The Daily Beast: "Game of Thrones' Sexual Politics"

While HBO hasn't shied away from abundant sex in the Game of Thrones books (even amping it up), the presence of rape within George R.R. Martin's novels has been nearly eliminated.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, entitled "Game of Thrones' Sexual Politics," in which I examine why sex and violence, but not sexual violence, has played out on the show—and why some viewers and critics are angry.

Do you agree with the assessment? Head to the comments section to discuss and debate, but remember: keep it fair.

The Quality of Mercy: The Pointy End or the Open Palm on Game of Thrones

"When you look at me, do you see a hero?" - Varys

William Shakespeare's Portia said it best in The Merchant of Venice: "The quality of mercy is not strained/It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven." That is, mercy can't be forced; it's either a natural inclination or it isn't. Do you lean towards the pointy end of the sword or the open palm of mercy? Do you enact vengeance or forgiveness? Do you tread meekly or engage your enemy?

In this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("The Pointy End"), written by George R.R. Martin and directed by Daniel Minahan, the notion of mercy hovered over the action as viewers saw multiple characters grapple with the questions above. Daenerys attempts to stop her bloodriders from taking their spoils of war when they encounter the sheep people, preventing the women of the tribe from being "honored" by the Dothraki on the ground. Robb chooses to free a Lannister scout rather than redden his blade with the boy's blood. Sansa begs Joffrey to spare the life of her traitor father... who is of course imprisoned because he too chose the open hand, opting to tell Cersei what he knew about her children, rather than bringing the truth of Joffrey's parentage to the king.

He now rots in the dungeons of the Red Keep, with only the spiders and Varys (the one true spider) to keep him company. Was he naive or foolhardy? Should he have sided with Renly? Should he have learned from the cautionary tale of Jon Arryn and kept his mouth shut?

Of course, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros have gone topsy-turvy. Ned is attacked in the open street because his wife has seized the Imp. Robb, barely out of boyhood, looks to engage the Lannisters on the open field, with a host behind him. Corpses spring to life and move with unnatural speed. Something is amiss, it would seem. Winter is coming, after all.

The Starks always prove to be right on that account, it seems. Winter does always come eventually, wiping away the smiles of summer, just as Death comes for every man in the end. It's a lesson that unites Arya Stark and Syrio Forel, her "dancing master," whose skill as a swordsman (the First Sword of Braavos, in fact) comes in handily here. The only thing a man can say to Death, according to Syrio, is "not today." While we hope that the winter doesn't come, all things must come to an end eventually, even summertime. Syrio faces down a certain death with naught but a wooden sword and manages to take down several knights before his blade is broken. But his sacrifice is in service to a greater good: to protect his protege and allow her to escape a possible death.

Kudos to the fantastic Miltos Yerolemou for delivering a staggering performance here, allowing us to see the grace and speed of Syrio, his mastery with a sword and his unyielding nature in the face of impossible odds. Syrio's small stature belies his true nature as a giant among men, a fierce force to be reckoned with, and a true savior to Arya Stark. The way the scene in even shot heightens the sense of uneven odds between Syrio and the knights, swooping upwards from the ground to show just how little both Syrio and Arya are in the face of these armored behemoths. Yet, that's the magic of what Syrio has been teaching Arya: seeing, rather than just looking, catching cats in the shadows, etc. Syrio's day of reckoning is upon him, and he faces Death, sword in hand and dying in the heat of battle. A hero's death, really.

Will the same be said for Ned Stark? Imprisoned beneath the keep, he's been removed from the playing field altogether, a pawn rather than a player. His effort to show mercy to Cersei, inherent in his character, signs his death warrant, in way. By confronting her openly, Ned allows the Queen ample time to plot a defense, to enact a plot to ensure that Joffrey stays on the throne and to conceal her secret once more. A different man would have had her arrested and brought before King Robert in chains, but Ned is a true nobleman, a chivalrous believer in the codes that govern society. He's out of his depth completely in King's Landing, not used to dealing with manipulation and machination, but rather the forwardness of Northern men like the Greatjon.

It's interesting here that Sansa Stark is rendered more sympathetic than she is in the novels. In Martin's book, Sansa is directly responsible for her father's current situation, having gone to Cersei to tell her of the plot her father was looking to broker with Stannis Baratheon. (She blames him for both the death of Lady, and for the fact that he would take her away from her betrothed.) Here, however, she's far more guileless, an innocent whose anger at her father is sublimated entirely upon hearing of his incarceration. When she begs Joffrey and Cersei for mercy, she means to save his life out of love and not a sense of guilt, which doesn't carry over from the books. Given that Martin himself adapted this episode, it seems a clear narrative choice to keep Sansa remaining a sympathetic character, rather than a spoilt hellion as she appears at the end of "A Game of Thrones." Which is a good thing, really, for a television series such as this one, as sometimes the edges need to be sanded down a bit in order to give the viewers some characters to root for.

Elsewhere, Dany sought to enact her own mercy upon the slaves taken by the Dothraki. While money is no object to the riders, they are after coin for their planned invasion of Westeros... and the spoils of war that are taken are in her name. However, Dany refuses to let the women of the sheep people be raped or tortured at the hands of her khal, forcing her husband's bloodriders to intervene and save the life of a maegi and her fellow womenfolk, taking them as her tributes. While Dany acts out of good intentions, the road to hell, as we well know, is paved with such trinkets. In the argument that follows, Khal Drogo is sliced open by one of his riders' arakhs. While he says it is nothing more than the bite of a fly, we know better than that, don't we? And there's the maegi herself, ready with healing ointments and smoke, to save the life of the khal whose people just destroyed her settlement and enslaved her people.

Which begs the question: does mercy ever have a place in Westeros and Essos? In such a brutal world, is mercy an outdated concept? Is it better to slay one's enemy than allow them to live to fight another day? The Lannisters know nothing of such things: they slay every member of the Stark household. They give no quarter, no opportunity to regroup, to heal one's wounds and strike back. Ned shows Cersei mercy and she arranges for everyone he came down to King's Landing with to be butchered where they stand. Robb allows the scout to leave and spill word of how many soldiers he has, but that might have been cunning rather than weak. Dany tries to save the women of the sheep tribes, but it's Dothraki blood that's spilt that day.

But while everyone has their sights on the Iron Throne, no one is seeing what is truly happening in the Seven Kingdoms and beyond. Summer snows fall on the Riverlands and the dead walk among us, as Jon Snow and Lord Commander Mormont discover. It's Ghost who alerts Jon to the danger in Castle Black as the Night's Watch sleeps, pawing at the door and leading him to Mormont's chambers, where a dead Brother of the Night's Watch springs back to "life" and tries to kill them both. The weapons of men can't stop this dread wight, but fire can. Could it be that the white walkers are on the move? That these wights are the result of encountering the mythical creatures, roused from their slumber after thousands of years? Is the wildling Osha right?

Perhaps the high lords and ladies shouldn't be so focused on the game of thrones they're forever playing but on the true threats to the kingdom, to the things that lurk beyond the Wall. For Winter is coming, and with it terrible, unspeakable things...

Next week on Game of Thrones ("Baelor"), Ned makes a fateful decision; Robb takes a prized prisoner; Daenerys finds her reign imperiled.

The Littlest Finger: More Than One Way to Skin a Deer on Game of Thrones

"I did warn you not to trust me." - Littlefinger

The world of George R.R. Martin's novels depicts the internal landscape as much as it does the external and epic; the plots of "A Game of Thrones" and the subsequent books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novel series balances on a knife's edge between grand battles and stirring soliloquies enacted by the chapters' viewpoint narrator. In a television show, we're denied the ability to enter into the characters' minds, to slip away behind the eyes and see the truths that they keep hidden from everyone but themselves, to hear the words that they whisper as they fall asleep, to see the lies that they tell others.

Instead, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have had to create ways of sharing information without it seeming obtrusive; the medium largely demands scenes of action rather than long drawn-out moments of inaction. And in this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("You Win Or You Die"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Daniel Minahan, we're given two such scenes where the audience is given exposition in scenes that play up the physical aspects of the medium: one involving the great Charles Dance, here appearing as Tywin Lannister, and another involving Lord Peter Baelish, a.k.a. "Littlefinger," played by the incomparable Aidan Gillen.

In both cases, there's a rawness to both sequences, as Tywin skins a deer (and, yes, it did appear as though Dance was doing just that in real life) and Littlefinger "auditions" two new whores (including composite character Ros, whom I think is being positioned as a possible replacement for Shae). In the context of the physical, both men are able to express their emotions, casting off the layers of skin and sinew to reveal their true emotional cores. Littlefinger's arousal is due in part to the two women before him but also to remembering his greatest defeat... and how he intends to pay it back in turn.

