Review – Game of Thrones
Finally, a period sword series comes to pay-tv and gets it absolutely right. It’s The Sopranos in animal skins with swords instead of guns. But even more than The Sopranos, you never know what might happen dramatically. Even though it always respects the rules of drama, it takes you on its journey, and like a great stand-up, surprises you delightfully over and over and over again.
I was scared, frankly, when HBO sent the discs for the first six of the ten episode first season of Game of Thrones. It came with a beautifully rendered, but complicated chart, explaining the family trees of the series. The problem at that moment is, if you need a chart, you aren’t enjoying a drama.
But I didn’t need the chart. The screenplay, by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, spin the complex web with care, never too fast, never too slow. There may be moments when you’re not 100% sure of who is who, but not amongst any of the key players. And there are at least a dozen key players roaming through each episode. The writing respects your intelligence and interest… very little Basil Exposition here.
Essentially, there are four families at the center of the tale. The hero of the piece is Sean Bean’s Ned Stark, who controls the North, but is drawn into the big show by his old friend, Mark Addy’s King Baratheon. The King is married to a Lannister (Lena Headey)… sexy, but baaaad… a whole family of bad. And lingering away from the central action, offering (for now) its own great story, The Targaryens, whose Prince once was a King and desperately wants his kingdom back.
Of course, there is a ton of stuff going on inside of this simple structure. But the mix of complexity and clarity is incredibly refreshing.
Bean is what I call “The Mary” of the show, the center of the story, but not given as much exciting material to do as all of the sidekick characters. Being good just isn’t quite a fun. But Bean is an island and holds the entire series tightly in his grasp with great subtlety. Addy is Ralph Kramden made king… after he’s realized just how much power he has. Headey is the inside woman for The Lannisters, holding every card close.
I don’t want to get int the way of your pleasure in watching this, so I will be brief in discussing the “secondary” characters, who aren’t so secondary. The most compelling, on his way to an Emmy win, is Peter Dinklage as “The Imp,” a Lannister and no gentleman. His beautiful brother, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, is so chiseled that you don’t see his acting skill coming. Maisie Williams’ young Arya Stark has the feel of a young Natalie Portman or Dakota Fanning, commanding the screen every time she appears, her character loaded with potential. Every performance in the piece is solid or better.
And then there are the Targaryens. I imagine their arc, which is held quite separate from the rest of the story, will crash into a central position by Episode 10 this season. The flamboyant prince, played by Harry Lloyd, is the first to demand your attention. But his sister, who he treats as a pawn for his use, is the secret sauce in this whole enterprise.
Emilia Clarke has the face of an angel and the that re-defines on-screen sexy… short, wide-hipped, almost rectangular, thick through the core… the earth mother as a platinum blonde… the place where the seed of life is meant to grow. Her first appearance naked in this series is, honestly, a little shocking. Her lower body is not what we are used to seeing on television. But she, over time, grabs the audience, and redefines the ideal, undeniably.
Sex, in general, is not something this series shies away from. And at first, it feels like it might be a stunt, like in HBO’s Rome. But it turns out to be a simple, clear part of the character study. It’s as raw as Tony Soprano getting laid, which we saw, I recall, about a half dozen times in the series. And every time, it was like a slap in the head. Big man, huffing away… David Chase did just enough of it so the audience didn’t disconnect from Tony’s infidelities, unreal for never seeing them at all. Lots of naked beauty may seem inherently gratuitous, but it really isn’t here.
Game of Thrones delivers a lot of male-first sex. Women are most often taken from behind or see with their heads bobbing just out of frame. Women, is seems, are objects for these men. (We also get many sexual varieties, loving and otherwise, as we travel through the series.) But like so many elements of this series, it goes to the next level. The women are not unaware of what’s going on in this piece. And the power of sex is discussed and manipulated smartly.
Women, as it turns out, are at the heart of Game of Thrones. It’s a clearly defined patriarchy, but women asset power… and not in some wicked witch or sly sex toy manipulated way. True, it’s not public power, as a rule. But the series has an interesting respect for women… even some women who perform sex acts as a way of life.
Violence is also a big part of this film. It doesn’t take long to run into the first chopped up bodies. And there will be blood…. lots of it. But it is all for a purpose. And it isn’t only creatively done, but it is connected to character in a real way. It never feels like someone came up with something cool that they wanted to see played out on screen. It all feels necessary.
Of course, whatever the reason, some people would prefer a cut to a gasping audience or a shot of a train going through a tunnel (in reverse, perhaps). It’s not Verhoevean opera or Shakespeare polite, but if you are comfortable or even pleased by a bit of the ol’ sex and violence, it’s done here as well as it’s ever been done.
