Everything flowed splendidly from one plot strand to the next; new characters were introduced without feeling overwhelming, and the existing cast are already filling the void left by Sean Bean last series. Most notable in the cast are Jack Gleeson as the teen tyrant King Joffrey, a triumvant of Stephen Dillane as the late King Robert's brother, Stannis, accompanied by Carice van Houten as Red Witch Melisandre, and Liam Cunningham as pirate-turned-lord Davos Seaworth. Taking top billing is Emmy winning Peter Dinklage, who seems to be fitting right into his role as this season's "leading man". Despite the sprawling plot arcs picked up from last year, the episode didn't feel bogged down; we are reintroduced to favourites Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Bran Stark and Tyrion smoothly.
The ending is exceptionally bleak while several arcs have already taken shape, such as the hunt for Arya Stark and Gendry, and Robb Stark's quest for allies to his cause. The action picks up right where we left off, with King of the North Robb Stark holding Jaime captive, Joffrey ruling in King's Landing, and Jon Snow beyond the Wall. Every environment is distinct too. From the grim beaches of Dragonstone to the vast desert of the Red Waste to the creepy Craster's Keep, home to a Wildling tyrant who "marries" his daughters so they will give him more daughters. King's Landing looks and feels like a meditaraenean city. There is alot of brutality- we start the episode with a murder quickly followed by attempted murder by drowning- ending this week in a grim blood bath that is truly unsettling.
Also notable are the CGI direwolves and dragons, as well as the supernatural. Bran is having dreams where he is his wolf, and Melisandre is almost certainly a witch with ambiguous powers. All in all, a fantastic return and, with several arcs already in development, it's shaping up to live up to the hype.
