Game of Thrones Review: S1E1 – “Winter is Coming”

The Geek Bits
Series: Game of Thrones
Episode: Season 1, Episode 1
Title: “Winter is Coming”
Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Directed By: Tim Van Patten
Starring: Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Ian Glen, Harry Lloyd, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Richard Madden, Alfie Allen, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Jack Gleeson, Rory McClain and Peter Dinklage
Also Starring: Jason Momoa
Co-Executive Producer: George R. R. Martin
Co-Executive Producers: Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza
Co-Executive Producer: Guymon Casady
Co-Executive Producer: Carolyn Strauss
Producers: Mark Huffam, Joanna Burn
Producer: Frank Doelger
Executive Producers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Created By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Based on: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Website: http://www.hbo.com/#/game-of-thrones
ASM Verdict: Totally Recommended for Mature Audiences

[NOTE: While we here at ASM – The Geekly Rewind strive to keep things family friendly, “Game of Thrones”, the TV show and the novel, are decidedly NOT.  Therefore, please know that we will be dealing with more mature themes and topics while discussing this series.  We will also try to keep spoilers from future episodes and the novels out of our reviews, but we will be discussing each episode’s plot, so keep that in mind.]

“Winter is Coming.”

And with those three words, the stage is set for one of the most highly anticipated TV adaptations in years.  Over two years since the project was announced, almost six months since the first footage was shown on TV, HBO has finally delivered “Game of Thrones”, a ten-part series based on the first book of George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series.  This fantasy epic tale was first delivered to bookstores almost fifteen years ago, and the fifth book is due this July.  The fanbase has been eagerly awaiting “A Dance with Dragons” and this new show — love for Martin’s series has never been higher, and HBO knows it has to meet high expectations from numerous fans, critics and casual viewers. 

I am not one of those who have read and reread A Game of Thrones.  Last year my wife suggested I read the novel to prepare for the show, but truth be told, it didn’t grab me.  It’s taken several months (in fits and spurts) for me to read a third of the book, and while I understand why it has captivated all the fans that it has — it just hasn’t captivated me in the same way.  I suspect that it’s because I’ve never been fully immersed in the fantasy genre (I’ve yet to read any of Tolkien’s works, for instance — I know, that’s heresy!), plus I find myself unable to read for more than a few minutes here and there.

However, I am going to do my best to keep reading the book to stay ahead of the show.  This will have the advantage of more easily determining what has been added to the TV show (although not necessarily figuring out what has been removed).  Plus, I find that having some knowledge of the characters helps flesh out the show just as seeing the characters in action helps me remember characters and plotlines in the book.

Synopsis

All this is preamble, however.  I’m here to discuss the premiere episode of “Game of Thrones”, entitled “Winter is Coming.”  This sentence has been associated with Ser Eddard “Ned” Stark, Lord of Winterfell, head of the House of Stark.  Winterfell is one of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, which is ruled by Lord Robert Barantheon, one of Ned’s oldest friends and almost his brother-in-law.  Sadly, Ned’s sister was betrothed to Robert but was killed by the Targarayan family, who were the rulers before Robert claimed the Iron Throne.

“Winter is Coming” can be taken literally — in Westeros, the seasons have no fixed length, and the Starks know that the long summer is coming to an end.  Being the northern most kingdom, Winter can be especially cruel.  However “Winter is Coming” is also figurative — Ned can sense that trials and tribulations will be coming soon, and it is up to him to steel his family, so they can weather the hard times.

Ned’s loving wife Catelyn and he have a large family.  Robb is the eldest son; Sansa is primed to be a princess; her sister Arya would rather shoot arrows than stitch clothing.  Son Bran loves to climb, and their youngest boy, Rickon — well, okay, we don’t learn much about him.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.  The episode opens with the Night Watch on The Wall, towering wall of ice that separates Winterfell from the woods to the north… and whatever they may contain.  Three of the Watch go out on patrol, when one of them stumbles upon multiple human bodies, ripped apart and arranged on the ground in a symbol of sorts.  It isn’t long before we realize that the Whitewalkers are the killers… and two of the three Watchmen are added to their kill count.  The Whitewalkers are pale murders, with glowing blue eyes and a supernatural sense about them.  The final Watchman flees to Winterfell, knowing he’ll be beheaded as a deserter.

