Released on March 5th
Adapted from George R. R. Martin’s best-selling novels A Song of Fire and Ice, Game of Thrones is
the latest in a long line of successful shows from praised television network
HBO.
Set in the mythical Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and having
a time span of several years over the duration of ten episodes, season one details
the lives of the Stark and Lannister families – their relationships, lust,
lies, betrayal and treachery as they both struggle for power. Elsewhere Drogo,
horse lord of the Dothraki and his new bride Daenerys set out to reclaim her
title as heiress to the throne of the Seven Kingdoms.
Game
of Thrones easily matches and possibly surpasses the quality of a
Hollywood film, containing mesmerizing landscape shots (the series was filmed
on location in Northern Ireland), fantastic costumes and wonderful
cinematography.
Although definitely a fantasy series, these elements are
only hinted at. We know that there are mythical forces at work under the
surfaces of what the viewer is shown, and this adds a sense of mystery subtlety
that makes the saga all the more compelling. This also allows for a greater
focus on the characters, performed wonderfully by Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage,
Lena Headey and Aidan Gillen to name but a few.
What makes this show special is that it isn’t afraid of
any subject matter, there are no boundaries in this made-up world. Brutal,
sexy, saddening and fantastical; Game of
Thrones season 1 is ten hours of pure escapism, and will leave you eagerly
anticipating the release of season 2.
Extra Features:
Making of Game of Thrones featurette
Character profiles
Inside the Night's Watch
Creating the Dothraki Language
From the Book to the Screen
From the Book to the Screen
Creating the Show
episode commentaries
episode commentaries
5/5
Season 1 was a great season, but I wanted to be fresh for the premiere of Season 2 on Sunday so I rented the DVD on my Blockbuster @home plan when it was released. Unfortunately I forgot to move it up in queue until I noticed last Tuesday and corrected the problem. So I got the season 1 DVD set on Friday and started watching again. I forgot how much I liked this show; it will wind up being a classic series for HBO. Unfortunately my GoT marathon got cut short half way through since I had to go work at DISH, but hey you have to work right? I am just glad that I decided to get the blockbuster @home pack, it has come in handy not only for streaming but for getting DVD’s by mail so I will be ready for season 2 on Sunday!
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