36/16
Seen in Hollywood’s Top Ten: Critics’ Choice Nominees: Drama (2011)
Synopsis
Nine noble families fight for control of the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after millennia of silence. Martin’s wife once said she would leave him if he killed Arya or Sansa. Tywin Lannister: A man who has to say “I am the king” is no true king. During the opening credits, each cast member’s name is announced accompanied by the insignia of their character’s house. Main title (uncredited) Written and performed by Ramin Djawadi. I passed the time and watched Game of Thrones slowly from the first episode (slowly because I was so busy) because I had heard nothing but great things about it from friends, family, and IMDb reviewers.
Quite the opposite
And with such a great cast and a brilliant book series, what could possibly go wrong? The good news is that nothing went wrong with Game of Thrones. Not only is it one of the rare television series that does justice to its original source material and treats it with respect, but it is also one of the best, most compelling and consistently engaging series in recent years. A television series so brilliant that you really have to wonder if it was made for television when everything is done to such a high standard that it puts many films made today to shame. This is one of the strongest examples of an acclaimed series that deserves every bit of praise it has received. Visually, “Game of Thrones” looks fantastic.
Likewise the camerawork and editing, which are also cinematic
The scenery is spectacular, the sets are extremely atmospheric and beautiful to look at, with a really meticulous eye for detail, and the costumes fit the characters perfectly. Then there are the special effects, which are some of the best in all of television and are not overused or overused. The scope, detail and the way they truly have character and soul are better than many big-budget blockbusters. You can’t talk about “Game of Thrones” without mentioning the intricate, atmospheric, orchestral music and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a big-budget fantasy/action/drama film. It’s hard not to be impressed by the quality of the writing.
They are never overlong or out of place
“Excellent” isn’t a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is. It always flows naturally, is multifaceted and thought-provoking, displaying a wide range of emotions, from tense suspense, heartbreaking pathos and witty humor. The stories are beautifully paced, structured with so much nuance and attention to detail, have a high emotional level and address complex and delicate subjects with intelligence and sensitivity. There is always a reason for every set piece or action-packed scene and it never exists just for its own sake. Not only are the sets designed with epic scale, excellent staging, emotion and dramatic tension, but behind all the scale and impressive attention to detail there is also a lot of heart and complexity. The characters are also a big part of the appeal.
Game of Thrones has characters that are as well-developed and as close to real life as possible, despite being set in a fantasy world
These characters are not archetypes of hero and villain (Joffrey is the only one who comes close, the difference is that he is an extremely interesting and highly developed character, well above 100 percent on the threat scale), they have much more to offer and have strengths and weaknesses. The decisions are logical and you don’t like a character less if a decision is not the right one, because mistakes are acknowledged and learned from.