Game of Thrones

I usually avoid writing about series ... actually since quite some time I don't really have what to write about because I don't have the time to watch any. But to get back to my first sentence, the reason for I'm avoiding writing about series is that I don't know how "valid" my writing will be on the next season. So, if I write, I prefer doing it after the series end. And after the series end, it usually happens that I'm not anymore so .. thrilled about what I was watching therefore .. I'm not writing. Obviously there are some exceptions, like "Farscape" for instance. So, even if it doesn't really get on par with "Farscape" ( but for me actually nothing gets at that level which was set and fixed long ago :) ), I said to risk this time and to say some stuff about "Game of Thrones" because the first season seemed very promising.

Except "Stardust" it doesn't come into my mind now anything from the bunch of fantasies made after "Lord of the Rings" to be above a certain level. So, even if we're talking about a series here, considering the lack of good movies on this area, I'm gonna allow myself to consider "Game of Thrones" the 2nd fantasy that worth mentioning from the ones that premiered after LotR. Anyway, each of the three is a different genre in the end. LotR can be categorized as the classic type (especially considering the importance in the literature of the genre). "Stardust" is a little jewel by Neil Gaiman that managed to combine lots of stuff in the same movie in a fantasy setting and managed to get it coherent, watchable and appropriate and appealing for almost any age and any person. "Game of Thrones" is, at least after the first season, more like a medieval thriller than a fantasy. Even if you know that you have sufficient elements of fantasy somewhere, they're not that visible .. and it's mostly because you don't really have the "magic factor" ( apparently it will be more in the next seasons ). You can actually consider it like some middle age setting, in a context where some ruling clans are involved with or without their own will in a bunch of intrigues having an apparent final point in getting the throne of the land. And to this setting is added also a supernatural threat from the far north which will come .. and will come .. and will come .. and (spoiler) in the first season it doesn't come anymore, but it's still one of the elements that beside the rest keeps your eyes bound to the screen.

It's complicated to tell more from the subject, I don't really think it's a good idea, because all the charm is almost in the twists and turns that are going on through the series. And as a difference from many other series where when a new subplot is introduced in the action is pretty much because the screenwriters didn't have a clue about where the story goes when they started writing and they have to come up with a new idea, here everything fits together perfectly. Of course, the main reason for this is the fact that we don't have an original scenario. It's an adaptation after the first volume of the (up till now) four written by George R. R. Martin. Well, I won't exaggerate however in praising it because it's definitely not the best scenario I've seen, in the sense that it does have lots of cliches but these are usually covered by let's say the "heat of the moment" = if the action really catches your attention, you won't observe many of them. And usually it does catch your attention.

The production level is excellent despite the fact that you won't see much effects as you would expect from a fantasy. The cast doesn't have many big names in it, but it is quite good as it is, and I would say even more - that it's one of the best series casts I've ever seen. Even if I didn't read the book, if somebody would ask me now to pick one actor for one of the roles I wouldn't hesitate to pick the same one I've seen, even for the smallest parts. Visually is nice due to the location variety, of the set decoration, etc, but I wouldn't say that's really a masterpiece. As sound however I enjoyed it a lot ( or maybe it's the impression made by the intro tune, even so .. :) ).

What else to say ... To make a comparison to other production released by HBO I would pick "Rome". You have pretty much the same level of violence, sex, action and all the other stuff that makes it almost rated R. But besides these you also have a subject that keeps you eager and waiting to watch the next episode which doesn't happen to many series. Unfortunately the second season will be released not earlier than the next year :) ... And as I don't really know if it will keep the same level (although the last episode of the first definitely shows some promise) I'm not going to give a rating, but if it would be to recommend a series released this year to be watched this would be definitely "Game of Thrones" ;)