About Game of Thrones Season 1 – TV Series

Game of Thrones Season 1

The first season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered on HBO on April 17, 2011, in the U.S. and concluded on June 19, 2011. It consists of ten episodes, each of approximately 55 minutes. The series is based on A Game of Thrones, the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. HBO had ordered a television pilot in November 2008; filming began the following year. However, it was deemed unsatisfactory and later reshot with some roles recast. In March 2010, HBO ordered the first season, which began filming in July 2010, primarily in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with additional filming in Malta.

The story takes place in a fantasy world, primarily upon the continent Westeros, with one storyline occurring on another continent to the east, Essos. Like the novel, the season initially focuses on the family of nobleman Eddard “Ned” Stark, the Warden of the North, who is asked to become the King’s Hand (chief advisor) to his longtime friend, King Robert Baratheon. Ned seeks to find out who murdered his predecessor, Jon Arryn. He uncovers dark secrets about the powerful Lannister family, which includes Robert’s queen, Cersei, that his predecessor died trying to expose. This leads, after Robert’s death, to Ned’s arrest for treason. Ned’s eldest son, Robb, begins a rebellion against the Lannisters. Ned is killed at the order of Cersei’s tyrannical teenage son, King Joffrey Baratheon. Meanwhile, in Essos, the exiled Viserys Targaryen, son of the former king, forces his sister Daenerys to marry a Dothraki warlord in exchange for an army to pursue his claim to the Iron Throne. The season ends with Viserys dead and Daenerys becoming the Mother of Dragons.

Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast, including established actors such as Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Iain Glen, and Peter Dinklage. Newer actors were cast as the younger generation of characters, such as Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Maisie Williams. Critics praised the show’s production values and cast; Dinklage’s portrayal of Tyrion Lannister received specific accolades, as did Bean and Clarke, as well as Ramin Djawadi for music. The first season won two of the thirteen Emmy Awards for which it was nominated: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Dinklage) and Outstanding Main Title Design. It was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. U.S. viewership rose by approximately 33% over the course of the season, from 2.2 million to over 3 million by the finale.

STORY

Episodes 01

“Winter Is Coming”

North of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Night’s Watch soldiers are attacked by supernatural White Walkers. One soldier escapes but is captured at Castle Winterfell. Eddard “Ned” Stark, Warden of the North, executes him for desertion. Later, six orphaned dire wolf pups are found and one given to each Stark sibling, including Ned’s bastard son, Jon Snow. In King’s Landing, the Seven Kingdoms capital, Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, dies suddenly. King Robert Baratheon, Ned’s old friend, travels to Winterfell to recruit Ned and propose a marriage between his heir Joffrey and Ned’s daughter, Sansa. Lysa Arryn, Jon Arryn’s widow, sends her sister (Ned’s wife), Catelyn, a letter claiming the Lannisters, Queen Cersei’s family, murdered Arryn. Catelyn believes the Lannisters are now plotting against King Robert. Ned’s young son, Brandon, climbs a tall tower and witnesses Cersei and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, inside having sex. To hide their incest, Jaime pushes Bran from the high window. Across the Narrow Sea in Essos, exiled Prince Viserys Targaryen forces his sister, Daenerys, to marry the Dothraki warlord, Drogo, in exchange for an army to conquer Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne. The ancient Targaryens once commanded dragons, and Daenerys is given three fossilized dragon eggs as a wedding gift.

Episodes 02

“The Kingsroad”

Ned, the new Hand of the King, travels to King’s Landing accompanied by his daughters, Sansa and Arya. Catelyn remains at Winterfell to care for the still unconscious Bran. An assassin attacks Bran, but Catelyn fends him off and Bran’s direwolf, Summer, kills him. Catelyn suspects the Lannisters were behind the attack. Ned’s illegitimate son, Jon, heads north with his uncle, Benjen Stark, to join the Night’s Watch, the protectors of the Wall, a massive ice structure that keeps the Wildling tribes and the mythical White Walkers from civilized Westeros. Before departing, Jon gave tomboy Arya a thin sword she names, “Needle”. Queen Cersei’s younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf also known as “The Imp”, accompanies Jon to the Wall. Along the Kingsroad on their way towards King’s Landing, Prince Joffrey threatens Arya’s young commoner friend, later having him killed. Nymeria, Arya’s direwolf, defends her, biting Joffrey. Cersei demands that Robert have the wolf killed, but Arya releases Nymeria to the wild. Sansa’s direwolf, Lady, is killed instead. In Winterfell, Brandon awakens, remembering nothing about his fall. Meanwhile, Daenerys is befriended by Ser Jorah Mormont, a disgraced knight, while she focuses on learning how to please Drogo.

