Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Peter Dinklage | ... | Tyrion Lannister | |
Lena Headey | ... | Cersei Lannister | |
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau | ... | Jaime Lannister | |
Michelle Fairley | ... | Catelyn Stark | |
Emilia Clarke | ... | Daenerys Targaryen | |
Aidan Gillen | ... | Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish | |
Iain Glen | ... | Jorah Mormont | |
Kit Harington | ... | Jon Snow | |
Liam Cunningham | ... | Davos Seaworth | |
Isaac Hempstead Wright | ... | Bran Stark | |
Richard Madden | ... | Robb Stark | |
Sophie Turner | ... | Sansa Stark | |
Maisie Williams | ... | Arya Stark | |
Alfie Allen | ... | Theon Greyjoy | |
John Bradley | ... | Samwell Tarly |
Winter is coming as the Night Watch go to meet the threat north of the Wall, the standoff between the Stark and the Lannisters boils with new rumors of King Joffrey's birthright and the rise of the Baratheon brothers in the warfare. All the while Dany leads her band of broken things through the dead lands barely hanging on. Trust...Joffrey will do whatever it takes to keep his crown. Written by O-Neg
After director Timothy Van Patten introduced us to this epic series with the two captivating initial episodes, episodes 3-8 were engaging but slightly less convincing. Timothy Van Patten is an HBO veteran since "Sex and the City" and from "Sopranos" and "The Pacific" fame and was the right choice fine-tuning the take on this seductive and succulent source material. Having tackled two episodes of the perfect pitch period piece "Rome" and giving directorial birth to "Game of Thrones" he is now largely involved in "Boardwalk Empire", the other current HBO blockbuster and critically-acclaimed show.
Alan Taylor, also involved in "Sex and the City", "Sopranos" and "Boardwalk Empire" too some lesser degree, worked on my all-time favourite series "Six Feet Under" and also on remarkable and more relevant "Rome". He arrives for Episodes 9 and 10 of season 1 of "Game of Thrones" and ups the game in almost all levels of storytelling. Now in season two he is in charge of the first two episodes including this one who is the best episode this series has seen thus far. Watching episode 3 of this second season, it became apparent that the show is not the same without Alan Taylor! Thankfully he directs two other episodes I have yet to see, later in this season. However, he is not slated to direct in season 3 as he is now involved with a Marvel feature film for Thor...
All that said, this "The North Remembers" episode is to be remembered. From the beginning with King Joffrey's birthday celebration and sadistic humour interrupted by submissive Sansa Stark and new appointed Hand uncle Tyrion Lannister with a crisp arrival to King's Landing to the final murderous scenes, including brutal infanticide, that end the episode, every shot, dialogue and the specific and overall tones are on point. This is a strong episode on its own and also perfect resolution of last season's remaining questions as well as setting up the story lines for a potential exciting season 2. The next episode "The Night Lands" is also top notch, so here hoping other directors will follow Alan Taylor's lead and elevate the series with better scenes, acting, tension and pace.