Blu-ray Review: Game of Thrones, Season 1 (2011)

Game of Thrones is HBO's latest sensation, and deservingly so. Based on George R.R. Martin's as-yet-unfinished series of novels called A Song of Ice and Fire, it's a fantasy saga that's more medieval than Middle-Earth. The title, taken from the first book of the series, could not be more apt, as the series' main preoccupation is the constant intrigue surrounding the seven kingdoms of Westeros, with numerous contenders claiming their right to the throne that unites them all. (The throne itself, made of hundreds of melted-down swords, is already an iconic image.) There's also the everpresent threat of an invasion of mysterious, demonic 'White Walkers' from the north, a frontier that is protected by a massive ice wall, which is where the pilot episode begins.

The creepy prologue set in the snowy forests of the north actually turns out to be a little misleading for the series as a whole because it's one of only about three or four scenes in the entire series that features anything outright supernatural. Thrones' main success, and the reason this is not just Lord of the Rings on TV, is that it's all about the characters and their intertwining stories, which could have been ripped from the pages of history. Martin himself was said to be inspired by the Wars of the Roses, and the names of the two main feuding families, the Starks and the Lannisters, to the houses of York and Lancaster cannot be a coincidence. There's no specific quest, but the narrative certainly does not lack a driving force; in this first season, the connecting thread is the mysterious death of the ruling king's Hand, or second in command, but the tale spins off in numerous unpredictable and always thrilling directions.

There is an enormous cast of characters to grapple with here but the writers handle them so well - and they are all cast so perfectly - that telling them apart and remembering who's who never becomes a struggle (even less so than in the books). The lead of the ensemble is Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark, looking every inch like Boromir reincarnated, but there are subtleties to the character that separate him from his Tolkien forebear. Any of the characters, though, could take the limelight, and indeed the focus shifts constantly. One moment the focus is Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), Eddard's bastard son, the next it's scheming dwarf Tyrion Lannister (the wonderful Peter Dinklage), or Mark Addy's rotund King Robert, to name a few. Without fail, every character is fascinating, complex and seemingly real: even most of the "baddies" - and this series features some of the most detestable characters ever to grace the screen - often have their own motivations and justifications. Most impressively, even the least experience actors, including the children, manage to completely convince.

This is a harsh world where death can strike at any time and often does, even in surprisingly mundane ways and to the most beloved characters. The geography of the land is established in each episode's evolving opening credits, while the series is actually shot in Northern Ireland and Malta. The look is at once distinctive and completely authentic, with the help of some wonderful CGI (used in moderation) and set design; the throne room is spectacular, especially for a TV set. There's never the sense that any expense has been spared, with the lone exception of the episode that cheats us out of a big battle (not damaging in the long run), which really makes this feel like an event. It has the pacing of a miniseries, the visual flair of a proper epic, and some of the very best writing in the business. Be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor more than once.



Release Information
Country: UK / Region: Free / Version: Amazon Exclusive / Discs: 6 / Distributor: HBO (Warner Bros.)

Presentation
Mostly shot on new Arri Alexa digital cameras, this show looks stunning in HD. It has all the benefits of digital photography - incredible detail and crispness, bold yet natural colours, etc - and none of the associated shortcomings. This is one of the best looking presentations I've yet seen on big or small screen.

The DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack does not, perhaps, quite boast the dynamics and envelopment of a blockbuster movie but it's still forceful and intricate. Ramin Djawadi's brilliant scoring gets a thorough workout, which all to the good.

Extras
This is the typical comprehensive treatment from HBO, only lacking (as usual) a lengthy making of. Otherwise there's loads here: seven commentaries ranging from informative to amusing (three of the child actors collaborate on the track for episode three), several featurettes and, most extensively, the complete guide to Westeros, which gives a fantastically detailed background to the world and the characters, all derived from the novels. Each episode features an optional 'In-Episode Guide' which enables you to keep track of the characters, locations and histories (mostly one for people who haven't read the books). Possibly the best feature of all is the Anatomy of an Episode for "The Golden Crown", episode six, which is effectively the same as Maximum Movie Mode, playing numerous picture-in-picture features while the episode runs, giving superb insight into the production. This episode incidentally also features possibly the best commentary.

I must also mention, plus points to HBO for the lovely packaging: there's an embossed sleeve, a solid inner case, an attractive fold-out digipack and even a map on the back of the episode guide. This Amazon exclusive edition comes with a sixth Blu-ray disc (in a separate cardboard pouch) featuring an additional twenty-minute featurette on the VFX. Definitely interesting, but nothing to get too worked up about.



Summary
One of the best new TV shows in ages, and I'm already prepared to say it might be, at this point, my favourite ever. Game of Thrones is simply exceptional, compelling drama. Move over The Hobbit - I just want my Thrones fix.