These words, spoken by Queen Cersei to Lord Eddard Stark, are the most concise description possible of the story of Game of Thrones. The series, based upon a series of books by George R.R. Martin, enjoyed a much lauded and well rated run on HBO last year, continuing that cable channel's long run of extraordinary original programming. The initial ten episode run came to Blu-ray/DVD this week to much fanfare, and every last bit of it deserved. Before digging into the set for review here, I was a complete virgin to the story. I hadn't read the books, and my personal finances compelled me to drop HBO immediately following the conclusion of the last season of True Blood. Typically, an epic fantasy series doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would interest me, but I'm happy to be proven wrong in the case of Game of Thrones. HBO has put together an extraordinary package for an awesome series, and it is well worth owning, even if you've never seen nor heard of the material.
Lord Eddard Stark rules the northern kingdom of Westeros, a land that exists only in the mind of author Martin. He is close friends with the king of Westeros, Robert Baratheon, who is more of a warrior than a ruler. My temptation here is to attempt a basic synopsis to lead you in the right direction, but the story is so vast and rich, that it would be a cheat to both you and the series to go much further. The mythical land of Westeros is much like medieval Europe, many small kingdoms under the rule of one great central ruler. Like any good epic, there are plenty of politics and more than enough conflict to go around. Each chapter in this first series of stories brings new information and gasps to the viewer in a way that is entirely engrossing, and has more than once pushed me far beyond my bedtime in the need to know what happens next.
One of the great strengths of Game of Thrones, based on Martin's book A Song of Fire and Ice, is the idea that is takes place in a fantastical world, and yet there is very little that is unrelatable as human foible. The characters are all human, their weaknesses and strengths are our own, and they are all given ample room to breathe and develop in their own time, thanks to the series format. There is very little contrivance here, the story grows of it's own volition, and we see nuance in a way that is just very difficult to manage when adapting epic stories to feature film length. The fantasy element of the film is much less a focus than a backdrop for this very engrossing story, and that is what makes the series so good. We care about these characters, even those who have the deepest wounds and inflict pain and suffering on others are given their own stories to tell, and that is a luxury that six hundred minutes of screen time allows.
Though the film and books are marketed as fantasy, through the vast majority of the first season, there is little to differentiate this story from historical fiction. The story, as I mentioned above, is a very human one, and quite easy to get hooked on. There are small signs here and there that the fantastical elements about which the characters speak are mot merely the legends they seem to be, and as the season draws to a close, these signs do strengthen. However, don't think that this series is merely D & D wish fulfillment, it is far more than that. It is about people and their loyalties and how they express them, and betray them to the people around them.
The cast of Game of Thrones features some fantastic actors turning in career-best performances. The ostensible lead, Sean Bean as Ned Stark, is right in Bean's wheelhouse. I don't think that guy makes movies where he doesn't get to swing a sword at least a few times, and he understands that character very well. The other standout is the extraordinary Peter Dinklage as "The Imp", Tyrion Lannister, an anti-hero given probably the most complex role in the entire series. Dinklage proves himself again and again to be an uncommonly great actor, and I wait for the day that he gets quality roles that don't rely upon his stature. I could go on about the cast, but those two turn in the finest performances of the bunch and definitely deserve recognition.
In my attempt to keep this review spoiler free, I will end here. Since the series is ten episodes long, I can't really say much that doesn't give away a few cliffhangers here and there. Trust me when I say that this is the kind of television that only HBO manages to deliver consistently, and this is perhaps the most epic of their undertakings yet. Highly recommended.
The Discs:
Game of Thrones arrives on Blu-ray from HBO in a five disc set with extra material spread throughout the package. The image and audio quality are superlative, and while the image is truly stunning, and the cinematography stunning, it is the audio that really stirs my soul. The opening theme is played with such force that it feels as though there is a solo cellist in my living room playing just for me, truly outstanding clarity. This is one television series that feels like a film as you watch it, the epic scope of the show is incredible, and captured ably by the various cinematographers and directors in a stunning way that finds itself landing on Blu-ray is a reference quality presentation.
The extras for the disc are a bit of a mixed bag, though I found myself truly enjoying each of them. The major video extras are all on the fifth and final disc and include a thirty minute making of featurette, a brief look at the creation of the Dothraki language, which is D & D geek heaven; a look at the creation of the fascinating opening credits' sequence, and an interview with George R. R. Martin and the writers and showrunners regarding the adaptation of the book to the screen. Each of these segments is sampled briefly in the main featurette, but the individual features go much further in depth. Each of these features is best saved until you've completed the series, because they do include numerous spoilers.
On the other hand, there are plenty of extras on the discs that do not include spoilers, but do enrich the viewing experience noticeably. There is a guide to Westeros on the disc that I couldn't not look away from. There are animated histories of all of the kingdoms and clans, narrated by the members of those clans in character. There are also text-based guides to each of the major characters, and there are a lot of them, which in spite of beind text-based, are really fascinating. To follow up with these, there is an included guide with family trees of each of the clans along with their allies. These histories and guides do not spoil any plot points, but do give valuable background information on each character and the histories of Westeros in a way that will definitely enhance the experience of Game of Thrones.
This is a fucking great set, and super cheap right now at Amazon. If you're at all interested, I definitely recommend checking it out. HBO cranks out another winner!