The wheel, it seems, never stays still for very long.

While I previously praised the fifth and sixth episodes, I do think that Episode Seven might be the strongest installment to date, a true blend of numerous subplots and overarching story, where the pieces are falling into place as we approach the endgame of the season. With only just three episodes remaining this season, Episode Seven marks a divisive turning point in Game of Thrones' ten-episode run this year, as long-simmering vendettas reach their boiling point and the status quo is irrevocably changed.

There's an interesting lesson about mercy buried within the bones of this episode: Brandon Stark lets Littlefinger live, only to have him betray his brother nearly twenty years later, yet it's Robert's decision to send an assassin after Daenerys Targarygen (using, ironically, wine, the very substance that leads to his own death as Dany's potential end) that backfires most spectacularly. The thing that Robert feared most--that the dragon would spread her wings and bring an army of Dothraki to Westeros--becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In targeting Dany, Robert awakens Khal Drogo's wrath, as he swears to bring his horses across the poison sea and retake the throne for his beloved khalessi.

Mercy saves but it also dooms, it seems. It's Ned who preaches mercy to his King, but whose advice falls on deaf ears, and he basically challenges the Dothraki to invade after his failed assassination attempt. But it's also Ned who gives Cersei and her children an opportunity to flee the capital, telling the Queen that he knows that Joffrey is not the rightful heir to the throne... and that her children aren't the king's spawn, but rather Jaime's. In allowing Cersei to know what he has planned, Ned tips his hand. He doesn't see Cersei as a threat any more than Robert does Daenerys and Drogo; they're more ephemeral than actual threats to the peace of the kingdom. (Ned goes so far, however, as to alter Robert's last will and testament, replacing "son Joffrey" with "righful heir." He never tells Robert the truth, offering him one final mercy as he heads into the darkness of the long sleep.)

The Lannisters have no such mercy. Tywin has charged Jaime with 30,000 men and sends him to Riverrun to make Catelyn's father Lord Hoster release Tyrion (if only he knew that his son was once again a free man), likely engulfing the Riverlands in war in the process. And I can't shake the notion that so much of Cersei's malice, of her spite and machinations, comes down to the fact that she was wed to a king who didn't love her, who would much rather spend his life remaining in love with the memory of the long-dead Lyanna than with the living wife he had been given as payment for an alliance with House Lannister. Does her plotting come from the blow to her ego suffered on that wedding night when her husband called her by Lyanna's name?

As the life seeps out of Robert Baratheon, it doesn't matter, really. A wine skin, a feisty boar, a treacherous wife. It all comes down to the same conclusion: the King is dead. If he had loved Cersei, would it have gotten to this point? If Ned had sat on the Iron Throne that day long ago, after their rebellion, would things have been different? Or would the never-ending game of thrones had other players, other claimants, other unruly factions warring and scheming? Is man's nature that unchangable?

We're given a glimpse into the wildlings on the other side of the Wall, the so-called barbarians (or "free people") who populate the wintery lands where the Iron Throne does not rule, with the character of Osha, now reduced to being a prisoner within the walls of Winterfell. I loved the scene between Osha and Theon Greyjoy, here once again reduced to a pervy boy in man's breeches, a would-be rapist who is clearly looking at Osha as his next "conquest." While it's Maester Luwin who breaks the moment, it's Osha who has the upper-hand in their dealings, using her wits to score a few points against Theon, reminding him that he's not a high lord but another prisoner at Winterfell, just like her, though his chains might not be as noticeable as hers. As for why she came south, Osha picks up that long-dangling plot threat of the white walkers... "There's things that sleep in the day and hunt at night," she says. And, no, Luwin, she's not talking about shadowcats...

It's unlikely that it's a shadowcat that got Benjen Stark, either. As Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly prepare to take their vows and become Sworn Brothers of the Night's Watch, it's Benjen's horse that comes back to the wall alone and without its rider. Where has the First Ranger gone? And why has he not returned from his scouting mission? What lurks within the dense woods of the world beyond the Wall? And was Osha right to run when she had the chance?

As for Jon and Sam, they make their pledges before a Heart Tree over the Wall, traveling into the unknown. (Jon, meanwhile, is furious at being made a steward to Lord Commander Mormont rather than a ranger like his uncle. But Sam knows the truth: Mormont has personally selected him and intends to groom him to one day be his replacement.) But as they make their vows, the moment of celebration is shattered by a grim discovery, as Ghost comes padding into the weirwood with a severed arm in his mouth. Is it Benjen's? Or someone else's? And how does it connect to the series' opening sequence and those white walkers? Hmm...

It's a mystery that will have to wait. Back in King's Landing, Renly tries to make an ally of Ned, insisting that he rather than Stannis should succeed Robert, but Ned refuses to cave and form a power grab with Robert's younger brother... and he turns down Littlefinger's offer as well. Which is just as good because Ned is then completely sold out by Littlefinger. Believing that the city's gold cloaks are behind him, Ned orders that Cersei and Joffrey are seized... but they turn on him when Cersei rips up Robert's final words (much to the horror of Ser Barristan) and orders Ned to bow before his rightful king. When he refuses, Cersei orders her men to take him prisoner... and they quickly slay everyone loyal to the Starks, as Littefinger puts his knife right at Ned's throat.

It's such a fantastic reversal and a staggering moment to go out on at the episode's end, as Baelish shows his true colors, giving that scene with the whores more weight and emotional grit; it's the moment in which Gillen's Littlefinger becomes the true villain we all know him to be. So much of the action of the season up until now has been due to the whispered words of Peter Baelish, pulling everyone's strings like the puppet master he is. He was right when he once told Ned that the wisest thing he had done was not trusting him. After all, it's Littlefinger who tells Catelyn that the blade that nearly slew Bran belonged to Tyrion Lannister... Was he telling the truth? Or was he setting into motion a colossal and deadly game that would ensnare the entire kingdom in its grasp?

In the hands of Littlefinger, words are most deadly... and far greater than any greatsword.

Next week on Game of Thrones ("The Pointy End"), in an episode written by George R.R. Martin, the Lannisters press their advantage over the Starks; Robb rallies his father’s northern allies and heads south to war.

As the Crow Flies, As the Lion Roars: A Golden Crown on Game of Thrones

"He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon." - Daenerys

More than halfway through the season of HBO's Game of Thrones, we've come to what was arguably my favorite episode of the run so far (though, now that I've seen Episode Seven, I think I've changed my mind), which reveals several secrets lurking in the background of the series ("the seed is strong") and begins to move the players into place for the climactic gamesmanship ahead.

On this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("A Golden Crown"), written by Jane Espenson, David Benioff, and D.B. Weiss and directed by Daniel Minahan, it's an installment that revolves around changes both great and small, about the way the scales can fall from our eyes and we can see the truth that has been standing in front of us for so long. For Ned, it's a realization of just why Jon Arryn died, of the terrible secret he had gleaned from the book of royal lineages, and just what this could mean for the throne... and for the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. For Dany, it's the brutal truth of her brother's real nature, of his insatiable thirst for power and the twisted quality of his rampant heart.

It's also the episode in which the audience sees, for the first time, just how clever and cunning Tyrion truly is, as he's able to make his escape from the Eyrie without lifting a finger, turning to his usual weapons: his wits and his gold. While it's Catelyn who seized Tyrion, suspecting him of sending an assassin to dispatch Bran, it's this moment more than any other that precipitates a doom that threatens to engulf the kingdom. A Lannister, after all, always pays his debts.

If I have one complaint about this week's episode, it's that we don't really get a sense of Vaes Dothrak, the singular city within the grasses of the wide Dothraki Sea. A sacred city, a market city, we're told more about it than we're actually shown, which is a shame as George R.R. Martin's descriptions of the city paint it as a thing of awe: while there are no gates, the streets of this humble yet sacred place are lined with relics of the Dothraki's conquests: statues of fallen gods who now mark the path for the braided warriors.

While it could be due to production costs (CGI does cost time and money), we're only really given the opportunity to see the massive statuary of the horses that the travelers pass under and the inside of various tents within Vaes Dothrak, which is a shame as this location isn't quite as well established as well as others. The Eyrie, for example, is a thing of beauty: the mosaics within the throne room are jaw-dropping in their very artistry and Lysa's weirwood throne, all twisted and gnarled and pale, is only fitting given the Lady of the Vale's, um, mental state.

But within Vaes Dothrak, we're told more than we're shown: weapons are not permitted, Dany must undergo a grueling ceremony in which she has to eat (and keep down) an entire horse's heart. The latter, with its chants and gravity, does establish some sense of atmosphere about the place, but it's actually not until next week's episode (more on that in a bit) that we get a sense of what the "city" actually looks like. (Or at least the market elements.)

