Review of Game of thrones First Season
One of my colleagues had the first season of Game of Thrones on his desk just before Christmas. In the fashion of "who asks, receives" I politely inquired if the show was any good. The conversation ended with Game of Thrones series one being handed to me as a Christmas present. Maybe I should go into procurement rather than sales...
Game of thrones is based on the George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel series"A Song of Ice and Fire" of which "Game of thrones" is the first installment. Until now three seasons based on the novels have been produced with a forth undergoing production at the time of writing this review. The series was created by David Benioff and starrs Sean Bean (Ned Stark), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Kit Harrington (Jon Snow). The first season was mainly shot in Northern Ireland and Malta. HBO produces the show with a big budget and it has won several Emmy Awards. Together with Breaking Bad and it also is one of the currently most pirated TV Shows.
Robert Baratheon is King of the Seven Kingdoms after he took the throne in a bloody revolt together with his friend Ned Stark. Baratheon resides in the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, King's Landing, situated at the "Narrow Sea" which separates the continents Westeros and Essos. Westeros is mainly inspired by England during the War of the Roses in the 15th century while Essos has a more oriental feeling to it. After the "Hand of the King", the most important advisor of the king, dies under nebulous circumstances, Robert asks his friend Ned to act as his Hand from there on. Stark reluctantly leaves his homeland of Winterfell north of King's Landing, but remains honorable to his way of a soldier and obeys to his king's request. While Robert is making arrangements with Ned, his wife and her family, the Lannisters, plot to retake the throne. Meanwhile the Targaryens, who used to sit on the thrones in Westeros have been living in Essos observing and plotting to retake the throne. To succeed a marriage between Daenerys Targaryen and the leader of the Dothraki (a mongolian like horde of warriors) is aaranged to secure their support in battle. An ancient years the Targaryens have been the riders of dragons which have long disappeared. While Ned Stark leaves for King's Landing his bastards son Jon Snow is send northwards to become a "Man of the Nights watch", who are guarding the "Wall", which builds the border to the north and is completely made of Ice. From there season one unfolds on several plotlines between the different kingdoms, places and characters throughout the episodes.
Game of Thrones is specially known for its many characters and the interdependencies between these which makes the drama unfold. The critical response has been very positive throughout the whole production. Some instances criticize the series for its use of violence, nakedness and explicitness to create the Medieval fantasy world.
I personally became directly addicted to Game of Thrones. For me it is like a combination of Sopranos, Tudors, Lord of the Rings, a medieval history lesson, East enders (or Lindenstraße for the German among you) all wrapped into one. Watch it and discuss it with your friends. Who is plotting against whom? Who will die next? What will happen to the bastard sons of such and such? Great entertainment. Don't miss it and please don't pirate it, as this piece of entertainment truly deserves to be honored by actual paying the due tribute to enter this fantasyland.