Game of Thrones was a “book” that I couldn’t put down. (I haven’t read the actual book series.) I looked forward to every minute of every episode and wanted more. And want more. There are four episodes I haven’t seen. I will probably watch the series each week – in HD, which is not how HBO sends preview discs – and experience it all again.
It’s interesting. I think that Mildred Pierce would play better for audiences watched all the way through. I am a fan of that production, but I think I had an advantage watching it all together. I didn’t have a week in between episodes to deconstruct. And it’s such a n intimate piece, so subtle in Mildred’s arc, that I can understand some of the negativity (with which, again, I disagree). But Game of Thrones is so thick and epic, the weekly journey may well be that water cooler event… “Can you believe…?’ “Did you see…?”
It’s easily the most fun I have had watching an HBO series since The Sopranos. More please.
LOVED the books. And pictured Peter Dinklage the whole time when reading so I’m thrilled he’s Tyrion and living up to expectations.
I hope that Sean Bean gets some well-deserved respect (long overdue) to what an interesting actor that he has evolved in & continues to grow into. When I first saw him in “Patriot Games”, I was unimpressed with his acting/over-acting. But, every role since has made me appreciate this wonderful actor. GoldenEye (where basically plays 007’s doppleganger), Ronin (cowardly/boastful soldier for hire), Lord of the Rings (his death scene with Viggio is really my favorite scene in the whole trilogy – “My King”), Troy (as Odysseus) & now Ned Stark…a great role for an underappreciated actor whose middle age is now a great asset for him.
Bean was the single best thing in the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. Almost too good. The latter two films, awe-inspiring as they were, felt like they were missing something for not having him in them.
I LOVE Tyrion, and Dinklage is perfectly cast. How is his accent? sounds a bit funny in the previews.
It’s funny that you’re already pimping him for an Emmy win, his arc in the second book is way more interesting, as it where he goes to, as a character, in the third book.
Can’t wait to see it, and I’m obviously hoping for the best, but I can’t imagine it could come close to surpassing The Wire (my #1 series of all time, with The Sopranos most likely being #2).
(DP NOTE: SPOILER WARNING…. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS COMMENT IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SERIES SPOILERS. Thank You, The Management.)
LOVED the books. I actually think they are perfect works of pop lit. I wouldn’t have cast bean myself but I’ll be curious as to how they veer away from the books. But since Bean was talked about for some pilot this coming year it might be pretty close to the books.
btw David, I’m curious. What was your exact reaction at the end of episode 1?
There’s no talking about Sean Bean’s greatness without mentioning his work in the series of Richard Sharpe TV movies, which should have made him a worldwide star. I haven’t seen a single movie tap into his talent like that show did.
Bitplayer, you’re an asshole.
Love the books. DP wait until you see the final shot of Season 1…
And I hope it’s a hit because in Season 3 all hell will break lose.
Very good episode but the SEX IN THIS SHOW IS A STUNT! Good lord, you fail to get that that stuff happened in Rome but here, it’s just so ridiculously over the top. Nice to see Brit boobs on parade but come on David, just come the fuck on.
Millions read the book and it’s common knowledge Bean is up for a pilot, this is an entertainment web site right?
Uh, yeah, everyone who comes to sites like this closely follows the ins and outs of pilot season. And we’ve all read the book. Sure.
A spoiler warning never killed anybody, dude.
So apparently Dany and dat ass of hers is shown to be too much of a pushover in this episode. She’s taken advantage of by Conan, but in the books was written mentally stronger than what was portrayed in tonights episode.
I gave the series a chance tonight and will be sticking around for the rest of it. The scheming by the different houses is what pushed me into the enjoy category of the show. Bare breasts and female ass are nice. Add twisted incestuous relationships and a quest of power and I was on board.
Tonight episode had me intrigued, but besides the mystical demons in the snow, what exactly about this show is any different from any of the other period pieces that have been on premium cable lately.I mean, backstabbing, fighting, and sex are pretty much the stable on shows like The Tubors, The Borgias, and Rome.
Bitplayer…who reads about how Sean Bean is up for a pilot? You idiot. Not everyone has read your nerd books.
Dany was fragile at the beginning and gains her courage through Drago in the book. It’s easy to forget she started out as Visy’s pawn to push around as he pleased.
I dug the first episode. I’m most worried about Lena Headey as Cersei, but Bean as Ned and Addy as Robert and Dinklage as Tyrion and Fairley as Catelyn seem right on.
Bitplayer’s spoiler was vague, perhaps intentionally so. I did not clearly catch on until everyone started giving it so much attention – thanx a heap.