But that's a quibble in a strong installment that gives the audience what many of them have been begging for since the beginning of the series: the death of Viserys. It's a crowning glory of the season, in fact, as Viserys gets both his comeuppance and the golden crown he's been angling for, for which he sold his sister to the warlord Khal Drogo. If a Lannister always pays his debts, so too do the Dothraki in their own way, as Drogo pours a molten crown of gold directly onto Viserys' head.

It's shocking, gruesome, and very fitting: a liquid crown for a beggar king. Even in the end, Viserys failed to notice that it was his younger sister who was the true dragon among them: seemingly impervious to fire (as seen in the scene where she placed the dragon egg in the smouldering hearth), Daenerys has proven that the dragon HAS truly woken... but within her and not her scheming, weak brother. It's something that everyone--Drogo, Ser Jorah, and even Dany--notice. Everyone except the false dragon himself, who attempts to flee with Dany's prized dragon eggs and raise an army, until he's stopped by Jorah.

But just as Dany's inner strength is finally unleashed, so too is Cersei's, it seems. While Robert would attempt to put his wife in her place after she issues a withering remark ("I should wear the armor, and you the gown"), bashing her across the face for speaking out of turn, he seems to forget that his wife is a Lannister and that she too will find a way to repay her debts. (Their sick ego-centrism makes sense within this context: they're mirror images of each other and themselves.)

But the truth of what Jon Arryn discovered reaches beyond mere infidelity: Cersei and Jaime's unnatural love has produced three incestuous offspring, none of which truly have a rightful claim to the throne, as they are not Robert's children. In fact, it appears that the only one of Robert's trueborn children (as opposed to his black-haired bastards currently popping up all over King's Landing) was the wee son who died from a fever in infancy. Regardless of what Cersei may plot, Joffrey is no rightful price and Robert has failed to notice just how golden the hair of his children truly is. They are Lannisters through and through.

Can we escape our parentage? Is our duty inscribed in our blood and bones? Theon came to Bran's aid, despite the fact that he's been little more than a prisoner these past ten years. Is he more Stark than Greyjoy? Can he escape his heritage? Does he have a right to save the life of a boy he was raised alongside? While Robb rails against Theon ("it's not your duty because it's not your house"), I can't help but wonder if moral duty doesn't trump family. Theon fired that arrow because he cares for the members of House Stark, despite any rivalry that might exist. He fired because he didn't want Bran to die. He fired because he's human.

Robb, meanwhile, shows mercy to the wildling woman Osha, even when Theon wants to kill her. In the Iron Islands, this woman would be shown no mercy for her crime against Bran. But, despite his fierce Northern nature, Robb proves that he perhaps has more moral fortitude than Theon, sparing her life. Is it weakness or mercy that Robb shows that day? Can he afford to spare a prisoner's life or should he end it, lest she enact a bitter revenge? We'll soon see...

As for Bran, I've been wondering if or when we'd get to see the what he dreamt of while he slumbered... and this week gives us a glimpse into his subconscious, as he's lead through the walls of Winterfell by the three-eyed crow. While Bran is shocked into consciousness by the arrival of Hodor in his room and opens his eyes, it seems as though the crow is trying to tell him something: to open his own third eye, long shut to the world, to allow it to open and see the hidden nature of things. It's both a nifty bit of foreshadowing as well as a particularly eerie scene in and of itself. While it's not quite as it plays out within the novel, it nonetheless sets the stage for things to come. Will Bran keep his inner third eye tightly shut, or will he allow to slowly open to the dawning day? Hmmm...

Likewise, I once again loved the scenes between Arya and her "dancing tutor," Syrio. Particularly, as they seem to be greatly foreshadowing future events amid their deadly dance. Syrio's line about the one true god ("There is only one god, and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to death: 'Not today.'") filled me with dread. Death, it seems is stalking these characters. And while we might be able to escape it for one day, inevitably it comes to all...

Aside: I also watched Episode Seven of Game of Thrones ("You Win or You Die") last night (thanks to HBO Go, and a friend willing to share their login) and absolutely loved this episode, easily my favorite of the series. After all the set-up of the sixth episode, several subplots begin to pay off magnificently here. I don't want to say too much but I will say that the gratuitous scene at the beginning of the episode (while spectacularly sexy) makes much more sense by the end of the episode and that Aidan Gillen is at his absolute finest as Littlefinger here.

Intrigues, betrayals, and inciting acts of war all twist and tumble together in magical fashion, and the action is split between the goings-on in King's Landing (including some status quo-altering events) and The Wall, where Jon Snow prepares to take his vows, though he's met with some extremely disappointing circumstances. It's a jaw-dropping installment that's masterful in its pacing, reveals, and tension… and demonstrates just how vicious and cutthroat this game of thrones truly is.

Next week on Game of Thrones ("You Win Or You Die"), Tywin presses Jaime to “be the man you were meant to be” as they prepare for battle; Ned confronts Cersei about the secrets that killed Jon Arryn; Jon Snow takes his Night’s Watch vows, though not with the assignment he coveted; after Ser Jorah saves Daenerys from treachery, an enraged Drogo vows to lead the Dothraki where they’ve never gone before; an injured Robert makes plans for an orderly transition at King's Landing.

Crossroads: The Milk of Mother's Kindness on Game of Thrones

"Some doors close forever. Others open in most unexpected places." - Varys

When it is wise to commit a horrific act in the name of the greater good? Does one life matter more than that of millions? Can you cross a moral line in order to keep a larger peace? Such questions of moral relativism hovered over this week's fantastic episode of Game of Thrones ("The Wolf and the Lion"), written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by Brian Kirk, which presented both King Robert and Ned Stark with a weighty dilemma: do they act to keep the peace and murder a pregnant girl?

Is Daenerys' existence alone enough the shatter the tenuous union of the Seven Kingdoms? By employing an assassin, would they avert a larger war down the road? Should she and her brother have been murdered as children? By allowing them to survive, did they curse themselves to a potential Dothraki invasion from across the Narrow Sea? And if Robert gets his way and Dany is slain by some sellsword, would they be any better than the hired blade who crept into Bran's room while he slept?

These are dark questions from a dark time, issues of moral boundaries that most dare not cross. But uneasy is the head that wears the crown and King Robert is growing more and more uneasy with the passing days. He previously brought up the notion of ending Daenerys when she wed Khal Drogo, but now she had a son and an an even stronger hold on the Dothraki warlord and her brother has earned himself an army that could choke even the crowned stag.

Robert is in full blown paranoia mode this week, lashing out at everyone around him: poor Lancel Lannister, his slight page whom he sends out in search of a "breastplate-stretcher"; Ned Stark himself, who refuses to give into this cowardly plot to murder a girl rather than realize that the Dothraki will never cross the Narrow Sea. We've seen that Ned is only too willing to tell the emperor that he has no new clothes, that he's fat and can't fit into his armor and that his scheming is plain wrong, willing to throw down the symbol of his office rather than follow his king's commands. (Robert's words echo in Ned's mind and my own: You think honor is keeping the peace? It's fear! Fear and blood!")

Of course, Ned also learns this week that there's a price to pay for not toeing the line, but even more so for asking questions in the wrong places, the very thing that got his predecessor Jon Arryn killed after 17 years of service. "The seed is strong," we're told. Ned has heard Jon Arryn's last words and Lysa repeats them back to Catelyn when her sister arrives in the Eyrie. But those final words refer not to his sickly son Robin, still sucking at his mother's breast. (Easily the creepiest scene in the first six episodes of Game of Thrones, and I count in that Gregor Clegane's beheading of his own mare and the depilatory scene this week as well between Renly and Ser Loras. UPDATE: To clarify, it's the hair-removal that's a bit icky, not the people doing it.)

In retracing Jon's last steps, Ned sets himself on a path to destruction. Arya, attempting to catch a cat in the dungeons of the Red Keep, stumbles upon the gigantic skulls of the fallen dragons and overhears the Spider, Lord Varys, and Illyrio Mopatis conspiring. (She also discovers a way out of the Red Keep. Where there's a way out, there's also a way in.) While she doesn't quite understand what the two men are talking about, their intent is clear: the wolf is fighting the lion and the stag. The Starks are up against House Baratheon and House Lannister, thanks to Catelyn's imprisonment of the Imp and Ned's refusal to bow down to Robert. And the threat of the Dothraki--the savage--is made clear here as well, as is the fact that the king's knowledge of the goings-on with Khal Drogo and Daenerys are coming directly from Ser Jorah Mormont. (So that's why he rode out as soon as he heard Dany was with child...)

