Game of Thrones (Season One)

Zach Goodier

In Game of Thrones, there are several prominent families, each rulers of one of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.  When the show starts out, you are shown a patrol in the far north, beyond The Wall, with the Night’s Watch, guardians of the Seven Kingdoms from threats that lay beyond, which in their eyes is always Wildlings, savage nomads that try to go south to raid settlements.  However, there is soon another, much more dangerous threat that reveals itself, and sets up for a menace not seen in Westeros for thousands of years.  However, the most interesting part of this show doesn’t lie in this conflict, it lays with the conflict between the ruling families in the Seven Kingdoms; among them the Starks and Lannisters, who are the focus of most of the first season.  However,  across the sea, the last two Targaryans (the former ruling family) seek a means of regaining their lost throne in Westeros, which adds another faction to the mix.

A better way to let you glimpse what is going on in Game of Thrones

The conflict starts out right in episode one, with a conspiracy over the death of the Hand of the King, an official who helps govern the Seven Kingdoms for the King, Robert Baratheon.  After the death of the previous hand, King Robert rides to the Northern castle at Winterfell, under the rule of lord Eddard “Ned” Stark.  Stark, like his ancestors, is deeply bound by honor, and is perhaps the only person in the Seven Kingdoms that Robert truly trusts.  However, the Lannisters have plans of their own, and between their deep political connections and even deeper pockets, they sit high and mighty in Westeros.  Suspicions run right that the Lannisters have many secrets to hide, and that it may have been what led to the previous Hand’s death.  Lord Stark decides to try to get to the bottom of things, and the best way to do that is to serve as the new Hand of the King.  What ensues is a mix of political strategy, gripping suspense, and a raw, unrestrained feeling that this show runs with to create a truly unique experience that sets itself apart from anything else on television.

Some of the set designs are simply beautiful, and really help give atmosphere to the show.

Game of Thrones is easily my favorite show right now, and there are several reasons why: the characters are all amazingly well-written, and are all complex enough to where even after watching three seasons you still can’t always exactly nail down what makes a person tick.  Some are decent, honorable, but have a couple of stains on that honor, others are out to manipulate, to pit the powerful against each other in order to clear their own path to power, but may have compelling reasons for doing so.  There are no real “heroes” in this series, nor are there entirely pure “villains,” either.  What makes the characters so compelling is that they all occupy different shades of grey, and even then, those shades can change.

Costume design is phenomenal, too.

I love the action, the cast is impressive, and the story is epic, yet very detailed and intricate.  You really don’t know where this story is going, or where it will end up.  What makes things even more suspenseful and tense is knowing that nobody is ever truly safe.  Having seen a lot of “good” television, you notice that there are usually predictable paths that a show can follow, and the only real twists come from outside interference that the audience either can’t expect, or simply involves the audience not being privy to some detail that was deliberately left out.  Now, you will still find hints of that in GoT, but most of the surprises come from within, when circumstances change, or characters make a difficult or sudden choice, and that’s what makes this show great.  Not everything works together smoothly, and that makes it all feel much more real, since things rarely fall into place, and characters are all trying to adapt as events unfold. 

Tyrion has always been a fan favorite.  Not sure if it has to do with his whit and charm, or if it simply stems from being the only Lannister you don't want to see dead.

Now be warned, this is HBO, with sex, nudity, and blood.  However, it all really suits the story well, surprisingly.  I generally feel that any use of sex appeal is a cheap attempt to generate fans, but this show works it in more naturally, with just as much, if not more, than most movies that use it, but it all works towards this feeling of a raw, uninhibited story that holds nothing back, and challenges the viewer to both accept the reality of what is going on, while also challenging the viewer to keep up with the many storylines and plots.  There is only one source of criticism that I could even make about the show, since so many storylines mean that you only get a small bits of each during an episode, and many would likely find it difficult to follow.  However, this really works for me, because the details of each story have an impact on events taking place elsewhere.  For me, it’s not a weakness at all, since it shows the intricacy of the story and characters, and the transitions are all well-timed while driving the narrative forward. 

Later on in the series you can tell this is all CGI, but the reason is because in the story, Direwolves grow to be the size of a horse, so finding an actual dog after puppy-hood is impossible.  But man, are these dogs I would love to have.

An amazing story, exceptional cast, and epic scale with a rare attention to detail make this the most incredible how on television for me, hands down.  Without getting into spoilers, this show will surprise you.  Many who have either seen the series, or heard about it, will probably already have a good idea what I’m talking about, but still, the show will almost certainly surprise you in some way.  It doesn’t cater to fan expectations, it outright defies them, sometimes.  That’s what makes me fall in love with this show the way I have.  Too many writers cater to whatever fans expect, forcing romance or switching loyalties just to make sure you wear a smile on your face throughout.  This show will not do that; it will be bold, making choices that people won’t always appreciate, but doesn’t completely turn away from what it believes fans would find acceptable, neither.  This bold measure means I honestly have no idea what to expect, and that you truly feel like this is a story that stands on its own, not being pulled and changed by fan outrage or expectations in any way. 

What kind of epic fantasy story doesn't have dragons?!?!? I'd still rather have a direwolf, though.

This is a drama/epic-fantasy/action/suspense series that continues to surprise me even after 3 seasons.  If you don’t want to buy this series without knowing what you’re buying, borrow it, stream clips, do what you have to, but I can’t do this show enough justice.  It’s bold, original, raw, challenging, full of deep and original characters, and always full of suspense.  To call it the best series in recent history would be insulting it by comparing it to other shows.  This show is truly unique, and impresses me throughout.  It doesn't pander to expectations, but that only makes me respect it more, and feel compelled to keep watching, just to see how everything eventually turns out.  This is the best show I've seen in a long time, maybe ever.  It is a masterpiece that sucks you into its world of intriguing realism, and overwhelms you with an epic scale of characters, both in quantity and quality, and a brilliant originality that quenches a thirst I didn't even know I had in television.

Good:

-Outstanding story.

-Very detailed, intricate, original characters that challenge the audience and each other.

-Unpredictable, with no set destination or single over-arching goal to steer the story, besides survival and whatever motives the characters have.

-No real favoritism, some are more likeable than others, but there is no clear cut protagonist to hog the screen.

Bad:

-Not a real fault of the show, but it IS and HBO series, with nudity, sex, and violence.  Not for the weak of heart or stomach.  So forget about it, kids, unless your mom and dad say you can.

Scully Rating: 10 out of 10