Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.
Of a consistently great first season, "Baelor" is a strong contender for the best episode (certainly the best one up to that point) and one of the best episodes of 'Game of Thrones'. It was the most critically acclaimed episode up to this early nine-episode point of the show, and for good reason. As well as being as always superbly made, "Baelor" is also an emotional roller-coaster in a way that the previous episodes weren't as much (not that they weren't at all, on the contrary, just not to this extent).
"Baelor" is one of the show's richest in characterisation, story and themes and executes it in a way that's tightly paced, dramatically concise, never exposition-heavy, never rambling and not feeling too busy or bloated. Pieces of exposition here, like Tyrion's tent scene, are done tastefully and serve a point instead of being padding, giving great and interesting a chance to shine.
Visually, "Baelor" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well. The final shot has a powerful haunting quality.
One cannot talk about "Baelor" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. As well as being one of the most thematically rich ones of Season 1, the story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
The best scene, and the most acclaimed one, is the ballsy conclusion, which is both frightening and heart-wrenching and up there with the greatest and most shocking twists in television. Tyrion's tent scene is entertaining. Alan Taylor provides some of the best direction of the show, adding hugely to the conclusion's impact.
All the characters are wonderfully written and layered, Tyrion for good reason is a favourite among fans and critics, while Ned epitomises morally complex nobility and Joffrey is like the devil incarnate in a young body, it is scary at how a character so young could be so evil. The introduction of the Freys is very well handled here. The acting is superb all round, standouts being Sean Bean, Jack Gleeson, Emilia Clarke, Maisie Williams and Peter Dinklage.
In short, amazing episode that shocked and devastated me. 10/10 Bethany Cox
