Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.
Loved the previous two episodes, loved "Walk of Punishment" even more. There may be bigger and more epic episodes, but it is nonetheless as thrilling as the episodes that are those things and there is some boldness in "Walk of Punishment". Especially in the truly shocking final moments. Even when you know it's coming when it's spoiled for you before watching the episode, it is one of the most harrowing endings of the earlier seasons.
My only real issue with "Walk of Punishment" is that the Arya and Hot Pie didn't interest me as much as everything else in the episode, some of it felt somewhat clumsy and didn't add very much.
However, all the acting is great with the top honours going to the ever brilliant Peter Dinklage (who has yet to put a foot wrong) and a searingly intense Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. For a first-time directing job, this is a seriously impressive effort, what is so good about 'Game of Thrones' is a long way from diminished here.
Visually, "Walk of Punishment" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about "Walk of Punishment" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
All in all, great episode if not quite a masterpiece. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Loved the previous two episodes, loved "Walk of Punishment" even more. There may be bigger and more epic episodes, but it is nonetheless as thrilling as the episodes that are those things and there is some boldness in "Walk of Punishment". Especially in the truly shocking final moments. Even when you know it's coming when it's spoiled for you before watching the episode, it is one of the most harrowing endings of the earlier seasons.
My only real issue with "Walk of Punishment" is that the Arya and Hot Pie didn't interest me as much as everything else in the episode, some of it felt somewhat clumsy and didn't add very much.
However, all the acting is great with the top honours going to the ever brilliant Peter Dinklage (who has yet to put a foot wrong) and a searingly intense Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. For a first-time directing job, this is a seriously impressive effort, what is so good about 'Game of Thrones' is a long way from diminished here.
Visually, "Walk of Punishment" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about "Walk of Punishment" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
All in all, great episode if not quite a masterpiece. 9/10 Bethany Cox