Blu-ray Review: GAME OF THRONES Season One And Two Steelbook Collectors Sets
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss managed the near impossible when they brought George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series to the small screen. Stunning production values and epic locations gave Game of Thrones a look that was comparable to the great big screen Hollywood epics. The impressive visuals were one thing, but Game of Thrones also arrived with great casting and incredibly strong writing. This new steelbook release of the first two series of the HBO show features box art inspired by the opening credits as well as a newly mixed Dolby Atmos sound.
Season one begins by focusing on the Stark family of Winterfell, noble family led by Sean Bean’s Eddard Stark, a righteous man with an unshakeable sense of honour. He travels to King’s Landing with his long-time friend King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) to help him rule. This sets in motion a complex Shakespearian-like narrative that unravels using a multitude of characters and locations. Across these two seasons (20 episodes) there’s enough Machiavellian manoeuvring, gory violence and graphic sex to satisfy viewers with a variety of interests. The show shouldn’t work on a theoretical level due to it’s sprawling multi-character plot threads but it’s a testament to the writing and acting that it does.
Perfect casting means that nearly all the characters are memorable and the actors all deliver muscular performances. Nearly everyone in the cast has their moment to stand-out in these two seasons but notable mentions are Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Charles Dance, Maisie Williams and Emilia Clarke.
Game of Thrones has managed to become a fantasy show that people who don’t like fantasy watch and enjoy. There’s an epic quality to the show and HBO have invested a tremendous amount of time and money to ensure that the quality is there. Shot across the globe in locations such as Ireland, Croatia and Malta, Game of Thrones is a huge logistical undertaking. However, the core of the show is its ever evolving cast and unpredictable story-lines which keep viewers wanting more. This is some of the best television that has ever been produced.
Special Features
The special features on-hand within these blu-rays are as rich and detailed as the show. Multiple commentaries, interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, character profiles and much, much more. Perfection.
