Daredevil Season 1 & 2- Review

The man without fear.

For many of us the abysmal 2003 Fox studio adaptation of Marvel's iconic Daredevil is but a forlorn night terror best left to the mental garbage can we collectively threw it in without hesitation. I was just coming out of high school when that vapidly uninspired mess that dared the devil to use those same words came across my eyes. Yes, even in the naivety of my early adulthood I could identify cinematic compost when I saw it, and Fox's Daredevil was certainly no exception. I tossed that sucker out of my skull and into the gutter mere moments after seeing it on home video that year, and seldom have I ever looked back.

It was only with the far superior Director's Cut of the film that I actually saw something that resembled the bold, blind, brawler Daredevil was always meant to be, but for myself and many others, it was too little too late. The damage had been done, and we all lined the chalk around the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. Fox studios had managed to kill one of the best street level superheroes in comic book history (outside of Batman) and there was no sign of him ever getting the routinely expected celluloid resurrection anytime soon.

Twelve whole years would go by in the intermediary since that initial disaster, and I will admit that I approached this new Netflix series with skepticism and hesitation. From my point of view the last time Daredevil was in front of a camera, I was left feeling those creators should have payed me to watch that wreck, so what inclination did I have this would be any different? Thankfully I can say that not only was my inherent skepticism completely proven to be wrong, but this new effort has been perhaps one of the best products the Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced since its very inception. While it isn't perfect in all regards, I will be so bold as to say that this series skirts pretty close to it.

In the aftermath of the Chitauri's invasion of New York City, an unknown/unnamed crime lord has risen to untold amounts of power behind the scenes. Conducting most of his business out of the shadows of Hell's Kitchen, he appears to have all of the local mobs, the cops, the press, and even politicians in his pocket. Wielding so much influence, it seems like nothing or no one can stand in the way of him gaining absolute control of the city. That is until a man wearing a black mask takes to the streets, breaking up the drug and weapons traffic. This man in the mask strikes hard, seemingly without fear, and is apparently dead-set on stopping crimes before they even have a chance to start. Can this vigilante thwart the kingpin of crime, setting right the wrongs, before the soul of Hell's Kitchen is bought and sold?

I almost can't even begin to articulate how happy I am this new Daredevil series doesn't suck. As much as I could simply have faith that Marvel Studios wouldn't screw up this deep into franchising their universe, I do live with a lingering suspicion that there's always the possibility for a flub to happen. Regardless of my own paranoia though, from practically the outset of the first episode, it's obvious that the creators of this show love the characters, and the stories of Daredevil immensely. Fundamentally everything that I could ask for out of a Daredevil series is accounted for, and fully intact. This may very well be the best adaptation the Marvel cinematic universe has at this very moment, and it actually has me wishing that some of Marvel's other characters (Thor) would have gotten the same treatment

Allow me a moment, if you will, to expound upon what I mean when I say that the creators of this show care deeply for all that is Daredevil. Aspects of the comic (that made the comic so damn awesome to read) have been faithfully recreated, and given new-found life here with the Netflix show. Seeing things like Matt Murdock's both physical, and mental struggle of being "The Devil of Hell's Kitchen" is incredibly gratifying as a character arc, that rarely lets up on the intensity. How they incorporate his religious background, his daytime job as a lawyer, and his own anger issues into the dynamic all ring true to the source material. For those who are longtime fans of the Daredevil character, and who may still be on the fence about this show, rest assured when I say that this is the Daredevil we've been craving for the last decade. And Matt Murdock is just the tip of the iceberg here folks. No one (major or side) character ever feels wasted, or underutilized. Everyone here is given more than adequate space to convincingly grow and develop over the course of the show's run-time.

The Daredevil we've all been waiting for is finally here!

It's actually because of that extended length (each episode being an hour long) that Daredevil has one the best paced stories in the Marvel franchise. Nothing ever feels like it takes too long, or goes by too quickly. Major moments throughout the plot feel earned, with no one scene ever feeling out of place or out of nowhere for that matter. Every sequence builds either the characters or the world, so the viewer never feels like the show is wasting time. Once the final credits rolled on the last episode of season one, I felt like I had gone on a night-raid across town that ran me ragged, but in the best way possible. I didn't even binge watch the show either. I paced out the episodes and still felt the drain. This show is intense in all the right places, and every hour invested into the narrative comes back ten fold as it progresses. A gratifying story should always leave you content, but also wanting more.