Does Ned believe his daughter? Does he see himself in danger? He should. While cats know to run when there's danger, wolves don't always follow suit... and Ned is more intrigued by what Littlefinger is dangling in front of his eyes: yet another bastard of King Robert and yet another piece of the puzzle. A whore has given birth to a daughter who has the King's black hair. "The seed is strong."

Ned doesn't get much time to puzzle out the importance of what he's seen, as he's confronted by Ser Jaime and a dozen or so Lannister men outside one of Littlefinger's brothels. Not surprisingly, Jaime is a little upset about his brother being taken prisoner by the Starks and orders Ned seized as his men killed. Poor Jory gets a knife through the eye by Jaime and he and Ned square off before one of the Lannister men puts a spear in his leg. (Never, ever trust a Lannister to play fair.)

Catelyn may have made a grave error in seizing Tyrion Lannister and taking him to the Eyrie. While it's been five years since she last saw Lysa, it's clear that Catelyn's sister has changed greatly, even more so since the death of her husband and that she and her son have a very, uh, unnatural relationship. Sick? You bet. Twisted. Uh-huh. One for the psychoanalytical textbooks? Yep. But Tyrion has a point: why would he give a hired assassin a knife that could be traced right back to him? And he does save Lady Catelyn's life rather than run off when they're attacked by the mountain people on the way to the Vale. Hmm...

But I will say that while Lysa is as mad as a hatter, the one person I did feel badly for--just a little bit--this week was Cersei Lannister, particularly in the scene with her husband as they discuss the fact that the one thing that has kept the kingdom together over the last 17 years has been their loveless marriage and that she did, once, have feelings for him. Feelings that weren't returned, as he's remained in love with the long-dead Lyanna Stark for the last 17 years. Hell, he doesn't even lie when Cersei asks him if they ever had a chance of happiness.

Is it better that he was honest? Or would a lie here have been the kinder thing? While there is no mistake that Cersei is as venal and mercenary as they come, this was a rare moment of vulnerability behind the golden tresses, her heart laid bare on a silver platter... before Robert crushes in with his bare hands. An act of hubris perhaps with consequences down the line?

We'll have to wait and see, but the players are moving into their positions as the latest machinations get underway, as even Loras whispers into his lover's ear that perhaps Renly would make a more suitable king that either his brothers or his nephews. Everyone, it seems, is out for power in Westeros. What they should realize is that, no matter how much a knight's armor might shine in the light, all that glitters isn't gold...

Next week on Game of Thrones ("A Golden Crown"), reinstated as the Hand, Ned sits for the King while Robert is on a hunt, and issues a decree that could have long-term consequences throughout the Seven Kingdoms; at the Eyrie, Tyrion confesses to his “crimes,” and demands that Lysa give him a trial by combat; Joffrey apologizes to Sansa; Viserys receives his final payment for Daenerys from Drogo.

The Water Dance: Snow Falls on Game of Thrones

"Everyone who isn't us is an enemy." - Cersei

The brutality of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros--and the vantage point of the Lannister clan--is eloquently summed up in Queen Cersei's words of advice to the young prince Joffrey: it's a paranoid and arrogant declaration of their family's separation from the rest of mankind, a testament to the roar of the Lannister pride and of Cersei's own suspicious nature. Trust no one, she tells her son. This is, after all, a woman involved in an incestuous romance with her twin brother, willing to conspire in the death of a ten-year-old boy in order to protect their dark secret. (It's also a creepy scene in which she instructs her son to sleep with "painted whores" or virtuous virgins if he wishes, in addition to bedding his betrothed when the time comes.)

In this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("Lord Snow"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Brian Kirk, we're given the opportunity to see how war is waged in Westeros: not on the battlefield, but in the bedrooms and throne rooms of this vast united realm. The ancient Game of Thrones is being played once more, pitting Stark against Lannister, family against family.

A boy, on the cusp of manhood, trains as a knight in the far north, taking on anyone who will fight him; a little girl dances the water dance, learning from her master the art of the deadliest dance. And a father sees his daughter playing at war once more, the playful water dance turning into something fierce and savage, the blow of wooden blades transforming into the clash of steel, the cries of war. But is it a flashback or a premonition of dark times to come?

When I first watched this episode a few weeks back, I publicly commented on Twitter that the water dance scene brought tears to my eyes and it did again, on a second viewing, a perfect scene between wee Arya Stark and her "dancing" instructor Syrio Forrel, in which Arya learns to see the sword as an extension of her self, to see herself as water, fluid movement, rather than slashing fury... while her father Ned watches on, at first in amusement and then gravely. The turning point of the scene, transforming it from something playful into something grim, is something that the television version of Game of Thrones manages to capture so effortlessly, the juxtaposition of innocence and brutality, expressed in visual terms.

Never is that more clear than in this installment, which depicts the vast chasm between those two ideas. The younger generation play at being summer soldiers, not knowing the harshness of the long winter. The Starks, we're told by Maester Aemon, are always right in the end: winter does come eventually. Whether you choose to view this as a natural righting of a seasonal imbalance or as the inevitable fall or sin of mankind is up to you, really. But winter does come eventually, just as death does stalk each of us in turn.

Jon Snow's trials at The Wall provide Ned Stark's bastard with some depth and grit; unable to discern why he's so hated by the other recruits of the Night's Watch, he sets himself up as the putative "Lord Snow," a bastard playing at being a highborn lord. He's well-trained in the ways of war but not in the ways of the world. His grace in the training yard makes him an object of derision instantly among recruits who have never held a sword before. Jon sees himself as deserving of accompanying his Uncle Benjen beyond the Wall, but he hasn't earned that right. He hasn't even sworn his sacred oath yet. His innocence is the naivete of youth and inexperience, and it takes Tyrion to teach him the error of his ways. (We see him later offering the benefit of his relative experience to the other recruits, establishing himself more as their leader than their rival.)

Tyrion, meanwhile, makes good on his promise to piss off the edge of the world. He too is a summer lord who doesn't understand the duty and responsibility of the Night's Watch, disbelieving their purpose (he doesn't believe in white walkers or "grumpkins and snapes") and making jest of the paltry remains of their once epic strength. He is an entitled lord, a Lannister through and through. Even offering to accompany Yorek on his way back to the capital, he refuses to travel rough, but instead tells Yorek that they'll stay at the very best castles and taverns along the way. He fails to see the asceticism of the Night's Watch, seeing old men and green boys who believe on faith that what they are doing is worthy. But, for a Lannister, the only thing of worth is gold...

Loved the brief comeuppance that Viserys got this week, when he attempted to put his hand around the throat of his sister, Danerys, now slipping quite comfortably into her role as khalessi. (Even if my wife deemed her Dothraki-style outfit, "Safari Barbie.") A whip around his throat, he's forced to contend with Dany's mercy rather than her rage. And he's further humiliated when his horse is taken from him, a demeaning position among the Dothraki. (After all, it's the slaves who walk alongside the horde rather than upon horseback.) And it's Dany's wishes that Ser Jorah follows, rather than those of his "true king." Be careful what bargains you make, Viserys. You've just given her sister control of a Dothraki horde, after all.

As for Dany, she learns that she is pregnant with Khal Drogo's son, a blessing from the Great Stallion and an omen of the days ahead. A union between these Dothraki and the daughter of the Mad King is a dangerous thing indeed and cements her hold over the horde... and puts Viserys even further on the edges. But just where does Ser Jorah go running off to once he learns of Dany's pregnancy. Hmmm...

I want to say how much I'm enjoyed Aidan Gillen's portrayal of Littlefinger, Lord Baelish, as he manages to perfectly capture this mockingbird's manipulative streak and his haughty demeanor. We learn this week that Littlefinger once loved Lady Catelyn dearly and fought a duel with Ned's brother Brandon for her love. He lost and was cut from belly to throat by Brandon, who spared his life. Traveling secretly to the capital, Catelyn is taken to see Littlefinger ("He's like a little brother to me," she says)--thanks to the whispers of Lord Varys--and learns that it was Littlefinger's knife, lost in a bet to Tyrion Lannister, that the assassin used in his attempt to slay the sleeping Bran.

Which would definitely point the finger of suspicion at Tyrion Lannister, or at the very least the pride of lions currently nesting at King's Landing. A scene between Cersei and Jaime seems to indicate this link, though it's unclear whether the twins are talking about trying to murder Bran in his sleep... or pushing him out the window in the "the things I do for love" scene at the end of the pilot episode. Just how badly did these two want to silence Bran, given that he survived the fall? Did they pay a killer to enter his room and slit his throat before he could wake up? Or did Tyrion act for them, loyal as he says he is to his blood?

