Shoot an arrow over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the medieval epic GAME OF THRONES in advance of its long-awaited premiere (tonight on HBO, tomorrow on Sky Atlantic.) Beheading! Archery! Marriage! Incest!
Adapted from author George R.R Martin's admired opus "A Song Of Ice And Fire", Game Of Thrones has been eagerly anticipated by bookworms and enthusiasts of medieval fantasy since HBO first announced its development. Jokingly described as "The Sopranos in Middle-earth" by David Benioff, who's adapted this franchise alongside Dan Weiss, it's become one of 2011's TV crown jewels, although I remain suspicious the majority of its audience expect something overtly fantastical, which may cause disappointment if you're after a smallscreen Lord Of The Rings.
I haven't read Martin's novels, which puts me at a disadvantage when it comes to promptly understanding the universe presented, but Game Of Thrones shouldn't require knowledge of the source material if it's going to work as a television series, first and foremost. The show doesn't make many concessions to newcomers (beyond opening titles that sweep over an animated map of Westeros), and instead decides to drop you into this world and hope you'll want to keep up. I believe HBO have been offering televised primers, which helps -- but they're not something everyone will have access to, or even want to indulge in. The storytelling gamble kind of works, partly because modern audiences are accustomed to dealing with imagined universes at the cinema, and exercising patience with TV dramas like The Wire. But it's still true that after this first episode only a few characters have left an impression, only a few character's names can be recalled (a common problem with the fantasy genre), and it's not even clear what the overall story of Thrones actually is. Continue reading...
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