The North Remembers

It has traveled billion miles from the deepest corner of the cosmos and we have just experienced its calm impact on our screens. Welcome back GoT, we have missed you ! Who could possibly need a recap for such a show ? It's not like if we hadn't spent the last past months thinking and dreaming about it. Still seeing all the major events in such a short time was exciting and when the title sequence began its stellar dance I had already plunged into the forgotten realms.

I feel calm and around my head gravitates dozens of captivating televisual ideas. I see her angelic figure lost like an oasis in the desert and a fragile dragon as real as it gets. I feel the cold breath of a golden axe and the bitter smell of blood that follows. I hear their atmospheric voices, laugh of his wit jokes and wonder if I'm not hallucinating. A pagan and charming confusion, then a whore above a rocky CG Babylon. Can such an overwhelming production be real or have all my neurons already been scattered by this close encounter ?

A comet. What a majestic refrain to transition between the burning screams of the North and the cold ballads of the South. An irresistible Tyrion, a repelling tyrant. An educative tale. What an entertainment way to be a better leader, a better child, a better human. I have looked into the eye of the beholder. I saw a disgusting pig surrounded by young wives and ready to get slayed by thousands of flying knives. I drank sacred water to stimulate my senses and be as frightening as a dire wolf ready to cut your filthy throat. I have never been so lost in medieval times and still I can feel the ground beneath my feet. I'm at war. We're in love. I'm a dragon ! We're dungeon masters !

Note : This review was first posted on Kritikenstein, my weblog.

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.

"The North Remembers" was a great Season 2 opener. Season 1 was of a consistently high standard, with its best episodes especially "Baelor" being 'Game of Thrones' high points, so of course expectations would be high. Luckily, "The North Remembers" lives up. Occasionally it's slightly rushed and it is agreed that the Littlefinger threatening Cersei to her face scene was just silly and not something Littlefinger would characteristically do. On the most part though, it's an exposition-heavy episode where almost all of it works, a lot happens and is introduced and it's handled in a lean way. The scene setting and the introduction of many characters and subplots were deftly balanced.

Everything with Joffrey and the expansion of Tyrion's role were everything good.

Visually, "The North Remembers" 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 "The North Remembers" 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. 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 beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.

All the characters are wonderfully written and layered, and the acting from especially humorous and ever growing Tyrion and Jack Gleeson's repellent Joffrey is superb.

Overall, great start to Season 2. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Way to start a season. Great episode.

Fantastic work by all involved in this show. The music by Ramin Djawadi is awesome.

10 out of 10.

So.. Amazing.

To me this is a solid start to thevseason that graps your attention from the very first scene. And shows that yhis will be just as brutal as the first season!

I always think back to season two as one of the better premieres, as some og the other seasons doesn't really get going until episode 2 or 3!

The writting is every bid as good, with a lot of intrigue and moments that further develop the story! I especially enjoyed Tyrion! Its nice to see him in a position of power! We also get introduced to a new storyline with Stannis and the Red Woman!

The last scene was very dark, and it still remains that way after everything else that happens!

This is the first episode of the second season of Game of Thrones. We pick up right where the first season left off amidst the turmoil occurring in the land of Westeros. As like it was in the first season, we seem to be getting plenty of strong performances and there are some new characters introduced such as the brothers of the late Robert Baratheon. The production design looks very sharp, sharper than your average television show.

In this episode, "The North Remembers," Tyrion Lannister arrives in Kings Landing where he is to act as the new King of the Hand. Meanwhile, Robb Stark ponders what to do next in the war, The Night Watch decide to trek north to figure out what is happening beyond the wall. Stannis Baratheon decides he is the rightful heir of the Iron Throne. Finally, Daenarys is out in the desert with what's left of her people struggling to survive.

Overall, this is a solid start to the second season. It's an episode that is pretty much the aftermath of the last episode of the first season, but it introduces a path in which this season will take. Great acting is the key to the success of this show. I have a feeling that this will be Peter Dinklage's time to shine.

My Grade: A-