline. There is one between Jaime and Jory Cassel that is excellent at demonstrating not only Roberts’ treatment of his Queen (whether it is deserved or not), but also shows how when talking about war, battles and glory Jamie is jovial and forthcoming, but the minute he is not speaking of such things he goes right back to being the arrogant, incestuous Kingslayer. Nice character building for Jaime there.

The last scene I should talk about is Littlefinger’s story about brothers The Hound and The Mountain (Sandor and Gregor Clegane) and their loathing of each other, including the revelation that Gregor is actually responsible for the Hound’s face being burned and melted. Now, in the books The Hound himself tells Sansa this story, but I can understand why they chose to let Littlefinger tell it (you'll see) and I’m not bothered by him doing so at all. My issue is that after Ser Hugh & Gregor’s joust ends, the crowd just kind of sits there in hushed whispers not really talking…giving Littlefinger five minutes of utter quiet in which to tell his story. It comes off as odd to be honest. I’d much rather if the silence was for us the audience alone, like it muffles as he tells Sansa the story, and then un-muffles and you hear the crowd again after he finishes. It would have made more sense really. The way it was done makes the scene stand out like a sore thumb sadly. That said, it is a great piece of exposition so i am not that upset.

Overall another great episode and it really sets the stage for the 5^th episode, which is where all the action starts to go down and the pieces that have been laid out thus far begin to really move. I really think the best scene in the whole of episode 4 is the one between Jon Snow and Samwell on the Wall though.

In the next episode: Look for the Tourney to continue and The Mountain That Rides will take on Knight of the Flowers, Loras Tyrell...who is an interesting character in his own right.

 

TV Review: HBO's Game Of Thrones Episode 2 (The Kingsroad)

 

 Chris and I will be alternating reviews for the episodes, so will get both our overall viewpoints hopefully. Since he did episode 1, I’ll be handling this one.

Titled THE KINGSROAD, episode 2 of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES ramps up the story while apparently maintaining its viewership numbers (and being basically awesome for HBO). So much so that after the first episode aired it was greenlit for a second season. Excellent!

Following directly on the heels of the first episode, Bran Stark survived his fall, but is in a coma watched over by his distraught mother Catelyn. Tyrion Lannister has decided to join Jon Snow and Benjen Stark in their trip north to the Wall (to see such a majesty of an edifice and to "piss off the edge of the world"). Meanwhile Ned takes Sansa and Arya with him south on the road to Kings Landing (to become the new Hand of the King) joining the King, Queen and their entourage, leaving Robb (eldest son) in charge of Winterfell in his absence.

The episode gets off to a great start and we get some of the key conversations form the book. Jon Snow’s conversations with both Jaime Lannister and then Tyrion Lannister are equally telling and completely different in tone. Jaime is mocking, and Tyrion is imparting actual wisdom. The trip to the Wall mostly takes a back seat to the trip south on the Kingsroad as viewers will run into their first real view of what Prince Joffrey Baratheon is really like, and Sansa’s blinded admiration of him simply because he is a prince. The scene with Arya and the butcher boy playing at swords with sticks is so perfect and for me (as a big fan of the books) Maise Williams who plays Arya is spot on in everything she does throughout her tussle with Joff and up to Nymeria being sent off is bang on. The surprise here is when there is no Nymeria to punish and Lady is put up for death instead, Sophie Turner (who plays Sansa Stark) shows why she was hired to play the role. When she screams and cries that Lady is gentle and did nothing I really felt it, and even later when Jory Cassel embraces her you feel it. That scene is so good that when Ned has to do his part there is this extra layer of emotion added to an already sad scene. I was wholly impressed by both Sophie Turner and Maise Williams in this ep. Jack Gleeson hasn’t yet blown me away as nasty prince Joffrey, he makes all the faces and whatnot but he has yet to show me that he can pull off the complete and total stain that is Joffrey. I’ll give him time and hope he fills the role properly. Daenerys' plotline picks back up as Khal Drogo’s horse clan makes its way to their home Vaes Dothrak and is all about sex this episode. In fact it brings to attention and gives a reason for all the doggie-style sex in the first episode (other than Jaime and Cersei obviously, but that’s another beast…one with two backs :P ), and VIA Doreah, one of Daenerys Westeros-raised handmaidens she finds a way to make the best of her situation and have Drogo see her as something more than just a wife and a lay. I’m glad they’ve addressed that early on as their story is about so much more and I want them to get to that, so it’s nice to see things developing in that direction on episode 2.

The standout though? Even though Sansa and Arya were amazing…

...Catelyn.

My god, the assassination scene with her protecting Bran was the best thing in both episodes so far aired. It was visceral, brutal and showcases that Catelyn is not someone to be messed with. I mean she grabs the blade of the dagger with her hands and as it must obviously be scraping against muscle and bone she still pushes it away. Sorry, but she officially gets the badassery award for that scene alone. Then of course the ending makes for even more awesome and things to come. I was worried about Michelle Fairley at first, but after this episode I am completely confident she can do Catelyn total justice.

My other favourite moment? Tyrion telling off Joffrey for being so flippant about Bran's "accident", and so he puts the prince in his place and slaps him not once, not twice but THRICE! Man that was made of win. So great. Peter Dinklage has absolutely OWNED the role of Tyrion from minute one. He is perfect in every way. I think he actually chews scenery as well as Sean Bean does in fact. I am mesmerized every time he is on screen. Some of that is likely how much I like Tyrion as a character, but I just think Dinklage took this character and made him twenty times more brilliant.

A really solid second episode in a series that I so far have very few complaints with. I honestly think that so far my only real issues would be with the Daenerys actress Emilia Clarke not being as close to the character from the book as I want, but I can see shades of her, so hopefully that will grow as the episodes air. That’s a nitpick though. To me, so far everything else has been great.

Bring on the next episode LORD SNOW!

Upcoming: A Game Of Thrones New Teaser Trailer

Oh my god. My head just exploded from the awesome!!!

Sweet merciful crap I want to watch this NOW! Looks like HBO have outdone themselves!

Enjoy!

Upcoming: HBO A Game Of Thrones- Behind The Scenes Promo

I thieved this from over at Wertzone, but I needed to post it too.

A little bit of dialogue. More shots of sets. This 15-minute behinds the scenes look will air next Sunday. Consider me UBER-excited!

Inside Game of Thrones Preview