This article is basically a list of spoilers for everything up to and including season 5 – you’ve been warned. And to clarify, this article is about the show and not about the books.
For four years straight, Game of Thrones got me more excited than even some of my most anticipated film releases. Season two offered more of the excellent intrigue that the first season delivered. Three promised even more as Danaerys searched for an army and Tywin took his place as Hand of the King. Four came after one of the show’s most gobsmacking moments – the red wedding.
Five began after a season four’s climactic finale, yet most of us were left disappointed. It’s still well written, extremely well cast and acted, and has possibly the highest levels of production value ever seen in a TV series. It’s the storytelling in season five that was lacking, and for the first time, I’m not terribly excited for the coming season. But I want to be, and hence this article. I want to remember the show’s biggest mistakes while also recalling some of season five’s great moments. Hopefully we’ll all appreciate what went wrong, but remind ourselves why we all love the show.
Before I count down my top five best and worst elements, there are three things worth talking about which may be good or bad, it’s hard to say at this time.
Good or Bad #3 – No Bran
Bran traipsed through woods and fields for two seasons looking for the elusive three-eyed raven. I thought how Bran discovered his warg powers was interesting enough, but the journey was a slog for a lot of viewers, with only Hodor keeping us entertained. When Bran finally met the man in the tree, we were given one of the show’s biggest teases: “You won’t walk, but you will fly.” And then… nothing.
This was infuriating. However, one need only look at the sheer number of plotlines in season five to understand why it was probably necessary to cut one out. Now, I know which one I’d have cut out, but more on that later. It’s also a natural decision because having Bran and Arya both discover and practice their new abilities would have made for two “training” stories which could have taken momentum out of the political threads.
Then again, the show at its core is the story of the Starks, and season five had all four children in positions of newfound power. Sansa is learning how to manipulate with Littlefinger, Jon becomes Lord Commander and learns how to lead, Bran is learning how to warg, and Arya is honing her ability to wash corpses. Showing these in parallel could have made for some exciting stuff. The Starks fell, and we could have seen them rise again.
My biggest worry is that Bran will be pivotal to the story in later seasons. Having him swoop in after being away for a season may seem dodgy, so the writers must plot carefully.
Good or Bad #2 – A Flashback Scene
I was worried for season five after the first sixty seconds of episode one, when it became clear that we’re watching a flashback of Cersei visiting a witch who prophesises that she will become queen.
It’s the very first achronological moment in the entire show, and it stuck out like a gilded steel hand. Why was it such a problem? Some of the greatness of the writing in Game of Thrones is in its expository dialogue. We hear our characters tell stories to one another to allow the audience to gain insights into the world’s history. But it’s done so in a way that allows us to understand how the characters feel about those events now.
Think about how Varys tells Tyrion how he was cut, how Robert Baratheon describes his first kill, or how we learn Jamie broke his honour by killing the Mad King. We didn’t need to see any of it, because learning about it through our characters is more interesting. What do we know about Cersei already? She’s motivated, ambitious, loves her children, and kind of nuts. In her flashback we didn’t learn anything new. And actually, it may have damaged her character, because now there’s a chance that she’s operating on the basis of a prophecy as opposed to her own volition. Though, that might just be my disdain for prophecies in general.
Some of you might be saying that it wasn’t that bad – it was a tight scene that gave a nice introduction to Cersei’s arc for the season. I’m okay with that, which is why this point isn’t in my strict bad category.
Good or Bad #1 – The World Is Reset
This is something else that stood out during the first few episodes. Tension is built with plot and characters. Game of Thrones is a show that builds, and builds, until a massive release of tension, sometimes celebratory and sometimes tragically, but always with more intrigue. That’s why the start of this season felt like such a mess.
There is very little plot tension at the start, because every story feels like it’s started again. The only continuity comes in the form of characters. Think about it. Meereen tells the story of a ruler combating a terrorist threat. Bravos tells the story of a feisty girl who wants to become an assassin. Stannis arrives at the Wall and everything that happened before almost has a line drawn under it. It throws the show off-balance because Game of Thrones has always felt like one continuous story told in ten-episode acts, but season five feels like the first act of a new story.
