Game of Thrones Series 1 - Kinda Spoiler Free

Never in a million years did I think I would not only have watched and enjoyed Game of Thrones, but I would also be compelled to do a write up on the first series...

Now to make clear from the start I haven't read the books, I don't intend to ever read the books, I'm not reviewing the books, I'm reviewing the TV Series.....This is not to denigrate the books I'm sure they are fine exponents of the printed word, but that genre has never really been my cup of tea. Which leads into my first thoughts about the series Game of Thrones...which was 'Sounds alright I suppose'. It only really came to my attention because parts of it were being filmed in Northern Ireland, and HBO(Second only to the BBC) were producing it.

From the opening of the first episode 'Winter is Coming' the info dump is intense and and can leave you reeling a bit, various houses are introduced Stark of Winterfell, The Lannisters, Targaryen and Baratheon...not mention various acolytes, henchmen and old enemies. Virtually everybody comes with a lot of emotional baggage and some semblance of a back story. So there is an awful lot to take in, having said that by the end of the second episode you have a very sure grasp of what is happening, why it is happening and exactly who it is happening to...but much more than that,you care about the characters, and with such an ensemble and in such a short space of time this is no mean feat. So all credit to the writing team on this series.

Overall the approach of the series seems to be in true HBO style, a broad canvas upon which a plethora of characters are strewn across the locations, inter-connecting back-stories and narratives linking them all in some shape or form. The climax of the season comes in the penultimate episode and the final episode is used to wrap up any loose ends and prepare the ground for the second series. Hell it worked for The Sopranos and Six Feet Under so if it ain't broke don't fix it.

It's not often you watch a series and are looking at the casting and thinking uniformly 'Yeah they've got that pretty much spot on' - Game of Thrones is one of those series. Also if you had told me last year that I'd be raving about a series that featured Sean Bean, Mark Addy and Jerome Flynn in it. It would probably have lead to me punching that person in the face and telling them shut up. But they are three actors I've never really had a lot of time for Bean is overrated, Addy is annoying and Flynn well it's Jerome Flynn for God's sake. But yet all three were excellent, assured believable performances with just the right amount of OTTness, which this series requires.

The other thing I love about the casting is the high proliferation of the 'Old Guard', I'm talking about stalwarts such as Peter Vaughan,Julian Glover,James Cosmo,Clive Mantle, Charles Dance and Donald Sumpter. Actors of that caliber really do raise the bar for the series, they bring depth and subtlety to their characterisations, and in some scenes they only have a few lines but they command your attention nonetheless. And just when you think you know them and what makes them tick, their characters pull a surprise out of the bag towards the end of the series. Vaughan's Aemon reveals his family history, Glover's Pycelle demonstrates his deception in court and Dance's Tywin is shown not to be the bloody-minded head of the family as suggested by his offspring throughout the series. Special note must go to Clive Mantle's Greatjon Umber - he plays it like Gene Hunt in Camelot via Monty Python and the Holy Grail....might not be to everybodys' taste but I found him massively entertaining.

As ever with any ensemble cast some people will shine and rise above it to potentially steal the thunder, so in no particular order here is my top 5 characters/actors in Game of Thrones.

Iain Glen/Ser Jorah Mormont - A brilliant character played with just the right amount of charm, and old school class,to make him rise above the cliche character he could've been,however the main thing that makes him so fascinating is his relationship with......

Emilia Clarke/Daenerys Targaryen - If any character goes on the obligatory 'Journey' then it's Daenerys Targaryen from the soft easily led sister at the start of the series to dragon wielding Khaleesi at the end of the series, literally rising from the ashes stronger than any Kahl. Magnificent.

Aidan Gillen/Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger - I've always had a weakness for the duplicitous charming characters, I find them so entertaining as they are capable of just about anything and coupled with a bravura performance from Mr Gillen, makes for interesting and intriuging viewing.

Conleth Hill/Lord Varys - Now I've never been a big fan of Conleth Hill, I always felt I was missing something when I seen him act, but his performance in this must be a career best, subtle, clever and creepy, his scenes with Sean Bean in the dungeons are lovely little two-handers that work mainly due to the superb delivery from Mr Hill.

Peter Dinklage/Tyrion Lannister - Very little to add about this character and Mr Dinklage's performance that hasn't already been said, Noble, funny, risque and tragic all doled out in equal measure just perfect, any episodes without him do lack something..

Special mention must go to Jason Momoa as Kahl Drogo who generated his own 'meme' online with Khal Drogo drooling or 'Drogooling' as it came to be known, barely said a word and nearly stole the show, it would seem certain demographics are as shallow as the rest of us.

As with all things there are a couple of niggles, and I do mean only a couple. Firstly the look on Lena Headey's face whenever she is being challenged, is pure 'Smell the Fart' acting of the highest order and I really do wish she would stop doing it as it is undermining the performance in a huge way. Also those ravens don't half get about quick. Something happens in King's Landing and the BlackWatch at the Wall are reading about it minutes later, we cut back to Kings Landing and events have only moved on at most a couple of hours. I know they are being used as a narrative device to push the plot forward, but a careful watch on the timeline within the scripts might be warranted.

Coming from Northern Ireland I really can't let slide the fact some of the location work was done virtually in my own back yard, and I have to say the production team's use of Matte Painting and set decoration was excellent and Tollymore Forest has never looked better, never mind encountering White Walkers I'm surprised they didn't disturb any mushroom pickers....

If you haven't already seen this series....then what the hell are you doing reading this?

Can't wait for the second series, especially after some the plot reveals and developments in the final episode, it is gonna be great........

So that's my round up of series one done and bloody hell I managed to wax lyrically about the series and not mention HBO's usual propensity for excessive nudity once.......ah bugger....there is lots of it by the way....even though Episode7 was oversold to me....unnecessary and gratitious yes....but I did worse on my 21st birthday...but that's another story...for another time.