Also, I just gotta say, I’ve been a regular visitor to this site for 3 years or more, or so, and the IOv3 entity is such a consistent twit. I speak of it, not to it, because a), it doesn’t deserve to be addressed directly and b), I’m starting to think it may just be David Poland himself – which is funny, but an unnecessary distraction.
That spoiler is only vague if you’re not reading what he wrote.
It? Oh fuck you pudgy and please feel free to be clever on someone else’s time. Seriously, you have been reading me pretty much BE this blog for three years and you are giving me shit for being interesting? Oh that’s right, you are one of those angry white motherfuckers who thinks that someone enjoying a comic book makes them brain dead. Yeah, right, fuck off, and please go read Deadline Hollywood. I am sure Ms. Finke will appreciate having a simpleton twat like you posting on her site.
ETA: Not only is the sex pointless like in True Blood but there’s no real reason to watch this show, after reading those spoilers.
Reading comics is fine, IO…it’s everything else about you that makes you brain dead.
Ha ha, Ka-BLAM!
And I can tell now that the worst thing about watching Game of Thrones is that the nerds who have invested the time to read the books are going to make sure that you KNOW that they have invested the time to read the books three times each…and unfortunately the only way to do that is to drop casual spoilers.
“Oh, you liked the wolves, did you? Well just wait until you REALLY see them eat blah blah or whatever,”
Perm you really are an epic level fucktard and apparently the books are so important that we must know how wonderful they are even if, to quote a fucktard similar to Perm; “they seem to have been written by one hand.”
still think its vague.
“It” would be more interesting if “it” wasn’t such a one-note wonder. “It” did make me laugh though, this time.
Yeah you daffy bastard, I am a real person, Lex is a real person, and Perm is a stupid fucktard piece of camel shit. The fact that you can’t catch on to that and shared that with a place, after reading this blog for 3 years, is pretty fucking stupefying.
Language check, please, IO.
I also passed over the spoiler, since it read like code and I didn’t care to figure it out. Now that I have, wish I hadn’t. Yes, a spoiler note would have been appropriate… and I think I will add one. Late, but better than never.
I know Lex is real, though it is also a character the guy is playing online. IO seems all too real, though it is hard to get a handle on where he/she will come from next.
I don’t play characters in here. If I had the time to do that, I’d be writing real content more,
I find the cast of characters who comment entertaining, though sometimes, it gets to be that the core group keeps new voices from jumping in… and it can get so petty and personal that it discourages others. But such is the nature of the beast.
joshua, how vague is that spoiler, really? I mean…read what it said. Maybe it wasn’t a specific “and then THIS happens,” but it’s pretty clear that a specific character won’t be needed past the first season. Gee, I wonder what happens to him.
Non-spoiler for Psycho: “gee, I bet it was a quick shoot for Janet Leigh, since she didn’t even have to appear in the last two-thirds of the movie!”
Non-spoiler for Empire Strikes Back: “Hey, it’s weird what Darth Vader says about his connection with Luke at the end. I don’t see any resemblance at all!”
love it, all of it, grinning ear to ear.
Permy – Like D.P., I guess I just “passed over” it. I don’t read everything as if I am required to submit a term paper on it later.
IO – I only occasionally read the commentary following various articles on MCN. Still, I have learned to rarely give the IO inputs (if they qualify as input) much creedence or consideration. Today I have been aleviating boredom and have found “IT” useful to that end and I thank you.
David, that’s fine but the way that dude wrote that post, really pisses me off. Seriously, he referred to me as an IT. Come on, man! COME ON!
ETA: Seriously David, this is a fucknut, and he deserves the fucknut treatment. Read that shit and respond to me like I shouldn’t be totally pissed off about that nonsense.
Well joshua, if you didn’t read it, then how do you know if it was vague or not? And if you did read it in order to determine that it was indeed vague, then all I ask for is simple reading comprehension, not a term paper.
IO, it’s just a movie blog.
saw the first episode – didn’t like it – too many characters .. which means too many plots .
i did like the first 5 minutes with the crazy aliens cutting people up and the last 2 minutes with the kid.
this series was pretty much made for people who like
lord of the rings .
This is the first time i’ve seen a TV/Movie adaptation before reading the books. I am so glad that
TV executives had the balls to attempt a mature look to Fantasy. LOTR flew the flag but with a terrible Earthsea adaptation and the less said about Merlin the better, fantasy looked to be heading back to the bookshop corner again. Not this Time!
Bloody Damn Good.
Greatest TV show of all time, I’d say. I’m not so patiently waiting for the new series. It’s going to wind up being the best fantasy series in history mark my words HCG diet plan