Game of Thrones, season 1
"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground." - Cersei Lannister
release year: 2011
genre: TV fantasy/drama
viewing setting: home Bluray 2/14-27/19
synopsis: In a fictional land, various parties plot and plan to make a play for the rulership of the entire world.
impressions: I put this off for many years...years filled with other people telling me how great it was, how I just had to watch it, etc. So I finally did, and was at first underwhelmed, but it got better and now I'll watch more. This is basically a soap opera with lots of sex and violence, plus hints of magic and monsters. Having finished the entire first season, I can now say that the magic and monsters seem to be coming soon, and many of the regular human characters are in various sorts of trouble, as in bad times ahead. The overall plot (which has numerous sub-plots running through and around it) is incredibly complex, so stupid people shouldn't be watching this show.
acting: This is the largest ensemble cast of any show I've ever watched, and I'm not going to talk about all of the characters. Those who stood out the most: Emilia Clarke is the soft, weak, noble woman who gets forcibly married to a barbarian warlord and toughens up real fast. Jason Momoa is that warlord, and is so powerful (and they end up meshing so well together) that it appears they may end up ruling the world. Sean Bean is the noble, morally upstanding lord who's often too nice and merciful. Richard Madden and Maisie Williams are his two strongest, most level-headed children. Peter Dinklage is a dwarf who both enjoys life and is really, really funny. Lena Headey is basically an evil, scheming queen, and Jack Gleeson is her spoiled, evil little son.
final word: Good, if complex, medieval intrigue and mayhem.
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