The first season of HBO's Game of Thrones was a revelation. A show brimming with complex characters, blockbuster set design and a world so beautifully realised and expansive that having only 10 episodes in a season felt in itself like a betrayal. Season 2 expands even further on the glorious first season, with new characters introduced as The Seven Kingdom's are on the verge of war as four claim to be king. Add to this some of the series most shockingly brutal moments and delightful character developments that give us a second season that is on par with the epic first season.
Robb Stark (Richard Madden) is now the head of the Stark's and claiming to be King of the North. He is battling veteran campaigner Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) while Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) and his brother Renly (Gethin Anthony) also lay claim to Joffrey's (the fiendishly good Jack Gleeson) throne. Their brotherly rivalry and their dislike for what each other has become forms the backbone of the series early episodes. This rivalry is brought to an abrupt ending mid-season with the help of sinister priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten). Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) meanwhile, is now Hand of the King and sets about making waves in King's Landing much to the chagrin of his sister Cersei (Lena Headey).
Tyrion's clever moves against Cersei and her vicious retaliations are great to watch and set up what King's Landing is about. Even in a scene of warmth between the two where they are open to each other ends in venomous barbs at each other and backstabbing plotting. Arya's (Maisie Williams) journey to The Wall is short lived after she and Gendry (Joe Dempsie) are captured by Lannister soldiers. She is handpicked by Tywin to be his cupbearer and their interactions form the seasons most entertaining exchanges with young Williams performance being sensational even when acting alongside powerful screen presence Dance. Robb decision to trust Theon (Alfie Allen) and send him to Pike to persuade his estranged father to give the Stark army ships sets up Theon's descent from ally of the Stark family to rebel and betrayer. Theon's fall from grace and his reasoning for doing so are fascinating and the mental anguish he suffers at the hands of his father drive him to make unforgivable actions. Theon's actions, while being initially despicable, as the season comes to its climax and in particular in a wonderful scene with Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter), where a new perspective is put on his tragic circumstances.
Dany's (Emilia Clarke) exile continues which leads her and Ser Jorah (Iain Glen) to the beautiful yet strange Qarth, where all is not as it seems. While she isn't given much to do this season, her scenes with the Thirteen, who are amusingly sinister and allows for her to exhibit her growing confidence and power. The build up to Stannis's arrival at King's Landing is tantalizing and slow paced, but effectively allows to build up the power of Stannis's fleet and the inner turmoil at King's Landing, where Joffrey is becoming a hated and resented King and whose vile actions are putting the Lannister's and Sansa (Sophie Turner) at risk. As the internal squabbles between Cersei and Tyrion continue up until the ninth episode, we are treated to one of the most ambitious episodes of television ever crafted, the brutal 'Blackwater'. This penultimate episode is unlike any episode of the show seen before. Rather than covering the Seven Kingdoms and more, this episode focuses on Stannis's invasion of King's Landing and Tyrion's attempts to defend the city. What follows is 60 minutes of tense action and spectacle with some of the series most brutal scenes. This episode has it all, great drama, great action and the fantastic spectacle of what this season had been building to.
The second season of Game of Thrones builds on an already well established and sweeping epic television show. The character and story progression, while expansive and slow in places, comes together fantastically with no character being neglected or thrown aside. There can be no higher praise for the high quality production and set design, the locations are gorgeous and looks like a $250 million dollar blockbuster continuously. More importantly, the core group of characters remain as interesting and as likeable as before (or hated, depending on your allegiance). This show is simply television at its finest on every level.
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Tyrion screwed up. He's a hero now, ...which means he has to be squashed.
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