And so it comes to pass that Ned sentences the deserter to his fate, and Ned instructs young Bran to watch him swing the sword.  You get the sense that Ned is the moral compass of the story, but as with everyone in Game of Thrones, no one is truly good nor evil.  Jon Snow is Ned’s bastard son, born when Ned was away at the war that ultimately gave Robert the Throne.  “Snow” is the name given to all illegitemate children, signifying that they will never truly be a full member of their family.  Ned, however, loves Jon with all his heart and does what he can to make Jon feel like a Stark, but Ned is hampered by tradition — and Catelyn.  Cat can not look at Jon without feeling Ned’s betrayal, and she can not look upon Jon without anger.

Yet Ned’s love for Jon shows that while he’s made many mistakes, he does his best for his family.  And that includes girding them for Winter, literally and figuratively.  Bran is made witness to the beheading to know that one should only judge if he is willing to pass the judgment sentence.

On the way back, Ned and the others find a curious thing — a dead direwolf.  Direwolves, much larger than normal wolves, are the symbol of the House Stark, yet none has been seen south of the Wall in years.  Yet here is one with five pups, one for each of the Stark children.  Jon points this out as an omen, but only because he carefully declares himself not a Stark.  But even omens are aware of this, as an albino runt pup is also found and given to Jon.

Ned and Cat soon get word from King’s Landing, the capitol city of Westeros, that the current Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, has died.  Jon was like a father to Ned, and they were also bound by marriage — Jon married Cat’s sister.  With word of his death comes the news that the King and others are heading to Winterfell.  Ned knows that this can only mean one thing — Robert wants to name Ned the new Hand.

And so it comes to pass.  When Robert arrives, you can see the love these two men have for each other.  You also see the disdain that the Queen, Cersei, has for anything that is not of her own family, the house Lannister.  Her twin brother, Jamie, shares this feeling.  Their dwarf brother, Tyrion, however cares not of politics or war unless it would interfere with his reading, his drinking, and his adult escapades.

There is a great feast for the King, and here is where we see the people align themselves with or against each other.  Ned and Jamie have a terse conversation that on the surface seems friendly but you can sense the tension and can feel that these two will be fighting each other more than their combined enemies.  Sansa is promised to Robert’s son, Prince Joffery, and Cersei feigns interest in the girl although she clearly would rather be anywhere but this feast.  Outside, Ned’s brother Benjen, part of the Night Watch, arrives and talks with Jon, who was barred from the feast so as not to upset the proceedings.  Jon makes it known he wishes to take the oath of the Black, to be part of the Watch.  There, he could rise to a great leadership position, something unobtainable while still considered a bastard.  Benjen tells him to wait, and after he leaves, Tyrion emerges from the shadows.  Here we see his usual sarcastic, sardonic ways… but soon it becomes apparent that in this small body lies great wisdom, and it remains to be seen if Jon will listen.

We haven’t even begun to touch on what is happening across the sea, in the land of Pentos.  It is here that the last remaining Targarayn children who have claim to the throne live in exile.  Viserys is scheming to overthrow Robert, something he’s been planning in the 17 years since he was forced out of Westeros.  His plan involved retaking the Seven Kingdoms with an army.  Small problem, though — he doesn’t have one.

He does, however, have his sister, Danerys, and he is willing to marry her off to Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki, a race of wild men and women, thought of as more beast than human at times.  There are 40,000 Dothraki in Drogo’s army, and by marrying him, Danerys will secure the army for Viserys’ use.  Small problem with that, though — she doesn’t want to.

She feels trapped by her brother.  She doesn’t love Drogo, she fears him more than anything save her brother.  She finds the Dothraki to be savages, and all she wants to do is go home.  Small problem with that, though — as Viserys says, they can’t until they have the army.