As for Bran, our little Stark woke from his slumber at the end of last week's episode but couldn't remember anything about his fall, suffering from a sort of post-traumatic stress disorder-derived short-term memory loss. Will he remember what he saw in the tower that day? Only time will tell... But in the meantime we get a scary story from Old Nan, about the endless winter and the coming of the white walkers. And once again, we're left with the eerie sensation of discordance here: is her story a myth or reality? Does she speak of the past or of the future? And what will our summer soldiers, summer lovers, summer children do when the long winter descends on them once more?

Next week on Game of Thrones ("Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things"), Ned looks to a book for clues to the death of his predecessor, and uncovers one of King Robert’s bastards; Robert and his guests witness a tournament honoring Ned; Jon takes measures to protect Samwell from further abuse at Castle Black; a frustrated Viserys clashes with Daenerys in Vaes Dothrak; Sansa imagines her future as a queen, while Arya envisions a far different future; Catelyn rallies her husband’s allies to make a point, while Tyrion finds himself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A Bird Without Feathers: Life and Death on Game of Thrones

"You may not have my name, but you have my blood."

Matters of life and death hung over this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("The Kingsroad"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, in which Bran Stark--nearly killed from his fall--hovered uneasily after nearly shuffling off his mortal coil, thanks to the Lannisters. While Jaime and Cersei--so careful to protect their secret--didn't hesitate to silence young Bran, their treachery is now doubly dangerous as the fall didn't kill the little climber of Winterfell.

But as Bran lies motionless in his room, change is taking place all around him: Ned leaves for King's Landing, where he will serve as the Hand of the King, and takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him; Jon Snow heads north for the Wall, where he will take the black and become one of the sworn brothers of the Night's Watch; Robb steps forward and assumes the lordship of Winterfell in his father's absence.

A family is split down the seams, as Catelyn tries to keep her vigil over her broken son, his eyes closed deep in slumber, his body unmoving. But even as she and Bran remain constant in that room, unmoving, unchanging, everyone else around them is pulled forward with a significant momentum, traveling north or south as the crow flies. One can't shake the feeling that time may be the cruelest enemy of them all.

"The Kingsroad" is the first episode where the pieces begin to fall into place for the Starks as they leave behind the sanctity and comfort of their home to head out into the world. Winter may be coming, but these Northerners are prepared to meet it head on, to be sword or shield, hand or heart. But the iciness of the frozen north isn't the only thing this great family need contend with: the Lannisters have made it clear that there are no sacred cows. The forbidden love of Cersei and Jaime must be concealed at all costs, even if it means murdering a young boy and breaking the sacred covenant of hospitality in the process.

(Aside: speaking of the Lannisters, Tyrion is already a favorite, as he is in the novels. I loved his speech to Jaime about speaking on behalf of the grotesques and how death is so final, while life is full of possibility. Add to this the scene in the woods between Jon Snow and the dwarf, in which Tyrion shares his wine and his words, and you begin to see just how intelligent, sly, and humorous this character can be.)

Still, we get a brief glimmer of vulnerability behind Cersei's golden armor, as she recounts the death of her first-born son, a "little black beauty," to Catelyn. There's a sense of keening loss embedded within Cersei's tale, of anger at the world and of her husband's fury when a fever stole their baby boy. Is it guilt that brings Cersei to Bran's bedside or a need to see just what his condition really is? Why is it that she reveals this secret to Catelyn, a calculated effort to gain this woman's sympathy... or something more? The haughtiness of Cersei Lannister melts away in Lena Headey's speech about the birth of her son, a "bird without feathers," as she becomes not queen of the realm but another mother with children to protect. (However, that golden hair, discovered in the tower where Bran fell, makes Catelyn question the queen's kindness...)

Those who felt as though the first episode portrayed the women of Game of Thrones as little more than thralls or sexual playthings should keep watching. And hopefully this episode showed the grit and strength that exists within each of them: from Daenerys' effort to tame her wild beast of a husband, to create some semblance of connection between them during coitus to Catelyn's adrenaline-fueled attack on the assassin who has aims to end Bran's life.

Interestingly, there seems to be a clear parallel between the ruined hands of both Daenerys and Catelyn, occurring at more or less the same time. Daenerys' hands are shredded from gripping the reins of her horse, while Catelyn grabs the blade of the assassin's dagger with her bare hands, her righteous anger--a she-wolf in the moment--driving her to protect her offspring at all costs. Brutal and gut-wrenching, it's a testament to her love for Bran and to the strength that all mothers have in their bones, a savage display of maternal instinct at work.

Of course, it's not Catelyn who finishes off the assassin, but Bran's direwolf, Summer, who comes to his master's aid and rips out the throat of the killer before curling up on Bran's bed. We're beginning to see the beginnings of the rapport between child and animal that I mentioned briefly in my discussion of the first episode, but it's still very surface-level here. We have Summer coming to Bran's aid and Arya's direwolf Nymeria biting Joffrey when he is brutalizing poor Micah, the butcher's boy. (Nymeria's behavior is at contrast with the earlier scene in which Arya tried to get the direwolf to fetch her gloves.)

The direwolves are savage beasts, just as protective of their masters as Catelyn is of Bran, but I'm also still not seeing the emotional connection between the animals and their owners, the sense that they're two halves of the same coin. Arya has to throw rocks at Nymeria to get her to run away (for her own good) and Sansa is panicked when Cersei wants to kill Lady, but it's difficult to show the emotional depth that is truly there in George R.R. Martin's novels. (In fact, it's not even clear in this episode that Jon Snow has brought Ghost with him to the Wall, a question my wife asked me plainly when we watched the episode. And we have no sense of Grey Wind or Shaggydog either.) Still, as in the novel, the death of poor Lady--a sacrifice to Cersei's cruelty and warped sense of justice--hits home. Fittingly, it's Ned who delivers the killing blow rather than allowing this Northern creature to be brutalized by the Hound or the King's Justice, Ser Ilyn Payne.

If there is some sense of simpatico spirit between the Starks and their wolves, what does it mean that two of them have now been separated from their direwolves? Sansa's wolf is dead and Arya's is lost in the woods. And why does Lady's death seem to be the moment in which Bran opens his eyes for the first time since his fall? Hmmm...

Just what will Bran remember from what he saw that day? And what has he been dreaming of during his long slumber? Which of the Lannisters sent that hired blade to dispatch Bran? Why did the killer carry expensive Valyrian steel? And was it a "mercy" killing as the swordsman suggests? These are mysteries that will have to wait as we're left with the stirring image of Bran awakening as we fade to black for the episode.

It's not the only mystery that looms large over the action. I loved the scenes between Jon Snow and Arya, in which he gives her a custom-made sword ("Needle") and says his goodbyes to both her and Bran (and we're given a glimpse of the enmity between Catelyn and Jon), and I'm curious about the identity of Jon's true mother. While Jon asks his father for the truth of her identity and whether she is alive, Ned won't come clean but says that they'll talk of her when next they meet... and he darkens considerably when King Robert starts poking around Ned's past, speaking of his bastard's mother as "Wylla," but not revealing any details about Jon's birth. Just who was Wylla? And why did Ned come home from the war "with another woman's child" in his arms? For Catelyn, Jon Snow is a constant reminder of her husband's unfaithfulness nearly 20 years ago, an emblem of something she'd rather forget.

Still, while Jon and Ned don't share the same name (bastards in the North are routinely given a second name of "Snow"), it's clear that they are made from the same stuff, bound by blood and destiny. They are Starks through and through, the North forever in their blood, no matter what direction their lives might turn. With dark days ahead, something tells me they'll need that strength more than anything...

Next week on Game of Thrones ("Lord Snow"), Ned is shocked to learn of the Crown’s profligacy from his new advisors; Jon Snow impresses Tyrion at the expense of greener recruits; suspicious that the Lannisters had a hand in Bran’s fall, Catelyn covertly follows her husband to King’s Landing, where she is intercepted by Petyr Baelish, aka “Littlefinger,” a shrewd longtime ally and brothel owner; Cersei and Jaime ponder the implications of Bran’s recovery; Arya studies swordsmanship; Daenerys finds herself at odds with Viserys.

Winter is Coming (Back): HBO Renews Game of Thrones for Second Season

It doesn't take the greensight to know that HBO was going to issue a second season pickup for its fantasy series Game of Thrones, based on the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels by George R.R. Martin, after the premium cable network touted an impressive 4.2 cumulative viewers for the Sunday broadcasts of the first installment.

The announcement about the renewal was issued by Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming.

“We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin’s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” he said in a prepared statement. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.”

No word on when we can expect to see the arrival of Season Two of Game of Thrones or how many episodes the sophomore season will contain, though I'm hoping to see something closer to thirteen episodes as Benioff and Weiss begin to adapt "A Clash of Kings," the hefty second volume of Martin's series.

The full press release from HBO can be found below.