This holds doubly true in regards to the follow-up second season. Picking up right where the story left off, we're thrown head-first directly back into the fray that is Matt Murdock's insane life. Be it the introduction of the comic series iconic Elektra, or the major cross-over character in The Punisher, season two only builds on the already rock-solid foundation that season one established stupendously. With two phenomenal seasons now firmly planted, I can't even begin to imagine how crazy awesome season three is going to get.

For some, he's the reason we're all here.

Of course none of this wouldn't mean a damn thing if the actors they got for the show were awful. Thankfully that's a problem we don't have to worry about any more. The days of Ben Affleck caliber castings are far behind us now, and I can joyously exclaim Daredeivl's casting here is pitch perfect. Charlie Cox unarguably now stands as the face of the Red Devil as far as I'm concerned, as Cox displays a huge range of emotions, and completely nails the silent fury that bubbles underneath Murdock's usually quiet demeanor. Unlike the original Fox film, the character here possess depth, nuance, and complexity. From practically jump street, Mr. Cox wastes no time in making sure that the audience knows exactly who his character is as a person, and his performance had me truly caring about all of the struggles.

Special mention though must go to none other than Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk a.k.a. The King Pin. I honestly feel like words fail me to describe how awesome this man's performance is. D'Onofrio brings the character of Fisk to life in a such a way that I personally feel this may be the best take on the character ever. Much like how Charlie Cox portrays a silent fury with Murdock, D'Onofrio plays Fisk with a boiling rage that's constantly wrestling to the surface. I think a friend of mine may have actually put it best when he jokingly described Fisk to "being like a Tyrannosaurus Rex in a three piece suit!" It feels like at any moment Fisk could go on the attack, and whoever he gets his hands on is unquestionably dead meat. You can hear the subtle quavering in his voice that some would interpret as being shy or having social anxiety. What they're really hearing is him choking down his unrepentant rage. A rage that makes him a danger to anyone within a hundred yards. It's a fine balance to strike, but D'Onofrio does it with aplomb. He makes Fisk believable, and in a lot of cases throughout the series, likable. That's impressive considering Fisk is supposed to be the villain of the show.

The supporting cast is nothing short of flawless. Daredevil clearly sports one of the best supporting casts to ever be featured in a television show. Even with the two stellar performances of both the show's leading actors, every character who ultimately plays a role within this story (along with the comics) feels like an integral part of plot. From the heavy hitters like Elektra and Punisher, to the more grounded Foggy Nelson and Karen Paige, everyone brings their A-game in front of the camera. I'm sure some would even argue that in some episodes the secondary roles actually outshine the leads by leaps and bounds. Even exceptionally minor characters, like Ben Urich's wife feels like a natural addition to the show that I honestly feel couldn't be removed. Despite some of the actors having comparatively small roles within the overall narrative, it's these character actors that create a palpable sense of motivation and extreme amounts of emotional gravitas.

Cinematography in Daredevil is topnotch, with nary a dip in quality. It's only on the odd occasion that the practical in-camera effects don't quite match up with some of the CGI (mostly due to a limited effects budget during season one) and even then these gaffs are far from some of the more egregious examples I could list in other shows. The inky black shadows of Hell's Kitchen feel rife with tension and suspense, with the borderline painterly four color cacophony of reds, greens, blues, and yellows permeating every shot to give Daredevil a distinct visual style all its own. The modern noir aesthetic the Daredevil comic has utilized for decades has successfully been recreated here. Add to that some (mostly) excellent camera work, and you've got a flat-out trophy winner fans will gush over for ages.

Rock-solid casting all around!

One of the biggest attractions for Daredevil is easily its action scenes. While the Marvel movies may be saddled with a PG-13 rating, on Netflix Daredevil has no such problem. Fights get brutal (with tons of bones being broken) and they get bloody (we're talking blades slicing flesh, gunshots, and one particularly notable incident with a car door) so the squeamish need not apply. Daredevil is unapologetically graphic with its violence, and that's exactly how it should be. Without the restrictions of a definitive rating the show is not only allowed to get creative with it's fight sequences, it never has to hold back from displaying to the audience the hellish underworld the cast inhabits. The long takes on the choreography mark some truly impressive fights, with one battle in a hallway (season one) and a stairwell (season two) standing out a testaments to what Daredevil is capable of. There are modern high-budget action movies that don't hit this hard.