So in a fierce, bloody and deadly ceremony, Dany and Drogo are wed, and he takes her off on a white horse to consummate the marriage in private.  She goes off with him and cries during their first night together.

Back in Westeros, Ned and Cat are dicussing Robert’s offer when secret message from Lys, Cat’s sister, arrives.  Lysa has fled to the Eyrie because she fears for her safety.  She claims her husband, Jon Arryn, was murdered and the King is next.  Ned and Cat realize there’s only one thing to do — Ned must find out if this claim is true and must protect Robert at the same time, and the only way to do that is to take up Robert’s offer and become the new Hand.

Bran, meanwhile, is doing what he loves best — climbing the walls of the castle.  While he is heading up a wall he normally climbs, hears strange noises.  As he peers in through a window, he sees Jamie Lannister currently having sex with… his sister Cersei?  The incestuous sight startles Bran, and Cersei realizes that they have been caught with their pants down (pun fully intended).  Jamie grabs Bran, calms him, and as he states, “The things I do for love,” he pushes Bran out the window.

So ends the first episode.

Thoughts

Whew. A lot happened there, didn’t it? The funny thing is that the show stayed true to the book — in spirit at times, in dialogue and actions other times — so my lengthy recap is a testament to how much detail George writes in his novels.

Not being well versed in A Song of Ice and Fire, I wasn’t sure how I would react to the show.  Would it be as slow as I first found the book?  Would it interest me better in the visual medium?  Would the level of knowledge hinder or help my understanding of the show?  Most of all — would I like it?

Well, let me just say this.  My wife and I watched the premiere, and then we watched the immediate repeat.  And then we watched it again the next day.  It gets better with each viewing.

This is a fantastic show.  There is not much in the way of supernatural elements, save for the opening scene of the Whitewalkers.  But Game of Thrones doesn’t need it.  Like the book, the story is about the people.  It’s about families and houses and internal and external conflict.  The book fleshes out each character by having each chapter being written from the viewpoint of a particular person.  The show can’t do that, but it can expand and add to the book by fleshing out character details.

And from the moment you saw each of the characters, you could instantly get a sense of who he or she is.  From the way Ned looked down on Bran, or the way Arya skipped out of stitching lessons to shoot arrows — and hit the bullseye on one shot! — to the seething anger of Cat as she watched Jon — you knew who the Starks were.  You can sense that Viserys is a slimey weasel, only looking out for himself.  You know that Danerys is struggling hard with a bad situation.  You can tell that Jon takes exception to being called a bastard even though he knows that is his place.

The only problem I had was the initial character introduction of Cersei and Jamie.  In a scene not in the book, the two of them are watching as Jon Arryn is lying in state.  You can tell that they are hiding something, a secret that Jon apparently knew, a secret that would get the Lannisters killed.  You also get the sense that they might be behind Jon’s death, even though it was officially a fever that sickend and killed the old Hand of the King.  While this added scene immediately gives the viewer the knowledge that these two are the “Bad Guys”, it completely lessens the shock of seeing the two of them going at each other later.  Bran’s stumble upon the two of them in their incestuous relationship should have been our first instinct that something wasn’t right.  I don’t like this addition, as it seems like it tries too hard to paint the Lannisters as evil, something which no one truly is in this story.

That being said, however, the look that crosses Cersei’s face at the feast, when she sees her husband carousing with women, makes you feel a bit sorry for her.  She may not be worthy of all our pity, but you feel that she doesn’t deserve to be cheated on, especially right in front of her face.

And then there’s Tyrion.  Ah, Tyrion.  Many people say he’s their favorite character of the story, and while I haven’t read enough to make that decision, you instantly get a feel for who Tyrion is — a drunkard, a dwarf who would rather spend time in whorehouses than castles — and yet you learn that he loves to read, and you see him impart true wisdom upon Jon.  There is more to Tyrion than meets the eye, and you get the sense we will see much more of that in the coming weeks.

So, bravo, HBO and production team!  “Winter is Coming” was a fantastic entry into the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and I eagerly anticipate the next episode.