Before last year, I had never seen an episode of HBO's Game of Thrones. In fact, I knew hardly anything about it other than some of the cast members. After hearing so many excellent things regarding it though, I finally got around to watching it sometime last year, and it's safe to say it has become the most addictive show on Television for me. It's every bit as fantastic as people make it out to be, and after cruising past season 3 in less than a week just before season 4 started, I was beyond excited to finally be able to catch the show on its actual television run. And I'm really glad to say season 4 did not disappoint at all as it is perhaps the most enthralling, exciting, and intense season of GOT to date. And just to note this review will be spoiler free as I will mostly be reviewing season 4, but without giving away the big things that happened this season.
One of the best words to describe Game of Thrones is epic. I know that word is a bit of a cliche, and I don't like to use the word very much myself, but it's pretty hard to avoid when talking about Game of Thrones. On just a pure scope level, I've never seen anything more impressive and awe-inspiring on TV than this show as well as just on a technical level. The production designs, costume designs, the CGI, the direction, and the score on this show are always just done in such perfection in my opinion. It's all done so well that it really makes you feel like you are in this medieval era because it also just manages to feel very realistic even with all of the fantasy like elements within this show. And this remains to be the case with season 4 as there were lots of impressive technical elements during this season including probably some of the best use of CGI I've ever seen. In particular episode 9 of season 4, "The Watchers on the Wall" was some of the best hour I've ever seen on television just on a pure technical level. While watching that episode, I really felt like I was watching one epic fantasy movie on the big screen. This is really one of the few shows on television that I feel really deserves the chance to be made into a movie on the big screen, and I do think that will probably eventually happen as it seems like the creators as well as George RR Martin, the author of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series that this show is adapted from seem to be open to the idea. A certain someone just needs to actually finish writing the book series.
Now describing the plot for Game of Thrones is really quite complicated for any of the seasons because there are always multiple story lines and lots of characters spread throughout each episode so for someone who hasn't watched this show, but plans to eventually should be warned that this is definitely a show you really have to keep up with and really pay attention to what's going on. And for so many TV shows and movies having so many different story lines could usually be a big problem, but this show really knows how to balance all of these different story lines so well, and it does again in season 4. For one, the writing especially for a epic fantasy is just so sharp and compelling. You would think the best thing about a fantasy epic like this show would be the action sequences, but while the action is great when it's there, it's really a lot of the writing and conversations between characters that actually have a great amount of depth that really drives this show. And season 4 had so many memorable and compelling character interactions that were really quite riveting and just so fascinating to watch. Even very little conversations where the dialogue would seem so meaningless actually ends up having some kind of meaning or even foreshadowing to it. And I'm going to go ahead and say, Game of Thrones is not only the most intense show on TV right now, but for me it's the most intense and unpredictable show I've ever seen. No I'm not exaggerating. There were so many moments in season 4 where I would literally just be standing up because of the intensity of a certain sequence. And a lot of that is due to the pure fact that this show is really not your traditional fantasy story where the good guys in the end are always going to come out on top. It will go in directions you would not expect as it did for me many times in season 4, and it shows no shame in occasionally breaking its viewers heart. It also doesn't hurt that the fact that you are so engaged, and compelled by so many of these characters as well as care about a lot of them just adds to the intensity and brutality of this show. These are very rich characters in a really rich universe, and even the characters you do not like because they're either so evil or just unlikeable they are still very compelling as well as so well written. And Game of Thrones has created some of the most evil and just purely cunning characters. Won't give anything away, but there is a scene in one of the episodes of season 4 that will probably haunt and scar me for the rest of my life. It was hard to watch, but so well executed.
But, as incredible as this show is on all of its technical and visual level as well as the strength in its story, the real strength of this show lies in its phenomenal ensemble cast. I won't get into every cast member because there's so many of them, but I'll just say that the cast on this show is so good and sharp that it's so hard for me to find a true weakness in this cast. Obviously, when talking about this show, it would be criminal not to bring up the brilliant Peter Dinklage. Calling Dinklage "good" in the role of Tyrion Lannister would be such an understatement. He is absolutely fantastic in the role, always has been, and in season 4 he is perhaps even better than he was in the first three seasons. He just brings so much charm, and likeability to a character who is not really the best person in the world as he's very flawed, but Dinklage makes it so hard not to like and root for him. But, Dinklage can also just be so intense, very menacing, and actually really funny when he needs to be. After watching his performance in season 4, I can say I will be completely pissed off if this man does not AT LEAST get another Emmy nomination for season 4. Without giving too much away, the final 5 minutes in episode 6 of S4 "The Laws of Gods and Man" are simply enough to hand him the Emmy. There were so many great performances this season, Lena Heady who has always been fantastic as Cersei, was really excellent once again in this role, and I think like Dinklage had perhaps her most impressive season to date as this character. It's just really impressive that despite the fact that she is playing one of the most unlikeable and cunning female characters imaginable, she is so good that she is able to still bring this level of sympathy to her performance that it almost makes you forget how unlikeable this character is. After watching her perform this season, I can definitely say I think it's about time she finally gets an Emmy nomination herself. I also really loved Kit Harrington as brooding, but also badass and likable Jon Snow this season, as he's one of my favorite characters, and when it comes to the action sequences I think he probably does it better than anyone else on this show especially since he actually does his own stunts. He gets a lot more to do this season, and shines quite a bit. One more actor I have to mention is Pedro Pascal as the new character Prince Oberyn Martell. Wow was this guy fantastic! I hadn't really ever seen this actor before, but he really blew me away in his performance, and from the first moment he shows up on screen I was completely captivated by this character. And I'll just say the way they introduce his character, reminded me a lot of the way The Joker was introduced in The Dark Knight, and I'd even go as far as to say it was just about as memorable of a scene. I definitely look forward to hopefully seeing more from this guy in the future.
Simply put, I can not only give season 4 of Game of Thrones enough praise, but this expectational and brilliant tv show as a whole. Each season just gets progressively more intense, compelling, and riveting. And season 4 was absolutely no exception as it was the most thrilling, and exciting season to date. Once the season finale which was titled "The Children" finished I was just literally speechless not just because of how fantastic of a season finale it was (which was also by far the most satisfying and exciting season finale this show has had to offer), but just how awe-inspiried I was by season 4 as a whole. Show creators David Benioff, and D.B. Weiss have created one of the most enthralling, and exciting television shows I've ever seen as well as one I'm not too shame to admit I've gotten quite addicted to. Of course much of that also needs to go to, George RR Martin because without his books and source material, this show wouldn't be around right now. And now I don't know what I'm going to do for every sunday for the next 10 MONTHS waiting for season 5 to arrive. Here's how I would rank each episode from season 4 (all of which were quite excellent): The Children (Episode 10), The Watchers on the Wall (Episode 9), Mockingbird (Episode 7), The Laws of Gods & Man (Episode 6), The Mountain vs. The Viper (Episode 8), The Purple Wedding (Episode 2), The First of His Name (Episode 5), Two Swords (Episode 1), Breaker of Chains (Episode 3), and Oathkeeper (Episode 4).
Final Rating for Season 4: A+
Final Rating for entire series so far: A+
