Peter Dinklage
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Lena Headey
Emilia Clarke
Kit Harington
Aidan Gillen
Natalie Dormer
Stephen Dillane
Liam Cunningham
Carice van Houten
Indira Varma
Conleth Hill
John Bradley-West
Sophie Turner
Maisie Williams
Alfie Allen
Gwendoline Christie
Tom Wlaschiha
Iwan Rheon
Iain Glen

Created by:
David Benioff
D.B. Weiss

Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
2015
HBO

TV-MA

After the superb and thoroughly exciting finale of the fourth season, the fifth season of HBO’s mega-hit series “Game of Thrones” returns to the subdued. Yet, this time, it’s subdued and consistent. Most of what happens matters … right now, not at some nebulous time in the distant future.

As for this season’s finale, it raised lots of questions. And one question looms the largest: Is dead really dead? As a result, many viewers have not been and will not be happy with that finale. It’s deliberately frustrating. But this is “Game of Thrones,” remember?

The biggest frustration stems from the supposed death of a beloved character. (There were many other deaths of varying degrees, from outright deaths to almost deaths.) At this point, everyone should see this kind of thing coming. But the problem with that, this time, is that the death (if that’s what it is) isn’t straightforward, regardless of what the creators and star have to say. We know that the red priests and PRIESTESSES have the power to resurrect via the Lord of Light, R’hllor. And one of those priests or PRIESTESSES happened to appear at the location of this character’s death just before it happened. So, why should we trust what the creators and star have to say? Plus, George R. R. Martin, author of the book series that spawned this show, has said in the past that dead doesn’t necessarily mean dead in his book series; and we’ve seen that play out in the show, as well.

Another complaint about this season from some people (I don’t know how many of these people are actual viewers of the show) has been in regards to the harsh treatment of female characters: Sansa, Shireen, and Cersei, in particular. But “Game of Thrones” is inspired by the Wars of the Roses, so how do you think women were treated during the 15th century in England? And for that matter, how are they treated today? Plus, the treatment of Sansa, this season, was lightweight for this show; sorry. I know that her story line this season has been a severe departure from the books, but I don’t care. (And I love the books, don’t get me wrong.) The show is the show; the books are the books. Shireen received the worst treatment of all; it was truly horrifying without being sexual in any way. Strangely, many people don’t seem to be as jumped-up about that as they are about Sansa’s treatment. Really? And Cersei … had it coming for sooooo long. She deserves much worse.

Overall, the fifth season of “Game of Thrones” was the best, in my opinion, since its first. Plus, this season marked the return of Jaqen H’ghar, one of the show’s best and most intriguing characters. While this season peaked in episode eight (an episode that rivals the fourth season’s finale as the best episode of the series), it dropped off a bit in the finale, which was two episodes later. Still, there was much less padding in this season. Even the white walkers and the dragons got a chance to come out of hiding and get down to business. I’m actually interested in seeing the next season. (There are so many ways that the next season could go.) That’s something I haven’t been able to say in a long, long time.

Verdict: Almost Very Good

About: (Source: got5)

Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne continues.

It stretches from the south, where heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues, to the vast and savage eastern lands, where a young queen raises an army. All the while, in the frozen north, an 800-foot wall of ice precariously protects the war-ravaged kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men…all play the ‘Game of Thrones.’

An original series based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series. Winter returns to HBO in Spring 2015.