Blackwater

Seriously a 10 is not enough for this episode. Chills through and through. Every other scene. There is no side I support. There are no clear lines drawn out about the hero side and the villain side, you are immersed in the battle and the characters on both sides. The men fighting and the women grouped together by Cersei create some spine chilling moments. Some moments stood out less obvious than others. The scene where Sansa picks up the doll Ned gave her. Oh and the last shot with Cersei telling Tommen the story of a lion cub while sitting on the iron throne and ready to poison him.

This is an absolut amazing episode! This is the one that was build up to, from the beginning of the season and in no way did it disapoint! This was where the show was taken to the next level!

The writing is amazing! Great character moments and monologues elevated by some great acting performances! Intense and exciting all the way through! The cinematogrophy of the episode is perhaps the best and most memorable part! The scope and size of the battle are bigger than we could have antisepated from a TV show! It felt like watching a movie! Amazing special effects and directing! Each time I watch this episode i am still blown away!

This is where the they decided to give the show a cinematic treatment and still one of the best battles in the show!

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.

"Blackwater" for me is Season 2 at its finest and is one of the greatest 'Game of Thrones' episodes, containing everything that makes me in love with the show in the first place. In response to my review title, my personal answer is that it is an extremely strong contender. Everything in relation to the battle is truly spectacular, epic in scope, rich in emotional impact and a non-stop thrill ride, while also having an appropriately uncompromising and far from rose tinted depiction of warfare. Those who say that it is the best battle sequence ever produced for television hit it on the head from personal opinion.

'Game of Thrones' has always delivered in the acting. "Blackwater" is no exception and would go as far to say that it is one of the show's finest examples. Peter Dinklage is a fan favourite for very good reason and Tyrion continues to be one of the show's most consistently interesting characters. A big shout out also has to go to Lena Headey in her finest hour of the show up to this point, her final scene wrenches the gut.

Visually, "Blackwater" 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 "Blackwater" 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 once again. 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 wit. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.

Can't fault the direction either. Nor the writing or development of the characters, most shows could only wish to have characters with this amount of depth and complexity.

To conclude, truly fantastic. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Tyrion and the Lannisters fight for their lives as Stannis' fleet assaults Kings Landing.

What I Liked:

The pacing of this penultimate episode is unbelievable, with not a single dull moment. It's a testament to the level of care every person involved has given.

Easily the most enthralling episode so far, one cannot help but be taken aback by the sheer scope of this incredible battle, with neither side being the clear-cut favourite until the very end.

As usual, it is impossible not to be impressed by the high-quality production value, as well as the meticulous attention to detail. Again, acting all around is solid, especially Peter Dinklage.

What I Disliked:

Nothing.

Overall:

Game of Thrones delivers another incredible penultimate episode and arguably the best instalment so far. It will be interesting to see if the finale can match its quality, as last season did.

10/10

King Cadmium.

I wish I could have even 1% of tyrion's mind.

He is clever as hell. Mannn....one of the best episode till now.