War is coming… and we can’t wait! Which is precisely why, in anticipation of GAME OF THRONES long-awaited return this Sunday April 1st on HBO (and HBO Canada), your very own TV Addict recently decided to brush up on the our George R.R. Martin mythology by spending a recent Saturday entrenched on our very own iron throne (Read: Couch). What follows, is our fun and pithy episode guide, with format inspiration courtesy of our bible, Entertainment Weekly. See for yourself, after the jump.
EPISODE 9: BAELOR
FIRST AIRED: 6/12/11 WRITERS: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss DIRECTOR: Alan Taylor SYNOPSIS: As Khaleesi Daenerys makes a deal with the devil to save an ailing Khal Drogo’s life and Robb Stark’s Norther Alliance kicks up their campaign for King’s Landing, Ned Stark makes a very fateful decision in an effort to safe daughter Sansa’s life. INTRODUCED: Walder Frey, a lecherous old man with whom Lady Stark must negotiate a deal with so that son Robb’s Army may cross his land unharmed. HISTORIC MOMENT: If you have to ask, you haven’t seen the episode. LESSON LEARNED: Newly Crowned King Joffrey is really not to be trifled with. CRITIQUE: Despite the minor letdown that was an all-too-obvious budgetary decision to refrain from showing any of the epic battle between the Stark and Lannister households, not to mention the show’s continued penchant for its terrifying treatment of horses [on screen of course], “Baelor” very much cemented our allegiance to this truly epic series by doing something so unthinkable and unheard of across the modern-day television landscape that we find ourselves still, months later, marvelling at the move. Seriously. Now knowing that no actor is safe — no matter how high up his or her name appears on the call sheet — completely changes everything we thought we knew about GAME OF THRONES. It’s not TV, it’s HBO indeed. GRADE: A+
EPISODE 10: FIRE AND BLOOD
FIRST AIRED: 6/19/11 WRITER: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss DIRECTOR: Daniel Minahan SYNOPSIS: As news of the tragedy that befell you-know-who in the previous week’s episode spreads throughout the Seven Kingdoms, characters make decisions that will forever alter everything and give new meaning to the second season tagline that is “War is Coming.” INTRODUCED: A new King in the north! HISTORIC MOMENT: Having paid an enormous price in an attempt to save her husband the Khal, Daenerys is left with little more than… three adorable baby dragons?! LESSON LEARNED: King Joffrey is the most despicable human being on the face of the planet. CRITIQUE: Since pretty much any episode would pale in comparison to the previous week’s game-changer of an instalment, co-creators Benioff and Weiss continued to live up to their smarter-than-the-average showrunner reputation by not event attempting to craft a shocking season finale but rather pepper “Fire and Blood” with more than enough interesting character beats (Daenerys FTW!) to ensure the interminable wait between season one and two have fans salivating for more. GRADE: A-
Missed This Week’s GAME OF THRONES Re-Watch? Catch up on the entire blow-by-blow at the following links:
• Episodes 7 and 8: “You Win Or You Die” and “The Pointy End”
• Episodes 5 and 6: “The Wolf and the Lion” and “A Golden Crown”
• Episodes 3 and 4: “Lord Snow” and “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”
• Episodes 1 and 2: “Winter is Coming” and “The Kingsroad”