TV Review: Game of Thrones Season 5
How are we already done with Season 5 of Game of Thrones? It feels like I just posted one of the trailers for the upcoming season. And yet ten weeks have passed and another amazing season of Game of Thrones is in the books. I don't even want to think about the fact that it will be almost a year until we get more Game of Thrones. Season 5 has now officially caught up with the first five books in The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin. So unless GRRM can get his sixth book out before Season 6, next year will be the first season I won't know what to expect.
Looking back on this past season I would say it ranks up there as one of my favorites. Things started a little slow (its source material Book 4 & 5 were my least favorite of the series) but it ramped up in a big way. Season 5 for me was a shift for the series. In the firs string of seasons it was all about who would be King/Queen. Who would sit on the iron throne. Who would rule over Westeros. At this point that doesn't even matter anymore. Almost everyone who wanted the throne is now either not interested or dead. And as we see later in the season there are things in the world that matter far more then who sits on the iron throne.
Looking back there were a couple of things that stood out in Season 5. First I loved everything with Jon Snow (except for the last scene of the season). But we all know he will be fine. I thought the time they spent at the wall and especially the battle at Hardhome was fantastic. I also really enjoyed Tyrion's journey to Meereen and actually advising Daenerys was fantastic. This was so much better then the circus story in the books. I also loved watching the downfall of Cersei and her glimpse of revenge at the end of the finale. Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, and Kit Harrington all deserve Emmy nominations in my opinion.
The season wasn't perfect. Like I mentioned earlier it started a little slow. There are also plot lines that are tough in the books and don't translate well into TV. I'm looking at your Arya. Oh and how did Dorne go from the most promising part of season 5 to one of the worst? Jamie and Bronn should have been the best part of the season not the most forgettable. At the end of the day Game of Thrones continues to be far and away my favorite show on television. It has everything I look for in a show. I really cannot wait to read the next book (if it ever comes out) and see next season.
One more thing...
One of the things that really enhanced my enjoyment of Game of Thrones this year were two podcasts. The first was A Cast of Kings which just recapped the weeks episode and talked about how things connect. The second was a Storm of Spoilers which talked about the connections between the show and book and theories for what would happen next. Really cannot wait to listen to both of these again next year with Season 6.
There's no way Jon Snow is dead. Right? I mean please don't let him be dead? He probably knows something now! Bring back Jon Snow!!!