Some of the seams only start to make themselves evident in a few scant moments during two or three of season one's earlier fight scenes. Unfortunately the camera is not always at the best angle to display the action, because there will be times I'm sure you'll be able to clearly tell (just as I did) there is too much distance between the actors for their "hits" to connect. It does break the immersion ever so slightly, but as I said a moment ago, this only happens a small handful of times, and this issue is thankfully entirely gone come season two.

Ironically enough, sound may actually be where Daredevil is at its weakest. While the sound effects are crisp and provide plenty of impact during fights, it's the music that's actually somewhat lackluster to me. Don't get me wrong, it's not that the score is horrible by any extent, it's just somewhat disappointingly forgettable. Composer John Paesano (with help from Braden Kimball) does a serviceable job in creating a score that fundamentally fits the vibe of the show, but falls just short of being truly exceptional. I honestly can't think of one track outside of the opening credits/main theme that left an impression on me. I almost think that if they would've gone for a more film-noir vibe in the music (like having slow jazzy saxophones) there would've been that much more of a punctuation to all of the episodes. Regardless of my personal tastes, it still is a decent enough composition. I just wish there would've been more meat on the bone.

Overall the Daredevil Netflix series delivers where it counts, and judging from its critical reception across the net, everyone agrees with me. Barring a few hiccups in the production, I would honestly claim it currently features some of Marvel Studios best efforts to date. Considering how much this show had going against it (as it had to make up for the sins of the atrocious Fox film in the eyes of fans) this is unequivocally not just better than the Fox film, but one of the best distillations of a super hero mythology available. I think the series creators knew they couldn't just make an okay/decent Daredevil show. They had to make one of the greatest television shows of the last decade in order to make good with the fans. Daredevil currently stands tall as a testament to Marvel's seemingly unending commitment to making faithful adaptations of their comics. Marvel Studios could have so easily slouched on their current success with the cinematic universe, but instead brought the heat when bringing Daredevil back into the fold. Hopefully we can look forward to many more great seasons in the future.

Positive Factors

• This series makes you forget that the abysmal Fox film even exists.
• Faithful recreation of the Daredevil characters and mythology. One of the best adaptations of a super hero to date.
• Amazing casting on the whole. No one feels miscast or useless for that matter.
• Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of Wilson Fisk is reason enough to watch this show.
• Beautifully rendered cinematography encapsulates the grit and grime of Hell's Kitchen.
• Unapologetically violent action scenes that are as awesome to watch as they are brutal.

Negative Factors

• A few times the practical effects don't blend well with the CGI.
• At only a few points does the camera angles show gaps in the choreography.
• The score is somewhat forgettable barring the main theme.

Final Rating: !!!AWESOMESAUCE!!!

Game of Thrones: Season 1- Review

"When you play a game of thrones you win or you die."

Over the course of the last decade I've felt that modern live-action television has simply failed to grab or hold my attention for very long, if ever. Either the concept of the shows were not that appealing to me, had lousy production values, or suffered an untimely cancellation once it finally started getting into rhythm. TV programming that managed to persist on though was trite reality-shows, painfully mediocre sitcoms, or franchises that had long outlived their welcome in my eyes. It seemed to me that almost all the creativity and vision that once made the format so great had apparently died with the coming of the new millennium.

Granted, there were some excellent shows that came across the air-waves from time to time (such as Firefly, or Deadwood) but nothing that I would say consistently garnered my interest over an extended period. I had almost given up hope on seeing the show that would manage to fill the gaping void in my nerd-heart. Then came Game of Thrones...

I will admit that I've come fairly late to the Game of Thrones party as it were. It wasn't until around March of 2012 (one year after the show's premier) that I had finally gotten around to watching what so many had been talking about both online and offline. Praises of the highest caliber were laid upon this work, with some critics going so far as to tout it as one of the greatest television shows ever made. In all honesty I can't even begin to articulate how much I agree, and how much I adore this show!

There is little personal knowledge I have in way of the novel series it is based upon (so frankly I don't know how accurate the show is or isn't to its source material) but in no way do I think it hindered my ability to enjoy the story at large. It felt as if the series' writers David Benioff (Troy) and D. B. Weiss (Lucky Wander Boy) were reaching right into my mind and bringing forth the mature, hard-edge, intellectual, fantasy series that I had always been dreaming about. Epic is a term that I think has been tossed around a bit too much in the modern day, but it is the only word I could think of if I had to sum up Game of Thrones in a single word. Without a doubt Game of Thrones has quickly become one of my current favorite television shows, and if it can keep up the performance, could perhaps be one of my all-time favorites!

