Game of Thrones (2011– )

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros.

Creators:

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

Stars:

Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Michelle Fairley

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 32 wins & 73 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Peter Dinklage	...	Tyrion Lannister (29 episodes, 2011-2013)
Lena Headey	...	Cersei Lannister (26 episodes, 2011-2013)
Michelle Fairley	...	Catelyn Stark (25 episodes, 2011-2013)
Maisie Williams	...	Arya Stark (25 episodes, 2011-2013)
Emilia Clarke	...	Daenerys Targaryen (23 episodes, 2011-2013)
Sophie Turner	...	Sansa Stark (23 episodes, 2011-2013)
Iain Glen	...	Ser Jorah Mormont (22 episodes, 2011-2013)
Kit Harington	...	Jon Snow (22 episodes, 2011-2013)
Alfie Allen	...	Theon Greyjoy (22 episodes, 2011-2013)
Jack Gleeson	...	Joffrey Baratheon (22 episodes, 2011-2013)
Richard Madden	...	Robb Stark (20 episodes, 2011-2013)
Aidan Gillen	...	Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish (19 episodes, 2011-2013)
Isaac Hempstead Wright	...	Bran Stark (19 episodes, 2011-2013)
Rory McCann	...	Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane (19 episodes, 2011-2013)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	...	Jaime Lannister (18 episodes, 2011-2013)
Charles Dance	...	Tywin Lannister (18 episodes, 2011-2013)
John Bradley	...	Samwell Tarly (17 episodes, 2011-2013)
Conleth Hill	...	Lord Varys (17 episodes, 2011-2013)
Jerome Flynn	...	Bronn (17 episodes, 2011-2013)
Joe Dempsie	...	Gendry (16 episodes, 2011-2013)
Sibel Kekilli	...	Shae (15 episodes, 2011-2013)
Julian Glover	...	Grand Maester Pycelle (15 episodes, 2011-2013)
Mark Stanley	...	Grenn (15 episodes, 2011-2013)
Kristian Nairn	...	Hodor (15 episodes, 2011-2013)
Donald Sumpter	...	Maester Luwin (14 episodes, 2011-2012)
Esmé Bianco	...	Ros (14 episodes, 2011-2013)
Ron Donachie	...	Ser Rodrik Cassel (13 episodes, 2011-2012)
Gwendoline Christie	...	Brienne of Tarth (13 episodes, 2012-2013)
Natalia Tena	...	Osha (13 episodes, 2011-2013)
Amrita Acharia	...	Irri (13 episodes, 2011-2012)
James Cosmo	...	Jeor Mormont (12 episodes, 2011-2013)
Ian McElhinney	...	Barristan Selmy (12 episodes, 2011-2013)
Finn Jones	...	Loras Tyrell (12 episodes, 2011-2013)

Storyline

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Political and sexual intrigue is pervasive. Robert Baratheon, King of Westeros, asks his old friend Eddard, Lord Stark, to serve as Hand of the King, or highest official. Secretly warned that the previous Hand was assassinated, Eddard accepts in order to investigate further. Meanwhile the Queen's family, the Lannisters, may be hatching a plot to take power. Across the sea, the last members of the previous and deposed ruling family, the Targaryens, are also scheming to regain the throne. The friction between the houses Stark, Lannister and Baratheon, and with the remaining great houses Greyjoy, Tully, Arryn, and Tyrell, leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war and political confusion, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.

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Plot Keywords:

king | night watch | intrigue | queen | horse riding | 

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Taglines:

Winter is coming.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Song of Ice and Fire

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), Television 360, Grok! Studio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While most of the show is largely faithful to the books, composite characters do appear. The most prominent is the prostitute Ros, who is a composite of several named (Alayaya, Chataya, Kyra) and unnamed characters from the book series. Another composite character is the Spice King, who appears in Season Two.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Ygritte: You know nothing, Jon Snow.

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Crazy Credits

The opening pictures on the revolving metal rings show part of the history of Westeros. It begins with the conquest of Westeros by Aegon the Conqueror of House Targaryen, followed by Robert's Rebellion (where the Targaryens are deposed), and ending with the crowning of Robert Baratheon as King of the Seven Kingdoms.

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Connections

Referenced in Conan: Das Re-Boot: Revenge of the '80s Movie Reference (2012)

User Reviews

One of the most stunning shows on television

Do not believe any of those negative reviews. I honestly cannot understand why some reviewers have given this such a low rating. I think some people love the sound of their own voice and think their opinion is worth something and will be disagreeable simply for the sake of it.

Having said that, this show is stunning. I have never read the books and now I want to. There is so much crap on TV that is renewed year after year (CSI, House etc.) which uses cheap gags, pointless and sometimes ridiculous plots, unbelievable and many times one dimensional characters and yet all the truly great shows get cancelled.

There is enough brain-dead television. But once in a while a show comes along that transports you to another world and makes you believe in the magic of television again. Game of Thrones is one such show.

It is complex, multi-layered, surreal, vibrant, imaginative and it draws your eye in to the surprising level of detail, from the sweeping vistas, to the narrow dungeons, from the beautiful castles and magnificent trees, to the contrasting landscapes. It is worth watching just for the scenery alone.

Yes the acting seems a little cold and even wooden at times, but this is perfectly in keeping with the medieval look and feel of the show. Yes it is dark and gloomy, but again in keeping with the narrative.

The scripting is intelligent and well delivered by competent acting, led by Sean Bean perfectly cast as Lord Edard. Although Sean Bean is better known for brooding bad guys, he strikes the perfect balance between father, husband and Lord and soldier. He is well supported by other well known actors and many new to the scene.

After watching and sometimes enjoying Camelot, this show makes that one look more like "Merlin" by comparison. And where Camelot lacks in depth and scripting, Game of Thrones strikes the perfect balance between brooding medieval angst and wonderful fantasy story telling.

Even if you have never watched a fantasy show before, you should not miss this.