Episodes 03

“Lord Snow”

Ned attends the King’s Small Council and learns Westeros has been poorly managed and is deeply in debt. Catelyn travels to King’s Landing to covertly warn her husband about the assassination attempt, but she is intercepted by her childhood friend, Councillor Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish. Bran learns he will never walk again and remains unable to remember the events leading to his fall. Jon struggles to adapt to life on the Wall. The once elite Night’s Watch now recruits many low-born and/or convicted criminals who are unimpressed by Jon’s bloodline. Lord Commander Mormont asks Tyrion to plead with the King to send more recruits to the Night’s Watch. Daenerys, now pregnant, stands up to her brother, Viserys, threatening him if he ever abuses her again.

Episodes 04

“Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things”

While returning to King’s Landing, Tyrion stops at Winterfell where he presents the Starks a saddle design that will allow the paraplegic Bran to ride a horse. Ned secretly investigates Jon Arryn’s death. In the process, he discovers one of King Robert’s illegitimate children, Gendry, an armorer. Robert and his guests attend a tournament honoring Ned, which Ned considers an extravagance. Jon takes measures to protect Samwell Tarly, an awkward and friendless Night’s Watch recruit, from the other Watchmen’s abuse. A frustrated Viserys clashes with his newly-empowered sister. Sansa dreams of one day becoming queen, while Arya envisions a far different future. At a roadside tavern, Catelyn, who is Lord Hoster Tully’s daughter, unexpectedly encounters Tyrion Lannister. She rallies her father’s Riverrun allies to arrest Tyrion for conspiring to murder her son.

Episodes 05

“The Wolf and the Lion”

King Robert’s eunuch spy, Varys, has uncovered that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant. Ned rejects Robert’s plan to assassinate her, considering Daenerys a non-threat. He resigns in protest as Robert’s Hand, angering the king. Catelyn and her prisoner, Tyrion, arrive at her sister Lysa Arryn’s fortress home in the Eyrie. News of Tyrion’s capture reaches King’s Landing where Jaime Lannister, the Queen’s twin brother, demands answers from Ned. A vengeful Jaime orders Ned’s men killed and fights Ned until Jaime’s man stabs Ned in the leg from behind, leaving him wounded.

Episodes 06

“A Golden Crown”

In 1262, Geralt, Jaskier, Yennefer, and a group of monster hunters are invited on a dragon hunt by Borch and his bodyguards along with a band of dwarves. After camping overnight, they find the Reavers have left. On their way, the bridge collapses, and Borch’s group sacrifices themselves to save the rest. Geralt and Yennefer reconcile before finding a dead dragon in its den, guarded by the bodyguards. Borch, revealed as a golden dragon, explains he protected the dragon’s egg as he knew the group wouldn’t harm it. They defend the egg from the Reavers, and Borch rewards the dwarves with dragon teeth. Geralt reveals his third wish to Yennefer, linking their fates together. Feeling that her emotions are insincere, Yennefer ends their relationship and departs. This leaves Geralt angry and hurt, he blames Jaskier for his misfortunes before leaving him.

Episodes 07

“You Win or You Die”

In 1263, with Nilfgaard poised to invade Cintra, Geralt decides to invoke his Law of Surprise and claim Ciri to protect her, but Calanthe, unwilling to give up the last remaining strand of her daughter’s life, offers a different young girl in Ciri’s place. After realising the deception, Geralt confronts Calanthe and is then imprisoned by Eist. After visiting Istredd and failing to reignite their relationship, Yennefer returns to Aretuza with the sorcerer Vilgefortz. When he announces his intention to rally mages to oppose Nilfgaard, she declines. The Brotherhood votes to remain neutral, but Tissaia, Vilgefortz, Triss and other mages resolve to fight. Tissaia convinces Yennefer to join. Nilfgaard invades Cintra, sacking the city and breaching the castle. Calanthe tries to send Ciri away with Geralt, but he has escaped his cell and is nowhere to be found. Ciri fends for herself after escaping Cintra, stealing a horse from a woman who offers her shelter. Later, she is discovered by her old friends who suddenly turn on her, and her powers activate.

