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 Wars to Come", while not living up to the previous season's finale "The Children", is a very promising start for Season 5. It is not the most dramatic, action-packed, story-advancing or most emotion-filled of episodes, instead going the slower, more reflective and intimate approach. This is not a problem because, although some may disagree, 'Game of Thrones' has shown numerous times that it does these types of episodes excellently.
Some characters are better developed than others, Tyrion continues to have plenty of meat to him and is getting more fascinating with each episode. Am also really appreciating Cersei getting more development and becoming more prominent. Sansa is rather bland though.
The episode does a great job beginning where the previous season left off, reminding us of what happened and sets things up for what is to follow. There is not a massive amount in terms of character progression however, though it's certainly evident if not quite deep enough, and other episodes have done better in moving things forward.
'Game of Thrones' has always been strong when it comes to acting and "The Wars to Come" is not an exception. Peter Dinklage can do no wrong, he is a fan favourite for great reason, and Lena Headey, Aidan Gillen and Emilia Clarke also do a huge amount with their characters.
Visually, "The Wars to Come" looks amazing, as one would expect for 'Game of Thrones'. 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 Wars to Come" 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. The story is still riveting, even with the quieter and slower approach to the storytelling, and has enough passion and sensitivity.
Overall, promising start to Season 5. 8/10 Bethany Cox