"Winter is coming..."

Based on the epic fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones chronicles the violent dynastic conflicts of a post-magical medieval world. Creatures such as Dragons, and the dangerous undead known as White Walkers have long since been absent from civilization, becoming that of myth, along with the very notion of magic itself. Seasons last up to several years at a time (particularly summers and winters lasting the longest) with the story beginning at the end of a fairly lengthy ten year summer. The nobility of the Seven Kingdoms on the continent of Westeros are fighting a silent, bloody, and cruel battle for control of one thing; the Iron Throne. Forged from hundreds of swords, the one who sits on the Iron Throne holds outstanding political power over all of Westeros. At the same time the threat of an ancient magical evil begins forming past The Wall in the Northern lands that could stand to destroy everyone if it is unleashed. While across the sea in the neighboring continent of Essos, the last scion of a thought-to-be-dead dynasty has begun leveling their sights onto the Iron Throne, amassing powerful forces as well.

To be frank, there is much more to Game of Thrones than the painfully brief synopsis I just wrote, but I wish not spoil it for those who've yet to be exposed. All I will say is that this isn't a show about good vs. evil. This is a show that taps into the deeper aspects of the human condition, putting them on display for all the audience to see. A tale built around the rhetorical nature/concepts of things such as honor, love, loyalty, and power itself. Numerous characters (all with differing complex personalities, perspectives, and motives) paint such an elaborately beautiful, yet melancholic image of humanity that one must simply witness it to understand it. With an almost insane number of named characters, not one comes off as a truly heroic paragon of purity, nor as an entirely villainous avatar of evil. They are just people, and it is we the viewers who are left to make the decision of which ones are justified in their actions.

The gritty and yet very subtle approach taken towards the cast's portrayal paid off too, as I've found myself torn between characters several times, wondering which one I should be rooting for. The depth and complexity of everyone in the plot has, impressively enough, rendered me profoundly attached to a large portion of the characters. It is not very often when a show has practically left me dumbfounded on which characters I would say are actually my favorite. Fundamentally almost every character in Game of Thrones is interesting in one way or another, with their own respective developmental arcs practically being good enough to be full-length mini-series in their own rights. The writing is so solid on dialogue exchanges essentially every conversation has some great, instantly quotable line. It has been all sorts of incredibly stimulating fun for me to just go through the show and see how my perspective and opinion changed towards the characters as they grew. With such a subjective aspect in place for the narrative though, any further description into Game of Throne's finer details would only be a disservice to those who've yet to get the experience.

None of these feelings would be possible either had it not been for Game of Throne's stellar casting. The actors certainly delivered when it came to manifesting the immensely crucial human elements required to make this show work on screen. Within the first few minutes of starting I was immediately engaged by the spectacular performances that were brought in front of the camera. At no point did I see any of the actors as someone there just filling a role, regardless of how minor their part may seem. With a literal all-star cast, everyone embodied their characters to the utmost degree, which allowed me to become even more engrossed in the character conflicts.

"Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities."

Despite my love for the entire ensemble, I feel special mention must go to Peter Dinklage for his role of Tyrion Lannister. Perhaps the closest character I have to a favorite here, it was Mr. Dinklage's strong captivating performance throughout the entirety of season one that endeared him so much to me. Seeing the enormous range of emotional breadth that Dinklage injects into Tyrion truly is something to behold, and the awards that he has received for his work are certainly well earned.  While I do feel that all the other actors do a superb job with their characters, they all still fundamentally fall into some kind of basic archetype befitting a story such as this. Dinklage though is simply sublime with his portrayal of Tyrion. Seeing how quickly the character can build into a new emotional state, all while making it look/feel natural, puts him in a league all of his own, with everyone else fighting for second. Tyrion Lannister is (as far as I'm concerned) perhaps one of the most nuanced, complex, and three dimensionally humanized characters in Game of Thrones; if not the last ten years on television.

Without going into too much character detail Tyrion is the dejected son of the noble Lannister clan, regarded by his relatives as nothing more than the embarrassing, whoring, and drunkard blemish to the family name. In actuality Tyrion is an incredibly clever and resourceful man who (due to his lack of physical size) has had to rely almost entirely upon his status/knowledge/wit/charisma to survive. A lesser man would probably have been long dead, but his ability to speak/appeal to other individual's humanity (for better or for worse) has permitted him to thrive in the harsh political climate of Westeros. Watching Tyrion's development from the show's premiere to its finale was one of the most compelling aspects to season one for me.