HBO RENEWS GAME OF THRONES FOR SECOND SEASON


LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2011 – Following strong critical and viewer response to the series’ April 17 debut, HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a second season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

“We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin’s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” said Lombardo. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.”

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, GAME OF THRONES follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime.

Among the early critical raves, TV Guide has called the show “a crowning triumph” and “brilliant,” while the Los Angeles Times termed GAME OF THRONES “a great and thundering series,” as well as “wild and bewitching.” The Hollywood Reporter praised the “excellent storytelling, superb acting and stunning visual effects,” and the New York Post observed that the “art directing, acting and incredible sets are as breathtaking as the massive scope of the series.”

The gross audience for the premiere night of GAME OF THRONES on the main HBO channel was 4.2 million viewers.

The season one cast includes (in alphabetical order): Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Rory McCann, Jason Momoa, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams.

Season one credits: GAME OF THRONES is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger; directors of photography, Marco Pontecorvo, Alik Sakharov and Matt Jensen; production designer, Gemma Jackson; costume designer, Michele Clapton.

Direwolves in the Woods: Thoughts on the Series Premiere of HBO's Game of Thrones

Winter is coming, as we're told several times throughout the first episode of HBO's lavish and gripping new series, Game of Thrones, based on the George R.R. Martin novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire." It's a belief that the halcyon days of summer will soon be behind us, that the icy grip of winter--true winter--will soon wrap its fingers around our throats. Those happy days are behind us.

In the series premiere of Game of Thrones ("Winter is Coming"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, the signs and omens are gathering around us. A direwolf has been slain by a stag, in turn killed by the great wolf itself, her children spilling from her bellies as orphans. In a world that moving forward away from superstitions, it's a tableau that should give even the deepest cynics of Westeros pause for thought. Change is coming to Winterfell and, by the time the closing credits of this first episode roll, the Starks have been changed forever.

You had the chance to read my advance review of the first six episodes of Game of Thrones a few weeks back but, now that the first episode has aired, we can discuss the series opener in depth. So put on your fur-lined cloak, sharpen your broadsword, get a good grip, and prepare to discuss "Winter is Coming."

The question I get asked more than any other about Game of Thrones is how this pilot episode compared to the original pilot, directed by Tom MCarthy (who has a consulting producer credit on the reshot first episode). Answer: night and day. While some of the original footage does make it into the redone pilot (Bran climbing the walls of Winterfell when he spots the king's retinue; Ned and Robert in the crypts), the overall effect is entirely different.

(Aside for the fans of the books: While this version captures the scope and scale of Westeros and the production, the original felt more insular, slightly more claustrophobic and narrow. Here, there's a sense of space and movement: the walls of Winterfell contrasting with the openness of the sea at Pentos, the brutal North at odds with the luxuriousness of Illyrio's mansion across the Narrow Sea. The opening sequence and Dany's wedding night are handled differently here than in the original pilot. The recastings are all fantastic in my opinion, though I do mourn the loss of the corpulence of Illyrio, originally played by the great Ian McNiece. Roger Allum, taking over for him, is fabulous, but lacks the physicality for the role. It is, however, a mere quibble amid a production that is as studied and accomplished as this one.)

This is grand fantasy, writ large. Seemingly no expense has been spared and bringing the world of Westeros to life, but writers Benioff and Weiss and director Van Patten also know that they can't coast by on grandeur and beauty shots alone. The characters as we meet them here are vivid and compelling, even though there are a lot of them. There's a fair amount of exposition to get through in any series opener and the first episode of Game of Thrones is no exception. We very luckily have the Stark children to fill in some of the blanks when King Robert's retinue arrives at Winterfell, allowing the audience some semblance of a toehold when it comes to keeping track of the Lannisters and who they are: haughty Cersei, arrogant Jaime, and vivacious Tyrion. (Tyrion should already been a favorite of the audience. While his accent is shaky at times, Peter Dinklage brings this remarkable and nuanced character to life brilliantly. If he's not already a favorite, he soon will be.)

But this is an episode that's largely full of set up for the plots to come, as Ned is offered the position of Hand to the King to his childhood friend Robert; Catelyn learns that her sister Lysa believes the last Hand, her husband Jon Arryn, to have been murdered by the Lannisters; Dany is wed to Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo; and little Bran is pushed out of a window after learning of the secret of the Lannister siblings: Cersei and Jaime are not just twins, but lovers as well. There's a lot of information to process, but I think the writers do a superb job at keeping the pacing moving, even as we're introduced to a myriad of plots and characters, meeting the major players from House Stark, House Baratheon, House Lannister, and House Targaryen. There's a lot to keep straight here, but it's also not being spoon-fed to the audience; it's refreshing in this day and age to see a production that doesn't denigrate the intelligence of the audience but instead plays up to it.

There's an aura of dread and of transformation at play here, as the King arrives in Winterfell and alters the fabric of the Starks' lives. Will Ned accept and move his family south? Will Cersei and Jaime's need for secrecy cause the death of wee Bran Stark? Will Catelyn heed her sister's warning? The game of thrones is just beginning once more and the players are already getting into position. Even as the court intrigues reach Winterfell, across the Narrow Sea, the two remaining members of the old dynasty, the Targaryen clan, are making preparations to reclaim their throne from the Usurper, Robert Baratheon.

Viserys sells his sister Daenerys to the Dothraki, making her a queen--or khalessi--in exchange for a Dothraki horde to reclaim his crown. A pawn in the quest for kingly conquering, Dany is a girl thrust into womanhood, a bride forcefully taken, a gift of beauty in exchange for warriors. Her innocence is in deep contrast to Viserys' brutality; his line about letting all of Drogo's warriors and their horses having her if it meant him getting what he wants was shocking and terrifying. Pale-haired siblings with nothing to lose and everything to gain, exiled royalty desperate to return home, wherever that might be.

Adaptation is always difficult and when you have a book as deep and dense as Martin's "A Game of Thrones" to work with, there are always going to be things that don't make it into the picture, due in part to the internal nature of Martin's work. By having a different character narrate each chapter, we're given the chance to view this story from the vantage point of third-person omniscient narration, allowing the reader to learn the backstory, the inner-most thoughts and desires of the character in question. Television is a vastly different medium and that's not an option for the writer here. (Trust me: we don't want to see voiceover.)

Which means that certain elements are going to be left off of the page and the screen, as it were. Characters will have to be composited or eliminated altogether, and plots may have to be rejiggered. Still, with the series opener, Benioff and Weiss deliver a staggeringly faithful adaptation of Martin's novel, and if the cliffhanger ending ("The things I do for love") wasn't enough to pique your interest, I don't know what is. What follows over the course of the next few episodes is gripping stuff: human-level fantasy that skimps on sorcery for magic of a different kind: making you care for a world that's vastly different to our own, yet in some ways hauntingly similar and to feel a sense of kinship to characters who are as humbly flawed as you or I. This is humanistic fantasy, a world of moral greys and hard choices.

That said, the only real complaint I had with the first episode was the fact that I didn't think the emotional rapport between the Stark children and the direwolves was sufficiently developed. We get the sense that they're cuddly and cute and Bran's direwolf, Summer, moans nervously as his master climbs the wall, but I wanted to see more of an actual rapport between child and animal. To go back to the tableau established at the beginning of this post, these Starks were meant to have these creatures by their sides, as Jon Snow suggests. Which supposes some sort of divine intervention or fate. If that's true, I wanted to feel that there was an unbreakable bond between Stark and wolf, but our exposure to the animals is limited to the scene in the woods and two shots of Bran's wolf, now older. Without giving anything away, I will say that the direwolves are key to the plot and the overall narrative and the lack of rapport here was the one thing that I felt was lacking from an otherwise stellar series opener.

Still, it's a minor complaint amid a production that virtually did everything else right. The tension established by the prologue, occurring on the other side of the vast Wall, creates a ribbon of unease unfurling just underneath the surface. What does it mean for Winterfell and the world? What happened in those woods? What are the white walkers and why does it frighten Will so much that he deserts his post as one of the Night's Watch? Was he mad or is a terrifying omen of something far worse to come? For now, it's far from the goings-on at Winterfell, where matters both politic and personal rule supreme. But there's the sense that the walls as they were are closing in from all directions: something evil stalks the woods while across the sea an old enemy threatens the peace of the Seven Kingdoms once more. That is, if they're not destroyed from within first...

Now that the wait is over and the first episode has aired, I'm curious to know what you thought of the series opener. Did it grab your attention? Were you confused by the panoply of characters or the separate narratives? Were you shocked by the ending of the episode as Bran was pushed from the tower? And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week?

