Game of Thrones
Season Two, Episode 5 – The Ghost of Harrenhal
Directed by: David Petrarca
Written by: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Carice van Houten, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright

Now things are getting interesting.

“The Ghost of Harrenhal” is an arbitrarily important episode of Game of Thrones for several reasons. First, this fifth episode of Season 2 marks the halfway point in the season. Second, and more importantly, this is the episode (much like last week’s) continues some much needed plot advancement in a truly compelling manner by presenting each of our major players with a unique strategic advantage or ally.

Game of Thrones
Season Two, Episode 4 – Garden of Bones
Directed by: David Petrarca
Written by: Vanessa Taylor
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Carice van Houten, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright

Before I sat down to watch “Garden of Bones,” I knew that Game of Thrones really needed to kick into gear with this episode. As great as the past episodes have been, I’m tried of plot building and I’m more than ready to see some of the various plots come together with real consequence.

I was not disappointed.

With a title like “Garden of Bones,” I wasn’t expecting to see very much in terms of happiness, but this week’s episode ratcheted up the intensity of the conflict, while finally moving the plot forward in many ways.

Game of Thrones
Season Two, Episode 3 – What Is Dead May Never Die
Directed by: Alik Sakharov
Written by: Bryan Cogman
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Carice van Houten, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright

Part of the episodic structure of Game of Thrones, for good or for bad, is that the show is a direct one-to-one adaptation of the book series. Having not read the books, I don’t know how faithful the adaptation is, but George R. R. Martin’s structure doesn’t often lend itself to having individual episode themes; instead, the show looks to playing out the larger themes of the series over the course of the season.

This isn’t a bad way of storytelling, in fact, it’s one that Game of Thrones has very well mastered.

Power and who wields this power has been a topic of much discussion for many of our characters this season and this week’s episode, “What Is Dead May Never Die,” continues this concept, but also plays with the assumption and illusion of who really, truly has power.

Game of Thrones
Season Two, Episode 2 – The Night Lands
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Written by: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Carice van Houten, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright.

Game of Thrones continues some world building in order to set the stage for what’s to come in the week’s ahead, but how does it compare to last week’s outstanding season two premiere? Found out after the break.

One of the things that Game of Thrones does so well is the ability to handle multiple plots without wasting a single character or moment in order to accomplish great storytelling that gets me engaged in each character introduced. I think a lesser show wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of juggling that’s needed for this series, and that’s why the show has been a master class in character development. Each character featured throughout the episode has at least one, if not more, important moment that not only reinforces, but advances their plot and their character.

Game of Thrones
Season Two, Episode 1 – The North Remembers
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Written by: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Carice van Houten, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright

After an outstanding first season, Game of Thrones roared back to life last night with the Season Two premiere, “The North Remembers.” Below, we’ve got your full spoiler-free review.

Doom has come to Westeros.

Throughout the course of “The North Remembers,” there is a feeling of persistent fear and danger. Since the opening shots of the series premiere, this world has been on the brink of many things, but the season two premiere escalates these feelings even more. I think that few shows truly handle the concept of fear and what it can mean for characters in the show, but Game of Thrones proved that no character is safe from whatever uncertain danger lies ahead and the season two premiere looks to continue this trend. No one is safe and anything can happen and many of our characters are still dealing with the fallout from past episodes.