While the world of Games of Thrones is an amazing (and very interesting) backdrop for all of the events taking place, it really is nice to see that the characters are the ones always at the center stage keeping viewers coming back for more. Granted, I do think of a story's environment as the silent unnamed character, but it should be the main cast that hold the the focus for most of the story's duration. Through the use of careful hands, the world of Game of Thrones is steadily revealed to the audience, with every location feeling like it has some degree of a storied history etched into its walls. At no point did I feel that the development of the setting distracted from any the current events unfolding in the plot. The pace at which the reveals about the setting are done with a steady and digestible influx of information making things feel more alive because of it. There have been very few shows I've seen that have managed to pull off this technique as well as Game of Thrones has done. All too often I have seen fantasy and sci-fi properties get so wrapped up in the creation of their worlds that it seemed like the characters were merely playing second fiddle to their own story.

Almost no expense was spared for Game of Throne's obviously large production values. This is easily one of the best looking live action television series that I think I've ever seen, and kudos goes to the staff and artists for making it real. The comparisons to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy that have been made by critics are not unfounded, as Game of Thrones could certainly stand to be mistaken at a glance for actually being a movie. There are some minor visual short-cuts that are taken due to it being a television program, but even still Game of Thrones could potentially stand against even some of the higher budgeted films out there today. The combination of practical effects, studio sets, and on-location filming have all coalesced into what is a fairly grounded show in the realm of plausible reality. Green screen/digital effects are used sparingly, only being done for when they're crucial to maintaining the show's illusions, or when they simply can't be rendered practically. Many of the sprawling vistas displayed actually exist, while large set pieces like The Wall were built with great attention to detail. Costume work is top-notch with evocative and iconic designs that seamlessly gel with one another. Armor work is perhaps were costuming shines the most with characters being depicted wearing realistic, but still very appealing looking plated armor.

Game of Thrones is filled with shots like this.

Cinematography for the show set the bar high, with excellent camera work and lighting consistent throughout the entirety of season one. Shots are lined up with steady and long focused takes, allowing the audience to really soak in all the drama. A strong emphasis was placed on color and shadows to help better create the atmosphere of the the differing locales to a masterful effect. Areas such as King's Landing have large swaths of vibrant/warm color palettes, creating a sense of richness and awe. While the northern kingdom of Winterfell, with its muted colors and greys makes it not only look cold, but almost feel cold. Taking all of these factors into account, Game of Thrones creates a massively tangible world that is easy for viewers to believe in, while still different enough from our own so that we can accept the more fantastical elements when they begin to show up.

For all of my praise, Game of Thrones is not without its faults, as nothing in life is perfect. Despite its very sizable budget it is still a TV show, and thus is limited in what it can and cannot show to the audience. As a quick example near the end of the season a large battle between two armies looms on the horizon, with much time going into developing how massive and brutal the coming fight will be. Characters that I've come to know and care for by this point are about to clash head-on, with death seeming almost imminent for some of them Then right as it is about to start the show cuts away to another scene with other characters not associated with the fight, only coming back to the battle after it is done. Now I do understand why a decision like this has to be made, as war scenes are not exactly inexpensive to do. It conserves production costs to ensure that the creators can continue to finance the show, and it is a very common practice to do this sort of thing in film. Still for me, it is a tad annoying to have such a dedicated amount of time used to build up a fight we don't even get to see.

"I am the mother of dragons."

The only grace to this flaw is that Game of Thrones is not necessarily a story about huge war scenes, but rather the events that take place between them. The moments leading into the battle as well as after are still emotional, intense, and (ironically enough) gratifying, even if it is just talking. This is a character driven drama first and foremost, so those looking for high-octane action in every episode may want to look elsewhere. That isn't to say that the show doesn't have violence. In fact, it has it in spades! There are several sequences where people take swords and shields to the body with very nasty results. None of it is done to an egregious effect, but if you're squeamish at the sight of gore this show likely isn't for you, There is also quite a bit of sex/nudity on display, but again none of it is done in poor taste. The sexual content is more so used (much like the violence) as a means to further the image of the world the characters inhabit, more than it is to titillate viewers. Still, some do see it as nothing more than Lord of the Rings with boobs, and I can't say that they're entirely wrong in that perception. There are times when it almost seems like the show relishes in its adult flavor.

