Written by: Kevin Berge
HBO is probably happy that they didn't go 100% with GRRM's vision for Tyrion and cast someone beastly ugly. (Image Courtesy of: hypable.com)
Quick Take: Game of Thrones Season 4 is the most universally quality season so far of the series with heavy episodes, real surprises, and the strongest performance of the series so far from Peter Dinklage. Feeling most like a political thriller, this season is the one that surpasses almost any TV show on air.
***You're going into a review for the fourth season of a series. If you're reading this before watching the series, you're doing it wrong. You should only read beyond this point if you have seen the series or don't mind being spoiled on a packed season. I would also recommend reading my season one, two, and three reviews before reading this for context.***
I'm going to make a broad, heavily subjective claim to start this review: season 4 is the best season of Game of Thrones so far, and it's not all that close. I really enjoy season 3 as the forward progress the series needed, but this is the season that stands among the definitive quality television seasons.
This season puts its biggest star at the center with Tyrion Lannister being put on trial after the death of the show's most detestable character Joffrey Lannister. His imprisonment, largely biased trial, and his ultimate escape are so well done that they could have been the focus of the entire season without any other story needed.
The biggest moments of the season are largely surrounding Tyrion with the shocking and brutal trial by combat as well as Tyrion killing Shae in Tywin's bed then murdering his father as he sits on the toilet. Still, the greatest part of the whole season might just be Tyrion standing up to the court and proclaiming his "guilt" for being a dwarf.
King's Landing though is not the sole location in this season. The story with Jon Snow is in full view with a full episode devoted to the battle at Castle Black between the Night's Watch and the Wildlings which is fantastically dense and emotional.
Daenerys also has some of the most story of the series since season 1 as she uses her army to invade and take over Mereen though this is also the point in the story that stalls the forward momentum for Daeny for a while as she gets stuck in the city for the rest of the season and long past that.
Arya and Sansa Stark finally get more story to work with as Sansa escapes King's Landing and sees the true danger of the ambitious Littlefinger who creepily lusts after her. Arya continues her adventures with The Hound with some great emotional scenes as her sanity seems to teeter on the edge.
This season is a combined adaptation of A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crowds, and A Dance of Dragons which does make it feel a bit hectic in its shifts in story, but it takes a mix of rather uninteresting stories and combines them with the absolutely compelling stories as well.
I'm going to make a broad, heavily subjective claim to start this review: season 4 is the best season of Game of Thrones so far, and it's not all that close. I really enjoy season 3 as the forward progress the series needed, but this is the season that stands among the definitive quality television seasons.
This season puts its biggest star at the center with Tyrion Lannister being put on trial after the death of the show's most detestable character Joffrey Lannister. His imprisonment, largely biased trial, and his ultimate escape are so well done that they could have been the focus of the entire season without any other story needed.
The biggest moments of the season are largely surrounding Tyrion with the shocking and brutal trial by combat as well as Tyrion killing Shae in Tywin's bed then murdering his father as he sits on the toilet. Still, the greatest part of the whole season might just be Tyrion standing up to the court and proclaiming his "guilt" for being a dwarf.
King's Landing though is not the sole location in this season. The story with Jon Snow is in full view with a full episode devoted to the battle at Castle Black between the Night's Watch and the Wildlings which is fantastically dense and emotional.
Daenerys also has some of the most story of the series since season 1 as she uses her army to invade and take over Mereen though this is also the point in the story that stalls the forward momentum for Daeny for a while as she gets stuck in the city for the rest of the season and long past that.
Arya and Sansa Stark finally get more story to work with as Sansa escapes King's Landing and sees the true danger of the ambitious Littlefinger who creepily lusts after her. Arya continues her adventures with The Hound with some great emotional scenes as her sanity seems to teeter on the edge.
This season is a combined adaptation of A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crowds, and A Dance of Dragons which does make it feel a bit hectic in its shifts in story, but it takes a mix of rather uninteresting stories and combines them with the absolutely compelling stories as well.
You may have broken your vows, Jon, but I don't think anybody blames you when she's looking at you like that. (Image Courtesy of: hollywoodtake.com)
This is the season where Peter Dinklage is absolutely the lead actor, and he is unbelievably strong in his numerous powerful scenes as everything his story had led up to boils over. His monologue about his life is engrossing while he also has so many powerful quiet moments as well.
His exchanges as always are strong and help parallel his struggle with Ned Stark in the first season. The way he plays off Charles Dance and Lena Headey are as always highlights with both going through quite a bit with Cersei in particular having to deal with the loss of her child.
This is a bit belated, but I should give quite a bit of credit to Jake Gleeson who grew up so much and so quickly into the despicable role of Joffrey, making his death the most satisfying moment of the series so far. While the rest of the Lannister children feel a bit wooden, Joffrey was constantly, maddeningly dynamic.
Emilia Clarke has fully reached confused leader at this point with Daenerys, and her ability to play both Daenerys' insecurity and strong willed if often misguided determination is impressive. Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont goes through the most emotion in this side of the story and does so admirably with the sense of his loyalty and worried connection with Daenerys always fully front and center.
Kit Harrington again goes through quite a bit of emotion as he must both choose his allegiances and struggle with his oath breaking love with Ygritte who is played too well by Rose Leslie for it to be easy to see her die in Jon's arms.
