Lord Snow

This episode I found a little slower than the first two - but it's good and a necessary part of the story. Best part about this was watching Viserys Targaryen get his! I'm sorry but I find him as bad as Joffrey, Joffrey's mother Cersei and her lover and brother Jamie Lannister. I dislike others but it's Viserys, Joffrey, Cersei and Jamie that I can't stand - yuck! The episodes will only get better as these 4 get worse. Thoroughly enjoying this series so far.

8.5/10

Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.

"Lord Snow" may not be quite as good as the brilliant first two episodes, but it still manages to be extremely good. Which does say a lot about the overall quality of 'Game of Thrones' as a show. The dialogue occasionally rambles and "Lord Snow" slightly suffers from trying to introduce new characters and concepts in a short space of time. Putting small emphasis on slightly because the characterisation is still superb and the ideas explored well, there was just the occasional sense of there being a little too many.

Not many shows have their overall quality, tones, themes and characterisations so spot on and well-established when it first starts, but 'Game of Thrones' is one of the strongest exceptions. The slower, more reflective and loose feel to the storytelling was appreciated and actually was appropriate considering the character and story density.

Visually, "Lord Snow" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.

One cannot talk about "Lord Snow" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.

It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again, even with the odd rambling part here and there. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced mostly very beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity. That it is heavy exposition managed to just about work.

Standout moments are the ending, Robert and the Kingsguard and Small Council scenes, while the father and daughter relationship and chemistry couldn't have been better depicted.

Helped by the superb character and multi-layered writing throughout, Sean Bean and Kit Harrington both give some of their best ever work consistently in 'Game of Thrones', that can be seen here. Maisie Williams is really coming into her own and Peter Dinklage continues to be a high-point. Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau sinks his teeth into the character of Jaime and Syrio's role may be small but not one to forget. It is hard to pick standouts though because everybody here pulls out all the stops and nobody is bad.

Overall, not quite as good as the previous two episodes but still excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox

"Lord Snow" is the Game of Thrones episode where most people agree that it finally came into its own. The characters we met in the first two episodes are further fleshed out and we meet some new characters who will play major roles throughout the series. We also visit King's Landing for the first time as we take our first look at the sunny capital of Westeros. What interests me, from the first three episodes, is how character-driven these episodes are. One would expect lots of action or sword-fighting from such a grand fantasy epic, but there has been limited action so far. The characters drive the plot and that is a relief because now we get to know who these characters are. The main theme here is political intrigue and I really like how the politics shape the events of Westeros and what is to come.

Jon Snow takes the honor of the titular character. As we know from the first few episodes, he will be travelling to join the Night's Watch at the Wall, which separates the kingdom of Westeros and the cold, wintry North where the wildings live. Snow begins his training, but he is in for a rude awakening. He is being trained by Ser Allister, who makes Snow's life miserable. I guess that is what happens when a character is being trained to move from an arrogant rookie to a fearless leader. There is insight about how cruel life can be at the Wall. Luckily, we get another week of Tyrion at the wall. The name "Lannister" alone is enough to command respect of others. We see his scheming and we are left to wonder, what is his motivations? Is he in the league with Cersei and Jaime or does he have his own agenda? Peter Dinklage has been the standout of all the cast members so far and this episode is further proof. I really love his sarcastic demeanor, and I also liked how he subtly trains Snow. I also dig his bathroom off the wall routine.

Let's go back to King's Landing. Ned Stark and his daughters arrive and Ned is put to work right away trying to figure out the murder of the previous Hand of the King. There are excellent character moments between Ned and Arya, played beautifully by Maisie Williams. Arya wants to be a warrior and she begins here with her sword master, Syrio Forel. The swordfighting display is a thing of beauty. I do love the interactions that Arya had with her father in this episode. The look in Ned Stark's eyes when he realizes that eventually his daughter will be a true warrior, not learning these techniques for the fun of it. Catelyn Stark also makes an appearance here. She travels to Kings Landing in secret to solve the attempt on Bran's life. There is where she runs into one of the king's advisors, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (played wonderfully by Aidan Gillen). Cat was Baelish's crush before she got married. They end up reuniting and Baelish tells her that the knife from the attempt was his.....until it was won off him in a game of cards by a certain a Lannister. Because of this event, things will start developing as we move forward with the season. We also meet Lord Varys, an eunuch played by Conleth Hill and Grand Master Pycelle played by Julian Glover.

Speaking of Lannisters, they certainly got good lines here. Cersei is grooming her petulant son of hers to be the next king and she drives the point home in such an odd way. She gives an odd, though rather indulgent way of telling her son he is going to be king. Jaime Lannister is given more to do and is developed more here. We learn that he killed the Mad King and also has some rather chewy lines. I loved his bantering with Ned Stark as we see The Iron Throne for the first time.

Finally, we head across the Narrow Sea to follow the arc of Daenary's. Daenary finally shows some qualities about why she should not be messed with. Let's just say this. Her stupid, controlling brother, Visery is going to get what he deserves. His character I completely loathe. It is nice for a change that we do not get to focus on nudity this episode. She is given nuance and she began to show why she could be a capable leader. I also like that we learn more about the Dothraki people as a whole.

Overall, this is a great episode that features lots of intrigue. There may be limited action, but the tension remains on high alert. If you like political stuff, this episode will be right up your alley!

My Grade: A-

There is potential betrayal everywhere. The incestuous queen has a vision and it doesn't include her fat husband. She dotes on her son who is a frightened little ass who plans to run his kingdom on the backs of the northerners. His mother tells him to ignore what happens and he can make up his own stories later. Bran wakes but has no memory of things, but he knows he has permanently lost the use of his legs. There are so many pretenders now and how things shake out is what this show is about. What all would see as a little girl is beginning to show herself as the true warrior, but we will have to wait for that. Meanwhile, a winter like no one has seen seems to be entering. Winters here, like summers, can last for years.

This is the third episode of the first season of Game of Thrones. There is nothing much in the way of action, but it does deliver on terms of political intrigue and rapid characterization. Everyone's character is developed even more in this episode. So far, my favorite scenes are the ones involving Ned Stark as the chief adviser to the king and Jon Snow in his training up north.

In this episode, "Lord Snow," Ned Stark and his daughters arrive in King's Landing and Ned is put to work right away. His wife comes to visit him to tell him about Bran's attempted murder. Jon Snow trains up north to much scorn but he may have found a Lannister friend. Meanwhile across the seas, Daenerys refuse to take orders from her brother.

Overall, this is a rather great episode. It's light on the episode, but the political side of the show is prevalent and interesting. I also liked how Arya is training with the sword, despite going against the rules of society.

My Grade: A