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George RR
Narrative
Nine noble families battle for control of the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after thousands of years of slumber. 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 actor’s name is accompanied by a rank insignia from his character’s house. Featured in Hollywood’s Top 10: Critics' Choice Awards: Drama (2011). Main Title (Unlisted)Writer and Showrunner Ramin Djawadi.
Quite the opposite
Been binge-watching ‘Game of Thrones’ since the first episode (gradually due to being busy) over the years, having heard nothing but amazing things about it from friends, family, and IMDb reviewers. And with such amazing talent and a great series of books, how could it go wrong? The good news is that ‘Game of Thrones’ didn’t go wrong. It’s not just a rare television show that does its original source material justice and treats it with respect, it’s also, on its own merits, one of the finest, most addictive, and consistently compelling shows of recent years. A television show so brilliant that it really needs to be reviewed, made for television, 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 a critically acclaimed show that deserves every bit of praise it gets.
Visually, ‘Game of Thrones’ looks amazing
The scenery is stunning throughout, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful to the eye, with a real eye for detail, and the costumes fit the characters to a tee. Then there are the special effects, which are some of the best on television, and are not overused or misused. Their scale, detail, and the way they actually have character and soul are better than many big-budget blockbusters. So is the cinematography and editing, which are also of cinematic quality. You can’t talk about “Game of Thrones” without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally, and atmospherically layered musical score and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a big-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
The characters are also a big part of the appeal
It’s hard to give up on the quality of the writing, as excellent is not a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is. It always has a natural flow, it’s layered and thought-provoking, and it brings out a wide range of emotions, including thrilling suspense, touching pathos, and witty humor. The stories are so beautifully paced, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, high emotional level and touch on complex and sensitive themes with intelligence and tact. Whenever there is a staged or more action-oriented scene, it is always for a reason, never because of it. The staging is done on a grand epic scale, with excellent staging, suspense and dramatic tension, but underneath all the scale and blatant attention to detail there is a lot of heart and layers. They are not too long and there are no inappropriate elements.
They are much more, and have strengths and weaknesses
‘Game of Thrones’ has characters that are as well developed and as close to real life as you can get, even though it is in a fantasy world. These characters are not hero and villain archetypes (Joffrey is the only one close to that, but the difference is that he is a very interesting and much developed person, ranking well above 100% on the threat level scale). The decisions are logical, and none of the characters are any less likeable when the decision is not the right one, because mistakes are acknowledged and learned from.