

I have many friends who have read the books who swear that the Dorne story is worthwhile in the source material. Sansa's plot also has some issues, and while Sophie Turner gives a very strong performance, her situation grows so oppressively grim that it becomes rather hard to watch.Īnd then there's Dorne. Meanwhile, the writers simply seem to have run out of story for poor Brienne (a potential side-effect of the adaptation process) and her arc involves little more than waiting around for a candle to be lit. Though it eventually boils to a powerful climax ("Shame!"), the Faith Militant narrative can be a bit dull as it develops, and as presented, it's not always easy to buy how effortlessly the religious leaders appear to seize control of the city. Sadly, there are some characters who seem to draw the short straw when it comes to storylines, and certain plot points don't work as well as others (especially in the season's first half). And the latter? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but Tyrion finds himself in some unfamiliar territory, and as worlds finally collide and long gestating storylines finally intersect, the show is allowed to experiment with new cast dynamics - resulting in some of the year's most memorable and amusing scenes. In the past, both storylines have been guilty of slogging along rather slowly, but here the dual narratives pick up some genuine speed, taking each plotline into some exciting new territory, especially in the last few episodes.Īrya and Tyrion's arcs also prove to be season highlights, with the former continuing her distressingly dark yet undeniably riveting path toward becoming a faceless assassin. Living up to the series' literary namesake as the "Song of Ice and Fire," season five's most engaging elements mostly involve the chilly adventures of Jon Snow and the Night's Watch, and the sizzling machinations of Daenerys Targaryen and her increasingly large dragons. And across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) struggles to maintain power as a dangerous insurgency group threatens her rule - potentially spelling doom for the "Mother of Dragons" before she even has a chance to fight for the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and the Night's Watch recover from last season's Wildling attack and prepare for the oncoming army of the dead. Martin's 'A Feast for Crows' and 'A Dance with Dragons,' season five finds the Lannister's control of Westeros in danger as a religious movement called the Faith Militant attempts to seize power in the capital. there might be "Stone Men" lurking on the shore.īased primarily on portions of George R.R. And though the voyage can get a little choppy here and there, the destination is just as thrilling, captivating, and generally awe-inspiring as everything that's come before.
#Digested organics founding year series#
With the series now (mostly) caught up with the books, the writers have been forced to extend beyond the published source material, taking us into some decidedly uncharted waters. And just as the show's characters find their roles changing and evolving, so too does 'Game of Thrones' find itself within an important transitionary period of its own. As the balance of power in Westeros shifts yet again, a queen becomes a prisoner, a little girl becomes a killer, and a young man becomes a leader. Transitions are rarely easy, especially when dragons and undead armies are involved.