Being first in what is slated to be (hopefully) lasting several seasons also means that there were characters that tragically did not get much focus this installment. In my opinion I don't exactly consider this a flaw, but I do understand how it can be a slight downer to see a character you like get little in the way of development. So some of the fan favorite characters don't get their time to shine until later episodes in later seasons. For what is done in the first season I can say that the makers did an excellent job establishing most of the cast for future stories. If some of them can live that long, as Game of Thrones has a plot that is rather unforgiving. The fan-made slogan of "Anyone can die." means that every character is fundamentally in the lottery for possibly being killed. I do understand how for some this can be a flaw too, as it can be hard for one to invest themselves with characters that may be mere seconds away from death. Though I honestly think it makes things feel all the more real. 

Special mention must go the absolutely amazing title sequence. This is perhaps one of the coolest openers I've seen for a show in quite some time, and I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to opening credits. I feel that in many ways a show's elevator-speech/pitch to get new viewers is in fact their opening credits. The need to get across key components of the show as quickly as possible and generate enough interest to keep viewers from changing the channel is essential. Of course once the show has you, the intro serves just as well to get already established viewers excited for the current episode. For Game of Thrones, composer Ramin Djawadi crafted an incredibly somber/tone setting (yet surprisingly catchy) main theme, coupled with jaw-droppingly beautiful visuals. Yes I will concede that the argument can be made that the opening sequence does nothing more than show off a CG map... But it is one hell of an elaborate CG map! We get to see tiny mechanical versions of all the different locations throughout the story literally build up, and it gives off a strong sense of scale and majesty for every episode that is about to start. It is hard to describe in text, so all I can really say is that you've got to see it for yourself. The rest of the show's soundtrack is equally as good to the opener, with the closing tunes being some of the standout pieces.

It is also interesting to note that George R. R. Martin was approached at one point in the past about having A Song of Ice and Fire adapted into a film trilogy. As cool as this sounds, I'm actually glad that Mr. Martin turned down the offer, and instead chose to go for an uncensored HBO television series. To my understanding by fans who've read the novels, and even by Martin's own words himself, this story is simply too big for a film trilogy. The continuous nature of the narrative relies on consistently lengthy installments that allow the characters and the plot to breath and move at a smooth pace. Had this tale been adapted as a movie, then several aspects that are key to making the story work would either have to be compromised or cut all together. The more adult content would have more than likely been removed so as to make the product more marketable to a wider audience, and a good portion of the cast would get reduced roles. While some may feel that this would have distilled the novels down into a more digestible form, after seeing how good this show has been, I can't help but feel that a film trilogy would have ended up just being a gamble at best.
 

"Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it."

All in all I can't sing my praises of this show enough. Barring one or two factors, this series (so far) is fundamentally perfect. The creators set out make a dark, mature, and intensely character driven fantasy series. We got exactly that! Any negatives that I could think to level against Game of Thrones is either a matter of personal tastes, or just out right negligible. The characters are deep, the story is engaging, the production is top notch, and each episode runs at a gratifying one hour length. In closing all I can really say is that if you're of age to watch Game of Thrones, and this review has gotten you interested, then you need to do it... Like right now! Seriously! Seasons one and two are out on DVD/Blu-Ray right now! This show is worth its weight in gold, and is one of the only series out there that I've seen as being totally worth its hype. It is not often that we get a show of this caliber on television, let alone one with such an uncompromising vision. So any support given only furthers to show networks out there that we viewers want more quality programming like this!

Positive Factors

• Deep, thought provoking, and engrossing characters/plot.
• Instantly quotable conversations.
• Stellar performances from practically every actor in the show!
• Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Enough said.
• Setting is very lively without overcoming the focus of the story.
• Top-notch production values on pretty much everything. This could hold up easily against most movies.
• Adult content (sex/violence) is handled with a great deal of tact and grace, only adding to the flavor of the show.
• A character dying doesn't feel done for shock value. Knowing anyone can die makes for more intense scenes.
• Jaw-dropping, and absolutely beautiful opening sequence.
• Solid soundtrack with episode closers being exceptionally good.
• Excellent pacing brought on by the very gratifying one hour long episodes.

Negative Factors

• It sucks to have all that build up for a war scene we don't get to see.
• Adult content may turn off some viewers. Could be seen as just Lord of the Rings with more blood and boobs!
• Your favorite characters may not get a lot of screen time, or may even die, whichever one comes first.

Final Rating: !!!AWESOMESAUCE!!!