38/36
Presenting Hollywood’s Top Ten: Critics’ Nominations: Drama (2011)
Plot
Nine noble families fight for control of the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after thousands of years of slumber. George R. R. Martin’s wife once said she would leave him if he killed Arya or Sansa. Tywin Lannister: Any man who says, “I am king,” is not a true king. During the opening credits, each cast member’s name bears the insignia of their character’s house.
Main Title (Unrecorded) Written and starred by Ramin Djawadi
I’ve been binge-watching ‘Game of Thrones’ since the first episode (gradually due to being busy), hearing nothing but great things about it from friends, family, and IMDb reviewers. And with so much talent and a great book series, how could it go wrong? The good news is that ‘Game of Thrones’ didn’t go wrong. Vice versa. Not only is it the rare television show that does justice to the source material and treats it with respect, but on its own merits, it is one of the best, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years. A TV show so good that it really has to be considered made for TV, when everything is done to such a high standard that it puts many films made today to shame.
Visually ‘Game of Thrones’ looks incredible
This is one of the strongest examples of a critically acclaimed show that deserves every bit of praise it receives. The scenery is stunning, the sets are extremely atmospheric and beautiful to look at, with real attention to detail and the costumes fit the characters perfectly. Then there are the special effects, which are some of the best in television and are neither overused nor underused. Their scale, detail and how they truly have character and soul are better than many big budget blockbusters. Likewise the photography and editing, which are also of cinematic quality. ‘Game of Thrones’ is beyond question.
Again, worthy of a big-budget fantasy/action/drama film
Not to mention the multi-layered thematic, orchestral and atmospheric musical score and the unforgettable main theme. It’s hard to give up on the quality of the writing, because excellent isn’t a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is. It always flows naturally, is complex and thought-provoking, and brings out a wide range of emotions, including gripping tension, touching pathos and witty humor. The stories are beautifully paced, structured with nuance and attention to coherence, have a high emotional level and address complex and sensitive topics with intelligence and tact. Whenever there is a staged or more action-oriented scene, there is always a reason, never because of it. The setting is done on a grand epic scale, with excellent set design, suspense and dramatic tension, but underneath all the scale and blatant attention to detail there is a lot of heart and multiple layers.
The characters are also a big part of the appeal
They are not overly long and do not have any inappropriate elements. ‘Game of Thrones’ has characters that are as well-developed and as close to real life as possible, despite being set in a fantasy world. These characters are not archetypes of heroes and villains (Joffrey is the only one who comes close to that, but the difference is that he is a very interesting and highly developed person who rates well above 100% on the threat level scale). They are much more, and they have strengths and weaknesses. The decisions are logical, and you don’t like any of the characters any less when the decision is not the right one, because the mistakes are acknowledged and learned from.