Next week on Game of Thrones ("The Kingsroad"), Branʼs fate remains in doubt; Ned leaves the north with daughters Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn stays behind to tend to Bran; Jon Snow heads north to join the brotherhood of the Nightʼs Watch; Tyrion decides to forego the trip south with his family, instead joining Jon in the entourage heading to the Wall; Viserys bides his time in hopes of winning back the throne, while Daenerys attempts to learn how to please her new husband, Drogo.

Tune-in Reminder: Game of Thrones Starts on Sunday!

Looking for all of our coverage of HBO's Game of Thrones in one place? Look no further.

At The Daily Beast's Newsmaker page for Game of Thrones, you find all of our collected coverage of Game of Thrones, including: Game of Thrones for Dummies, my in-depth glossary and character gallery for the uninitiated; George R.R. Martin's two Curator features, in which he picks Top 10 Fantasy Films and Top 10 Science Fiction Films; my initial preview feature; my behind the scenes feature, 10 Secrets From HBO's Game of Thrones, and much more.

Finally, my advance review of the first six episodes of Game of Thrones can be found here.

Game of Thrones begins Sunday at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: "Game of Thrones for Dummies"

Attention, Game of Thrones uninitiated: you've come to the right place.

HBO's new fantasy series Game of Thrones creates a massive world with its own jargon and a ton of characters. Over at The Daily Beast, check out my latest feature, "Game of Thrones for Dummies," (I didn't pick the hed!) in which I break down the objects, people, places, and curiosities of Westeros and beyond in a Game of Thrones glossary for those who don't know who the hell the Kingslayer is, what in God's name a wilding is, or why they keep saying "Winter is coming."

Plus, there's also an embedded character gallery accessible here, which breaks down 20 of the major characters of Game of Thrones into easily digestible profiles, with character descriptions, likes/dislikes, weapons, family relations and more... including quotes from Emilia Clarke (Daenerys), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), and Kit Harington (Jon Snow).

And don't worry, those of you who are newly emigrated to Westeros, there are no spoilers within.

Game of Thrones airs Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: "Game of Thrones Author George R.R. Martin's Top 10 Fantasy Films"

Game of Thrones, HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's first book in his bestselling series A Song of Ice and Fire, premieres April 17th on HBO.

In anticipation, Martin curates his 10 favorite fantasy films of all time, from Ladyhawke and Raiders of the Lost Arc to the Lord of the Rings trilogy at The Daily Beast.

For Martin's previous Curator feature of his favorite science-fiction films, read this. For my interview with Martin; the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; and Sue Naegle, the entertainment president of HBO, read this feature. Fans of the books should also read "10 Secrets of HBO's Game of Thrones," to find out about casting direwolves, forging the Iron Throne, creating the Dothraki language, and many other behind-the-scenes details. And you can read my review of the first six episodes of Game of Thrones here. (Minor spoilers, only.)

Did your favorite make the list? What's your take on GRRM's favorite science fiction films? Head to the comments section to discuss and debate.

Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: "Game of Thrones: 10 Secrets About HBO's Adaptation"

Fans of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," adapted by HBO as Game of Thrones, already know the novels inside and out. I go behind the scenes to offer 10 secrets from the HBO drama, launching April 17.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature (which is for the die-hard fans of the novels as well as those looking for some behind-the-scenes details about the HBO production), entitled "Game of Thrones: 10 Secrets About HBO's Adaptation," in which I speak to George R.R. Martin, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Dothraki language developer David Peterson (and get an exclusive translation of a key phrase), weapons master Tommy Dunne, set designer Gemma Jackson, head animal trainer Jim Warren, HBO entertainment president Sue Naegle, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, set decorator Richard Roberts, and supervising prop maker Gavin Jones.

Among the topics discussed: Martin's unseen cameo from the original pilot, the crystal blade that the White Walkers use, the Dothraki language, Castle Black and The Wall, food, the direwolves, the Iron Throne, splitting up "A Storm of Swords" into two seasons, where Martin is on Book Five ("A Dance with Dragons"), and what Season Two of Game of Thrones could hold (including which characters the guys are most excited to tackle), and much more...

Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: "Game of Thrones Comes to HBO"

HBO is about to unveil an ambitious adaptation of George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel Game of Thrones, the first book in a seven-novel series entitled "A Song of Ice and Fire."

Over at The Daily Beast, it's the first of two Game of Thrones-centric features today, this one a broad overview of the series and intended to be hugely accessible for newbies to the series who haven't read the books. (There are no real spoilers within, though I do explain why you need to be watching.)

In my latest feature, entitled "Game of Thrones Comes to HBO," I speak to George R.R. Martin; the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; and Sue Naegle, the entertainment president of HBO, about the ruthlessly addictive show.

Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Where Wolves Prey: An Advance Review of HBO's Unforgettable Game of Thrones

There are few new series as widely anticipated or as closely watched as that of HBO's gorgeous and gripping Game of Thrones, which premieres later this month amid a flurry of promotion, from food trucks and sneak peeks to skyscraper-sized billboards in major cities.

Winter is coming, it seems, and just in the nick of time.

Based on the novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones arrives with its brutality and vision very much intact. Adapted by executive producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss, this is a staggering adaptation of a monumental literary achievement, a densely-plotted fusion of fantasy and potboiler political thriller with a deeply cinematic scope.

For those unfamiliar with the underlying material, Game of Thrones revolves around the power games enacted by a group of lords and ladies in a feudal society that's vaguely reminiscent of our own Dark Ages. But in this world, where seven kingdoms are uneasily bound together into an alliance under the Iron Throne, magic once ruled supreme, but has long died out of the land. In the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, summer can last a decade, but the threat of winter looms forever over the action, bringing with it darkness and ice and potentially years of snow. But, despite the brutality of the daily existence, there are those who would plot for their own amusement, engaging in power games in an effort to seize control of the Iron Thrones. Kings are killed, rulers deposed, eunuchs scheme, and lovers risk everything for a bigger piece of power.

Fans of Martin's novels (I count myself among their vast number) are understandably obsessed with the books, which unfold at a relentless pace and feature hundreds of characters and enough sex and violence to last a lifetime. Any concern fans may have had about the HBO adaptation should be allayed within the first few minutes of viewing. (HBO offered the first fifteen or so minutes of the pilot episode last night.) The care with which Benioff and Weiss have taken to painstakingly err as closely to the original text as possible is seen in every aspect of this highly ambitious production.

The first six episodes of Game of Thrones, provided to press in advance, are insanely fantastic, a groundbreaking work of television that's both visually engaging and thematically insightful. This is high fantasy done right, offering a wild and unrelenting plot about the games people play, the thirst for power, the ends men (and women) are willing to go in fulfillment of their own desires, and the things that we do for love. These six installments represent a crowning achievement for serialized television, its taut narrative the launchpad for dynamic conflict, copious bloodshed, and, yes, even a reflection of the mercenary times we live in.

There's a sense of doom hovering over the narrative here, the threat of winter and of darker things on the other side of the 700-foot wall between civilized society and the wild forest creeping ever closer. The opening sequence--which depicts a group of rangers from the Night's Watch searching for a group of "wildings" on the other side of the Wall--is overflowing with tension and horror.

But this isn't a production that coasts by on the small scenes of terror; it has within its bones an epic quality that is seen in the gorgeous credit sequence, which depicts a vast and three-dimensional map of Westeros (and soars across the Narrow Sea to Pentos and the Dothraki sea) in order to give the viewer a sense of space and location. Soaring over Westeros, we're given a raven's eye view of the world of Martin's books, as we see cities and citadels spring to life before our eyes, gears twisting and transforming to show us towers, walls, turrets, and minarets within this spellbinding sequence.

What's inherent within these episodes is an underlying love for Martin's work. There are, of course, some changes. It would be impossible to bring "A Song of Ice and Fire" to the screen exactly as Martin had written it. Any act of adapting a literary work comes with inherent challenges, but the alterations here aren't haphazard but warranted in order to translate Martin's weighty tome into a production that works for the small screen.

But don't let the small screen designation fool you: this is a colossal production that vividly brings Westeros and Essos to life, thanks to dazzling direction (notably of Tim Van Patten for the early episodes), taut writing, fantastic acting, and the high production values enacted by the various departments which have worked seamlessly to bring Martin's vision to television. Nothing on this expensive series is done on the cheap: the costumes, the weapons, the props, the sets, everything writ large.

