Winter Is Coming

Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.

"Winter is Coming" starts off 'Game of Thrones' absolutely brilliantly, couldn't change anything for the world. Not many shows have their overall quality, tones, themes and characterisations so spot on and well-established when it first starts, but 'Game of Thrones' is one of the strongest exceptions. It is an example to all first/final episodes of how to start off a show.

Visually, "Winter is Coming" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.

One cannot talk about "Winter is Coming" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.

It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced so beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence and sensitivity.

Not only are the more action-oriented/more dramatic moments done with a lot epic scale, superb staging, excitement and dramatic tension but underneath all the scale and flashy attention to detail there is a lot of heart and a multi-layered one.

"Winter is Coming" is so early on and already the characters are so well developed and as close to real life as one can get despite being in a fantasy world. These characters are not hero and villain archetypes and have both strengths and flaws and one can understand why they act the way they do.

Sean Bean gives some of his best ever acting, as does Kit Harrington. Peter Dinklage has always been one of 'Game of Thrones's' greatest assets and that is totally the case here.

All in all, couldn't have started such a wonderful show so perfectly. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, is dead. King Robert Baratheon plans to ask his oldest friend, Eddard Stark, to take Jon's place. Across the sea, Viserys Targaryen plans to wed his sister to a nomadic warlord in exchange for an army.

What I Liked:

This premiere does a fantastic job of introducing its characters and themes early on, with almost every main character feeling fleshed out, at least to some degree.

The cinematography is solid, with each scene looking organic with meticulous attention to detail. On top of that, each actor gives a strong performance, with Sean Bean and Mark Addy being notable standouts. Their scenes together are exceptionally well-written and acted.

Ending this premiere with a cliffhanger was a smart move by the writers, leaving the viewer wanting more as soon as the credits roll.

What I Disliked:

Too much expository dialogue is present during some scenes, most notably the first exchange between Jaime and Cersei, to the point of feeling unnatural.

Overall:

Game of Thrones begins with a terrific, near-perfect premiere. Just about every element combines to create a highly enthralling viewing experience.

9/10

King Cadmium.

The first episode of Game of Thrones opens in a suitably violent fashion. From there, we are quickly introduced to the main characters and the details of their relationships are sketched out. A lot of scenes are very short with us quickly going from one location to another, but there is a lot of ground that needs to be covered.

The wonderful title sequence is a joy.

Those who are fans of the books will find that much in this first episode follows the book quite closely, though there are some changes here and there. The introduction of the Starks is a very nicely done and the introduction of the Targaryen siblings is excellent. The scene with Tyrion Lannister and Jon Snow was my favourite scene of the episode. And, of course, the ending had me wanting to watch the next episode straight away! Prior to the last scene I thought, it had been OK and I would persevere with it, but the ending made me need I each it straight away.

I have been waiting 7 years to watch this series - I've finally acquired it and now enjoying it! This first episode blew me away and got me interested right away with the story and characters themselves.

Everything about this premier episode is top notch! HIGHLY recommended viewing for those that had to wait to watch it (as I did) or for those wanting to watch again.

House Stark for me!

10/10

This is the first episode of the first season of Game of Thrones. It's nice to see a fantasy series make its way to television and become insanely popular. Based on the first episode, the visuals are almost cinema-quality and we are treated to lavish production design and a rousing score. We are also treated to ripe characterization and on the whole, this looks like it will be a blast.

In this episode, "The Winter Is Coming," we meet the Stark clan, the protectors of the North. The North is ruled by Eddard Stark and he has 2 daughters, 3 sons, and a bastard child. The king, King Robert wants Eddard to help protect him after the death of the previous Hand of the King. Meanwhile, across the seas, an exiled Viserys Targaryen marries his sister off to a nomad warlord in exchange for an army in which he can invade Westeros. Finally, trouble arises from the Wall Keepers when an ancient force, long seen as dead, awakens.

As for television series go, this series has a very well-known, powerful cast. Peter Dinklage does a good job as Tyrion Lannister. Sean Bean is good as Eddard Stark and likewise Mark Addy as King Robert. Jason Momoa says very little as Khal Drogo, but his presence is menacing. Kit Harington as the bastard child, Jon Snow does a great job. I really like Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark and Richard Madden as Robb Stark. The list goes on and on here.....Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke as Daenarys Targaryen....and so on.

Overall, this is a fantastic start to what I hear is an incredible series. If this is the beginning of such epicness, then I am in for a treat. I like how the series does not shy down on its violence as there are some gruesome scenes here. But my oh my, what a start!

My Grade: A