Weekly Game of Thrones – S6 Episode 1

After slapping viewers in the face last season with another huge character death, Game of Thrones returned this week with a relatively uneventful episode, filled with set up for the rest of the season. Spoilers ahead (obviously).

This being the first season to completely overtake the books in nearly every plotline did fuel some speculation that this season would continue a downward trend after the relatively mediocre season five but this episode, at least, was pretty okay, if a bit slow. If nothing else there wasn’t any ‘bad poossy’ level writing at least.

Not shying away from the events of last season, the episode opened where we last left off, with a shot of Kit Harrington’s Jon Snow lying dead in the grounds of Castle Black before being scooted away by Davos. No resolution or progression on that plot thread just yet then.

Moving a little further south to Ramsay freaking out after his wife and buddy ran off together, we see him showing a rare display of emotion at the death of Myranda before sending her body off to feed his dogs. Classic Ramsay.

Theon and Sansa finding Brienne and Podrick was a pretty good scene. As always, it’s a pleasure to see Alfie Allen in this role as well as Pod finally learning to fight. It’s good to see Brienne finally getting to fulfil her oath after a season and a half of hiking around the continent and occasionally getting the shit kicked out of her.

Jamie and Cersei’s reunion was a surprisingly tender affair, clearly Cersei’s shame walk has changed her a great deal. Jamie’s character, on the other hand, has regressed back to his season one arrogance. I mean “Fuck anyone who isn’t us” doesn’t seem like something to come out of the mouth of the changed man that came out of season three.

We then returned to everyone’s favourite storyline – Dorne! I think this scene was intended to be a bit of a classic Game of Thrones wham moment but, honestly, none of the characters are interesting enough for us to care too much when they’re killed, especially when it’s not clear what the effect is going to be, other than more awful Sand Snake scenes.

We then drop into Tyrion and Varys strolling around Meereen, buying babies, listening to Red Priests. Nothing much going on here other than a dick joke and a port fire.

Daenerys’ scene, surprisingly, was the main source of comic relief in the episode with a conversation between two of the Dothraki that could have come out of a Seth Rogen movie and then a Monty Python-esque squabble with Khal Moro and his bloodriders: “Ok, seeing a beautiful woman naked for the first time is among the five best things in life!”

Arya’s training continues, albeit while blinded and homeless. Girl can’t catch a break. On the plus side, eventually she’ll get Daredevil like skills.

Melisandre’s scene at the end proved to be the most intriguing of the episode (and not because of the obligatory HBO toplessness) with her transformation into a withered old woman. Where this leads remains to be seen. I just hope we don’t have to see her get out of bed like that next week.

Ultimately, aside from the events in Dorne and the revelation about Melisandre, the episode didn’t have too much interesting going on, and more just served to remind the viewers of whereabouts in this massive world all the characters are, and giving some ideas about what’s to come.

Game of Thrones is available on HBO GO