Episodes 08

“The Pointy End”

Having escaped from Cintra, Geralt defends a merchant from undead monsters, but is wounded and loses consciousness. Yennefer and the mages reinforce the keep of Sodden Hill, aiming to prevent Nilfgaardian forces from invading the remaining Northern Kingdoms. The Nilfgaardians launch their attack, and a battle starts. Tissaia attempts to talk down Fringilla, but Fringilla disables her. Vilgefortz fights Cahir, but loses and is thrown down a hill. When Vilgefortz wakes up, he kills a Northern sorcerer, revealing himself to be a turncoat. Nilfgaardian soldiers begin to overrun the fort, but Yennefer channels a massive stream of fire, annihilating much of the army before seemingly disappearing. Ciri is awakened by the woman she stole the horse from earlier, and discovers the dead bodies around her. The woman takes her to her farm. Geralt dreams about his mother Visenna, who abandoned him as a child to be made into a witcher, then wakes to find himself on the merchant’s cart. When they arrive at the merchant’s farm, he hears the woman talk to the man about Ciri. He heads into the forest, where Ciri and Geralt finally meet and embrace. She asks Geralt who Yennefer is.

Episodes 09

“Baelor”

The Stark army arrives at the Twins castle; Catelyn persuades Lord Walder Frey to allow them to pass through his land and assist them in exchange for Robb and Arya marrying two of Frey’s many unattractive offspring in the future. At the Wall, Jeor Mormont gives his family Valyrian steel sword to Jon in gratitude; Maester Aemon reveals to Jon that Aemon is a Targaryen. In Essos, Drogo’s wound becomes septic and his death imminent. Daenerys asks a mystic slave woman to use blood magic to save him. The woman tells everyone to remain outside the tent until after the spell is cast. Daenerys goes into labor, and Jorah brings her into the tent seeking aid. Robb sacrifices 2,000 soldiers to fight the Lannister army as a diversion so he can move his army and capture Jaime. In a public hearing, Ned confesses to treason and publicly affirms Joffrey is the rightful heir. However, rather than sparing his life as negotiated, the vengeful and increasingly insane Joffrey has him beheaded, while Sansa, Cersei, and other counselors object futilely. Sansa is forced to watch her father die while Arya is nearby in the crowd.

Episodes 10

“Fire and Blood”

CAST

Sean Bean as Eddard “Ned” Stark
Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister
Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen
Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont
Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen
Kit Harington as Jon Snow
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
Richard Madden as Robb Stark
Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark
Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon
Rory McCann as Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
Aidan Gillen as Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish

PRODUCTION

Development

HBO originally optioned the rights to A Song of Ice and Fire in 2007, at which time David Benioff and D. B. Weiss were identified as the project’s writers and executive producers. The first and second drafts of the pilot script, written by Benioff and Weiss, were submitted in August 2007, and June 2008, respectively. While HBO found both drafts to their liking, a pilot was not ordered until November 2008, with the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike possibly delaying the process.

Benioff and Weiss served as main writers and showrunners for the first season. They contributed eight out of ten episodes, including one co-written with Jane Espenson. The two remaining episodes were written by Bryan Cogman and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin.

Tom McCarthy directed the original pilot, but much of this was later re-shot by Tim Van Patten as the pilot was reworked into the first episode of the complete season. Van Patten also directed the second episode. McCarthy is still credited as a consulting producer for the series’ first episode. Brian Kirk and Daniel Minahan directed three episodes each, and Alan Taylor directed the final two.

Before Game of Thrones both Benioff and Weiss worked in film, and were unfamiliar with working on a television show. This resulted in several first-season episodes being about 10 minutes too short for HBO, forcing them to write another 100 pages of scripts in two weeks. Due to lack of budget the new scenes were designed to be inexpensive to film, such as two actors conversing in one room. Benioff and Weiss noted that some of their favorite scenes from the first season were the results of the dilemma, including one between Robert and Cersei Baratheon discussing their marriage.