It’s a problem because we’re not sure what the stakes are in any of it. What will happen to Arya if she fails to become an assassin? We don’t know, and surprisingly, we don’t really care.
On the other hand it works to great effect in other stories, like with the Boltons and with Cersei. With Tywin dead, Cersei begins her journey to take control of King’s Landing. The Boltons are now secure in Winterfell so they can be explored and have their own story.
You can argue these one way or the other, but I don’t think that can be done with my next few points.
Good #5 – Awesome Character Moments
This may seem like a weak point but remember that Game of Thrones has always been driven by the strength of its active characters. That’s not something that should be overlooked. Some films and shows fail because too many characters are reactive – that is, the plot happens and the characters have to deal with it. That isn’t the case in Game of Thrones. The plot nearly always happens because a character instigates it. So, it’s nice when these characters we’ve come to know and love have climactic moments that not only make us cheer or cringe, but are also true to their character.
Little was more engaging than Jon Snow taking out that White Walker. We sit on the edge of our seats gripping our wine goblets, we frown along with Jon as his sword clashes and a crucial piece of worldbuilding is integrated into the fight, then we cheer as he delivers the final blow. All the political intrigue is all well and good but sometimes it’s worth gleefully celebrating simple, awesome moments like these.
Another moment that stuck with me was when Danaerys finally rode Drogon. We all knew he’d come and save her, but when she climbed onto his back and took to the skies it was like witnessing a moment of history that a character in a Game of Thrones sequel set a thousand years later would joyously recount.
And we all loved it when Reek snapped out of his state and decided to rescue Sansa. And when Arya brutally skewers Meryn Trant in the eyes before killing him. And watching Littlefinger masterfully pull strings to climb his ladder of chaos. All excellent stuff, and it’s worth fondly looking back on. Because my first bad point is also regarding the characters…
Bad #5 – Some of the Best Characters Are Sidelined
Brienne of Tarth is the most badass character in the series. She killed the Hound for goodness sake – she locked swords with him, got kicked in the groin, stood up, then caved his head in with a rock. Where does she spend most of season five? At an inn. For months. Only to leave two fucking seconds before Sansa needs her.
Littlefinger may have had great moments but really, he barely featured, and neither did his regicide accomplice Olenna Tyrell. These characters are fascinating, entertaining and important. They need to be on screen! The show firmly establishes the Tyrells as a threat to Lannister rule, so give us more of their matriarch.
Even everyone’s favourite character Tyrion was in a carriage or on a boat most of the time. Yes, I enjoyed how he used the size of his penis to defend his life, but his wits are best used when he’s involved in the intrigue. And I know that his long journey was necessary plotting but something more interesting could have been done with him. His sister on the other hand was given the story she deserved…
Good #4 – Cersei and the High Sparrow
Cersei’s arc was in many ways the central story of season five. This decision pleased me, as she’s one of the show’s best characters and still impeccably portrayed by Lena Heady. It’s also the right time to focus on her after Tywin’s death left a power vacuum in King’s Landing. Season four ended with the question: Who will rule Westeros now?
Season five’s answer was something nobody expected. We all knew Cersei’s hand would be in whatever mess the capital fell into. But who better to guide her hand than religious fanatic the High Sparrow? He’s the perfect replacement for Tywin: Equally driven, knows how to use his resources, and most importantly, chastises Cersei for everything that Tywin was willing to turn a blind eye to.
And it all culminated in an amazing, gut-wrenching scene: The walk of atonement. It was so satisfying because there are two approaches to Cersei. If you’re one of those people who feels sympathy for her, then it’s a heartbreaking scene that shocks and upsets. If, like me, you don’t feel a shred of compassion for her, then it’s great to see her finally knocked down a peg. Or maybe the scene makes you forget all the evil things she did and makes you feel sorry for her – it’s definitely powerful enough, and that’s why it was so satisfying an arc to conclude. If only every great female character was given such a worthy story…
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