Tonight's finale ended with the promise of a second season next spring.
“You might murder off a minor character but you’re not going to kill Tony Soprano.”
– “Game of Thrones” showrunner David Benioff
“It was a big 'Holy shit!' for me.”
- “Game of Thrones” showrunner D.B. Weiss, on reading of Ned's execution in the George R.R. Martin novel
I fell hard for last week’s now-famous episode, “Baelor,” in its first 10 minutes, with the introduction of Lord Walder Frey, the wily, wealthy, vulgar and resentful ruler of a tract of land Team Stark needed very much to utilize, however briefly. “I don’t need reasons,” Frey explained to Catelyn Tully Stark. “I need to get rid of sons and daughters; you see how they pile up!”
Equally amusing was Robb Stark’s tentative, apprehensive request for intel regarding Walder’s daughters – and Lady Stark’s response.
Not long after we got perhaps the trickiest scene of 42-year-old Peter Dinklage’s career, as he charmed his latest sexing wench with a game of truth or dare. (Though Dinklage’s best line of the night may have occurred later in the episode, as he looked upon his charges savaging the beaten enemy. Was “Nice to see them getting along” from the book?)
“Thrones” seems to pile up great characters like Lord Walder; this extraordinary HBO series reminds of “West Wing” in this regard. “Wing’s” regulars were plenty engaging, but Aaron Sorkin fell into the habit of upstaging them with even more entertaining passers-through like Lord John Malbury and Amy Gardner.
And it occurs to me of late that the Dothraki look, dress and behave a lot like 1960s Klingons.
Last week some of the Stark children were given matrimonial assignments, the half-man didn’t quite lead the wildlings into battle, Jon Snow learned Daenerys is not the only Targaryen lurking about, Jonah Mormont donned some armor, Robb Stark declined Jamie Lannister’s invitation and Queen Cercei looked on in shock as her teenage king failed to stick to script.
So now Ned Stark joins Robert Baratheon among the series’ former characters.
HBO says of the first season finale, “Fire And Blood”:
A new king rises in the north; a Khaleesi finds new hope. Written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; directed by Alan Taylor.
It will be a long hard wait for season two. I may have to crack a book or two.
9 p.m. Sunday. HBO.