Maisie Williams is fantastic as always with nothing she does feeling out of place as she goes from rebellious teen to nearly emotionally broken child (nothing in this season is quite as unsettling as Arya breaking down laughing when she finds out her aunt Lysa is dead) to strong and resilient young woman who loses her last unexpected pillar of strength in The Hound.
Sansa Stark is finally allowed to do more than be worried and the victim, and this helps out Sophie Turner who still struggles to convey more complex character direction for Sansa. She works extremely well off of Aidan Gillen who is fantastic as Littlefinger, finally a central character.
A special shout out needs to be made for Pedro Pascal who steals the show for the time he gets on screen as Oberyn Martell. He's introduced this season and dies before it's over, but he is one of the most acted and best realized characters in Game of Thrones to date.
His exchanges as always are strong and help parallel his struggle with Ned Stark in the first season. The way he plays off Charles Dance and Lena Headey are as always highlights with both going through quite a bit with Cersei in particular having to deal with the loss of her child.
This is a bit belated, but I should give quite a bit of credit to Jake Gleeson who grew up so much and so quickly into the despicable role of Joffrey, making his death the most satisfying moment of the series so far. While the rest of the Lannister children feel a bit wooden, Joffrey was constantly, maddeningly dynamic.
Emilia Clarke has fully reached confused leader at this point with Daenerys, and her ability to play both Daenerys' insecurity and strong willed if often misguided determination is impressive. Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont goes through the most emotion in this side of the story and does so admirably with the sense of his loyalty and worried connection with Daenerys always fully front and center.
Kit Harrington again goes through quite a bit of emotion as he must both choose his allegiances and struggle with his oath breaking love with Ygritte who is played too well by Rose Leslie for it to be easy to see her die in Jon's arms.
Maisie Williams is fantastic as always with nothing she does feeling out of place as she goes from rebellious teen to nearly emotionally broken child (nothing in this season is quite as unsettling as Arya breaking down laughing when she finds out her aunt Lysa is dead) to strong and resilient young woman who loses her last unexpected pillar of strength in The Hound.
Sansa Stark is finally allowed to do more than be worried and the victim, and this helps out Sophie Turner who still struggles to convey more complex character direction for Sansa. She works extremely well off of Aidan Gillen who is fantastic as Littlefinger, finally a central character.
A special shout out needs to be made for Pedro Pascal who steals the show for the time he gets on screen as Oberyn Martell. He's introduced this season and dies before it's over, but he is one of the most acted and best realized characters in Game of Thrones to date.
A queen's best friend. (Image Courtesy of: medievalists.net)
David Benioff and D. B. Weiss continue to take control of all the writing for GOT as they only brought in Bryan Cogman for two episode and George R. R. Martin for one this season, writing the rest themselves. They also directed the first episode of the season themselves.
This may be because the material for adaptation is continually divorcing itself from Martin's original work. While it still hits most of the novel beats, there are real surprises and turns throughout that differ from the books as characters play much different roles.
The two are clearly at the helm of everything and truly pulling together the work to make compelling television without falling for GRRM's need to continuously bring in new characters as central to the story. The writing is tight and effective with inspired decisions that make this season so effective.
The directing in this season goes through familiar hands again. Hands down, the best work is by the returning Neil Marshall who makes The Watchers on the Wall so enthralling. Alex Graves, Michelle MacLaren, and Alik Sakharov all put their stamps on the season with Graves directing four episodes this season.
The action in this season is so tightly crafted with The Mountain and The Viper in particular standing out as the immeasurably powerful Gregor Clegane fights the measured and lightning quick style of Oberyn Martell with each moments feeling tense to the end.
Overall, this season is Game of Thrones at its finest. The main characters grow and get valuable moments. There are huge action scenes as well as memorable dialogue. Nothing is certain, and the air of the season lends itself to the threat that stands around every corner.
If last season was the climax of the series, this is the definitive fallout as the show shifts its focus anew and begins to tell stories that no one has seen before not even the reader of GRRM's work. As a reader and a viewer, I could not get enough of this season.
This may be because the material for adaptation is continually divorcing itself from Martin's original work. While it still hits most of the novel beats, there are real surprises and turns throughout that differ from the books as characters play much different roles.
The two are clearly at the helm of everything and truly pulling together the work to make compelling television without falling for GRRM's need to continuously bring in new characters as central to the story. The writing is tight and effective with inspired decisions that make this season so effective.
The directing in this season goes through familiar hands again. Hands down, the best work is by the returning Neil Marshall who makes The Watchers on the Wall so enthralling. Alex Graves, Michelle MacLaren, and Alik Sakharov all put their stamps on the season with Graves directing four episodes this season.
The action in this season is so tightly crafted with The Mountain and The Viper in particular standing out as the immeasurably powerful Gregor Clegane fights the measured and lightning quick style of Oberyn Martell with each moments feeling tense to the end.
Overall, this season is Game of Thrones at its finest. The main characters grow and get valuable moments. There are huge action scenes as well as memorable dialogue. Nothing is certain, and the air of the season lends itself to the threat that stands around every corner.
If last season was the climax of the series, this is the definitive fallout as the show shifts its focus anew and begins to tell stories that no one has seen before not even the reader of GRRM's work. As a reader and a viewer, I could not get enough of this season.