44/24
Seen in Hollywood’s Top Ten: Critics’ Choice Nominees: Drama (2011)
Tale
Nine noble families fight for control of the lands of Westeros, as an ancient enemy returns after millennia of silence George R.R. 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 king” is not a true king. During the opening credits, each cast member’s name is announced by 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 a little 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 go wrong? The good news is that nothing has gone wrong with Game of Thrones. Not only is it one of the rare TV series that does justice to its original source material and treats it with respect, but it’s also one of the best, most compelling, and consistently best shows in recent years. A TV series so brilliant that you have to wonder if it was made for TV when everything is done to such a high standard that it puts many movies made today to shame. This is one of the strongest examples of an acclaimed series that deserves every ounce of the praise it’s received. Visually, “Game of Thrones” looks fantastic.
Again, worthy of a big-budget fantasy/action/drama film
The scenery is spectacular throughout, the sets are extremely atmospheric and beautiful to look at, with a truly meticulous eye for detail, and the costumes fit the characters perfectly. Then there are the special effects, which are some of the best on all of television and are not overused or abused. The scope, detail, and the way they have character and soul are better than many big-budget blockbusters. So is the camerawork and editing, which are also cinematic. You can’t talk about “Game of Thrones” without mentioning the thematically complex, orchestral, and atmospheric music and the unforgettable main theme. It’s hard not to be amazed by the quality of the script.
The characters are also a big part of the appeal
“Remarkable” is not a strong enough adjective to describe how good the script is. It always flows naturally, is multi-layered, and thought-provoking, displaying a wide range of emotions, such as tense suspense, moving pathos, and witty humor. The stories are so beautifully paced, structured with so much nuance and attention to detail, have a high emotional level, and touch on complex and sensitive subjects with intelligence and sensitivity. There is always a reason for every dramatic piece or action-packed scene, and it’s never just there for its own sake. Not only are the sets designed with epic scale, excellent staging, excitement and dramatic tension, but beneath all the scale and striking attention to detail there is also a lot of heart and complexity. They are neither too long nor are there any elements out of place.
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 heroes and villains (Joffrey is the only one who comes close, the difference being that he is an extremely interesting character, with a lot of development, well above a hundred 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.