For those of you who have read the books, I don't need to delve into the plot too deeply. For those who haven't, I don't want to spoil too much about the narrative that will unfold over the first six episodes. However, a few headlines: much of the action revolves around the Starks of Winterfell, a Northern clan whose roots connect them to the First Men, to the gods of old, and to the harsh reality of nature and society. When Jon Arryn, the Hand to the King, dies suddenly, it's Ned Stark (Sean Bean) who is visited by King Robert (Mark Addy) and his retinue with an invitation to replace the man who raised him, to sit beside the king and act as his right hand. While it's an offer that comes with a heavy price, one felt keenly by Ned's wife Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), Ned can't refuse his brother-in-arms. A feast at Winterfell brings the King's wife, the steely Queen Cersei (Lena Headey), her brothers--golden knight Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and their stunted younger brother Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), who must suffer the undignified sobriquet, "The Imp"--and Cersei's children, arrogant Prince Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), sweet Myrcella (Aimee Richardson), and adorable Tommen (Callum Wharry).

The Starks are about to be split up, should Ned accept the King's offer and become his Hand, taking some of them to the south and the luxuries of King's Landing. Ned's children--five trueborn sons and daughters and one bastard son--are the lights of his life but duty beckons with a crooked finger. However, there are signs and omens that life in Westeros is about to change. A stag is killed by a direwolf, the sigil of House Stark, and the huge wolf (whose like hasn't been seen this side of the Wall in quite a long time) died with pups in her belly. When Ned's bastard Jon Snow (Kit Harington) suggests that it's a sign--five wolf cubs for the five Stark children--Ned gruffly allows his children to adopt them... just before Jon finds the white runt of the litter, separate and alone, echoing his own place in the Stark household.

It's an atmospheric beginning to a series that revolves around suspicion, manipulation, and mistrust. Everyone here has their own agenda, playing their own game of thrones, even as they remain oblivious to the true danger that awaits them. And, across the Narrow Sea, the last members of the vanquished Targaryen dynasty (Emilia Clarke and Harry Lloyd) plot their own return to Westeros to reclaim the throne that is rightfully theirs. An alliance between teenage princess Daenerys (Clarke) and a Dothraki khal (Jason Momoa) could sound the end of the peace of Westeros, though the tenuous unity of those Seven Kingdoms could be undone from within...

(Aside: I'm curious to see how easy it is for non-readers to keep track of the characters and backstories here, which are launched fast and furious at the viewer. My wife, who had seen the original pilot last year with me and has never read the books, didn't seem to have too much difficulty keeping track of who was who, etc., but I'll be interested to see whether that holds true for all newbies.)

The actors selected here are at the top of their games, each perfectly cast for the role they're playing. Bean's Ned Stark is quietly powerful, a true lord of the North in looks and action; Fairley's Catelyn all sinewy tension and determined strength. Dinklage is the only actor who could being the cunning Tyrion to life: he's short of stature but a giant in his own right. Headey and Coster-Waldau are superb as twins Cersei and Jaime Lannister; Addy roars magnificently as the bawdy and brutal King Robert; Aiden Gillen is divine as the Machiavellian Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish; Clarke and Lloyd soar high as Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen, the last of the blood of the dragon. Clarke delivers a stirring performance as Dany, transforming herself over the course of the six episodes from a victim into a powerful woman fulfilling the legacy of her forebears.

I'd list every single actor here (they're all amazing), but special praise has to go to the young actors cast as the Stark children, given the difficulty of the roles they have to tackle here. Isaac Hempstead-Wright delivers a jaw-dropping performance as fan-favorite Bran; Maisie Williams is fantastic as little Arya, so suited to her nickname of "Arya Underfoot," all tomboy pout and weapons proficient. (The water dance scene in the third episode brought tears to my eyes.) Sophie Turner brings an elegant glamor to her role as eldest daughter Sansa, Richard Madden a fierce undercurrent of strength to Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell. Harington's Jon Snow is the role he was born to play: angry, isolated, and desperate to find his place in the world, he's dark and dour but hugely sympathetic. Alfie Allen maintains just the right combination of poise, pomposity, and ego suited for the Stark's ward Theon Greyjoy. The Starks are arguably the heart and soul of "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the actors here are supremely capable of transforming these characters from words on a page (or a few thousand pages) into reality. Their performances are gripping, heartbreaking, and hugely memorable.

What follows is a story of sellswords and slaves, princes and paupers, brave knights and craven conspirators, each vying for control of a throne that can cut you even as you sit upon it. Danger lurks around every corner and in the heart of everyone with something to gain... or something to lose. In Game of Thrones, HBO fuses together the very best of Lord of the Rings, The Sopranos, The Wire, and Rome into one sumptuous and seductive series that is utterly unforgettable.

Last week, I sped hungrily through the six episodes of Game of Thrones HBO sent out ("A Golden Crown," the sixth episode, might be my absolute favorite of the bunch), but I'm anxious to watch them again and again, to fall once more under their spell, to get caught up in the deft plotting and lose myself in the staggering and beautifully realized world that the production team has brought to life. This is the type of series that comes around but once in a lifetime, a groundbreaking and absorbing drama that is utterly unlike anything else on television today.

Miss this impressive and stirring drama at your own peril.

Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17 at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Watch the First 15 Minutes of HBO's Game of Thrones... Right Here

Missed last night's preview of Game of Thrones, premiering later this month on HBO?

Fret not, as you can catch the first few minutes of the amazing pilot episode--written by David Benioff and Dan Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, below.

I'm curious to know: What do you think of the footage shown? Does it match up to your expectations and your imagination of George R.R. Martin's epic novel series? Did it set the stage for the epic story to follow?

And, most importantly, will you be tuning in on April 17th?



Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17 at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: Game of Thrones Author George R.R. Martin Curates His All-Time Best Science Fiction Films

Game of Thrones, HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s first book in his bestselling series "A Song of Ice and Fire," premieres April 17th—and the network is showing the first 15 minutes of the first episode this Sunday.

In anticipation, Martin curates his 10 favorite science-fiction films, from The Road Warrior to Blade Runner at The Daily Beast. (And be sure to check back next week, when Martin curates his favorite fantasy films in Part Two of this two-part feature.)

Did your favorite make the list? What's your take on GRRM's favorite science fiction films? Head to the comments section to discuss and debate.

Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

The Daily Beast: "15 Reasons to Watch TV This Spring"

Yes, spring is finally here (or thereabouts, anyway), and that brings warmer weather and, very fortunately, a slew of new and returning television series.

Over at The Daily Beast, you can check out my latest feature, "15 Reasons to Watch TV This Spring," which includes a look at such series as Mildred Pierce, Game of Thrones, The Borgias, The Kennedys, Camelot, The Killing, Body of Proof, Upstairs Downstairs, and returning series such as Nurse Jackie, The United States of Tara, Treme, Doctor Who, Top Chef: Masters, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and the NBC premiere of the final season of Friday Night Lights.

What are you most excited about that arrives on the airwaves between now and May? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Game of Thrones Poster Revealed: You Win or You Die

HBO has today unveiled the official poster for its upcoming launch of Game of Thrones, kicking off Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT.

Depicting Ned Stark (Sean Bean) on the Iron Throne, it's a stark (heh) use of imagery that highlights the violent nature of the show's plot and the war that threatens to overtake the land of Westeros. When men play at the game of thrones, who will win and who will pay the heaviest price?

The poster's tagline? "You Win Or You Die." Fitting, no?

You can check out a larger version of the poster below...



Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th on HBO.

Winter is Coming (Or At Least 15 Minutes of It): HBO Announces 15-Minute Teaser for Game of Thrones Airing April 3rd

Winter is coming a little earlier than expected...

HBO will give Game of Thrones fans a chance to catch 15-minutes of the April 17th series premiere a few weeks early, with a one-time airing on April 3rd at 9 pm ET/PT.

The 15-minute teaser, or "exclusive preview" in HBO parlance, will air on HBO's linear channel just once, before it's made available the following day on HBO.com, HBO on Demand, and via the premium cable channel's subscriber-only online service, HBO Go.

The series itself, meanwhile, is slated to kick off its ten-episode season on Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT.

The full press release from HBO can be found below.

HBO PRESENTS 15-MINUTE GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW APRIL 3


HBO will present – for the first time – a sneak peek of the first 15 minutes of the first episode of a new series when GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW debuts SUNDAY, APRIL 3 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Following this one-time-only play, GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW will be available immediately on hbo.com and HBO Go, and will be available on HBO On Demand beginning Monday, April 4.

The HBO presentation of GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW will be followed by the debut of Part Three of the HBO Miniseries presentation MILDRED PIERCE at 9:15 p.m. (ET/PT).

Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, the fantasy series GAME OF THRONES chronicles an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom. The ensemble cast includes Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Kit Harington and Aidan Gillen. The show was shot at the Paint Hall Studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as well as at various locations in Northern Ireland and Malta.

GAME OF THRONES launches its ten-episode season SUNDAY, APRIL 17, exclusively on HBO.
GAME OF THRONES was created by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss; executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger.

Directors include Brian Kirk, Daniel Minahan, Alan Taylor and Tim Van Patten; writers include David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson and George R.R. Martin.