Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season

Directed by

Alan Taylor
Brian Kirk
Daniel Minahan

U.S. Region 1
Factory Sealed
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Genre: Drama

Plot Outline:

Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; and all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords, and honest men, all will play the Game of Thrones. "Game of Thrones", the first book in author George R.R. Martin's sprawling fantasy saga "A Song of Fire and Ice", serves as the basis for this brawny, lusty series about courtly intrigue and civil war in a sprawling fantasy kingdom. TV and fantasy veteran Sean Bean ("The Lord of the Rings", "Sharpe's Rifles") leads the massive cast as the warrior-noble Eddard Stark, who reluctantly assumes the role as the Hand of the King after the mysterious death of his predecessor. The King, Robert Baratheon, has leadership of the lands of Westeros, a mythical country

Daenerys Targaryen

plagued by severe, decade-long shifts in weather. His rule is challenged by the exiled Prince Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd), who trades his own sister (Emilia Clarke) for the allegiance of the Dothraki, a savage nomadic tribe led by Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa of the 2011 "Conan the Barbarian"). A shocking secret kept hidden by Queen Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey, "300") leads to an upset in the balance of power and, ultimately, a challenge to the House of Stark to bring control to the bloodshed that threatens to overtake Westeros. Fantasy has been a tricky genre for television--the scope required to bring the sweep and imagination to life is usually better suited for the big screen. But "Game of Thrones" neatly sidesteps the issue by virtue of the quality of the production at every level. Though the series is steeped in fantastic elements, from direwolves to dragons, series creators David Benioff (who wrote "Troy" and "The Kite Runner", among others) and author D.B. Weiss ("Lucky Wander Boy") have rooted the drama in the emotional landscape of its characters, which brings the end result closer to Benioff's humorous description of the show as ""The Sopranos" in Middle-Earth." Intricate plotting and direction with an eye for realism by a host of HBO veterans, including Tim Van Patten, Alan Taylor, and Daniel Minahan, underscores that notion, as does its stellar cast, which includes Mark Addy as Headey's husband, King Robert, Iain Glen as the faithful knight Ser Jorah Mormont, and Aiden Gillen ("The Wire") as Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. However, the proceedings are handily won by Peter Dinklage's Emmy-nominated turn as the cunning Tyrion, whose intellect is constantly disregarded due to his size. Of course, viewers can also tune in to simply enjoy the more visceral elements of "Game of Thrones", which features quite a bit of medieval-style carnage, as well as an at-times unnecessary level of nudity, which feels like a network decision based on the amount of flesh on display in their other successful shows. Regardless, "Game of Thrones" is an entirely addictive experience for both fantasy and drama fans alike throughout its debut 10 episodes, all of which are featured on this multi-disc set. "/div>

Rating: NR

Cast Summary:

	Lena Headey		Cersei Lannister
	Harry Lloyd		Viserys Targanyen
	Mark Addy		King Robert
	Jack Gleeson		Joffrey Baratheon
	Sean Bean		Eddard Stark
	Michelle Fairley		Catelyn Stark
	Emilia Clarke		Daenerys Targaryen
	Iain Glen		Ser Jorah Mormont
	Sophie Turner		Sansa Stark
	Maisie Williams		Arya Stark
	Alfie Allen		Theon Greyjoy
	Peter Dinklage		Tyrion Lannister
	Richard Madden		Robb Stark
	Nikolaj Coster-Waldau		Jaime Lannister
	Aidan Gillen		Petyr Baelish
	Kit Harington		Jon Snow
	Ron Donachie		Ser Rodrik Cassel

Studio: HBO Studios

DVD Release Date: 2012-03-06

Runtime: 561 mins.

Country: USA

Language: English Spanish

Subtitles: English French Korean Spanish Portuguese Chinese Thai

Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada)

Format: AC-3 � Box set � Color � Dolby � Dubbed � DVD � NTSC � Subtitled � Widescreen �

Number of discs: 5

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Comment:
� � �Few shows have been more eagerly awaited than the arrival of HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's masterful and massive epic "Game of Thrones" (the first in a series). As the books have progressed, however, faithful followers have cried foul as promises have yet to be delivered. But no matter where you stand in that controversy, there is little debate to the majesty and quality of the novel "Thrones"--an almost instant classic in the adult fantasy genre. Multi-layered and ambitious, this sprawling tale charts a powerful story of intrigue, political machinations, and violence amidst the brutal landscape of a nation divided. It is not a production you could approach half-heartedly. To do justice to the novel's intricacies required a massive cast, extensive period sets and costumes, lavish effects and a focused and intelligent screenplay. Well, creators David Benioff (a top notch novelist himself--check out City of Thieves) and D.B. Weiss were up to the challenge and the astute HBO has once again backed a winner. Make no mistake, this is no cheesy kid's story--this is dark and relentless entertainment for people who enjoy quality programming.

AAt the heart of "Game of Thrones" is the Stark family. Living in relative isolation, patriarch Sean Bean is called

Tyrion Lannister

to assist the King when a vacancy opens up due to suspect causes. Suspicions have fallen on the King's wife (Lena Headley) and her twin brother (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and there may be further nefarious acts in store for His Royal Highness. When the Stark's young son witnesses something he should not have, a violent act that will have long range repercussions occurs. This, however, is just the jumping off point for a tale with numerous dimensions. There are the exiled Targaryen siblings, a brother and sister who have a claim to the throne and hope to retake the power seat by aligning with a barbaric and powerful tribe of warriors. Bean's illegitimate son figures prominently as well, as a guardian on The Wall preparing for imminent danger. There are so many other peripheral characters and story lines, it would be impossible to delineate them all concisely. There are assassination plots, vigilante justice, court intrigue, various sexual escapades, vicious barbarism, unseen monstrosities, plenty of wolves, family drama, and a dragon egg or two.

Through it all, there is a recurrent theme that "Winter is Coming"--a threat that

Joffrey Baratheon

poses a menace and a danger that may be unavoidable. This show is not for the faint of heart, and should only be considered for age appropriate audiences. As an HBO production, the screenplay doesn't shy away from the gritty violence that this time period and life style would necessitate. I, for one, appreciate the authentic feel to the drama. This show is also not for the casual viewer. It unfolds at its own pace, much like a good novel. It requires both patience and attention to really appreciate just how sophisticated and complex this tale is. It is a grown-up and smart piece!br>
The show looks absolutely fantastic. Technical aspects of the production are as good, or better, than any comparable feature film. The cast is also uniformly excellent. It would be impossible, again, to highlight everyone in the cast that deserves a special mention--so I'll limit my accolades to Peter Dinklage. As Tyrion Lannister (the black sheep brother of Headley and Coster-Waldau), Dinklage steals just about every scene that he is in. Funny, sardonic, and wise--this Imp (as he's called) has a terrific knack of putting things into perspective. Dinklage has had many great roles in his life--but this is a performance of true star wattage. Don't be surprised to see him invited to the Emmy race for Best Supporting Actor! He is one of the best things in this great presentation. I truly admire and recommend "Game of Thrones" because it never panders. It requires your active participation in the narrative to fully appreciate how well constructed it is--and any show that treats me as an intelligent human being deserves recognition in this age of formulaic TV. Watch it--and read the books (Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings especially are monumental)!

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