Game of Thrones: Season 2 [DVD] [2011] [2013]

Game of Thrones Season 2 takes on the series from the outstanding Season 1, keeping it firmly as the best fantasy show on television and in competition for the best television show of any genre. Season 2 follows on directly from the previous season, building the various factions amid an outstanding world of intrigue, politicking, and battle.What has set Game of Thrones apart is the sheer breadth of ambition. The best of US television shows have been ensemble. Nothing has come close to producing the range of cast assembled here. While one faction does disappear from Season 1 as those who inhabited the Eerie play no role but the addition of more groups just makes this so much more fascinating than traditional television for those with short attention spsns.The factions are largeiy the same as in Season 1. The Lannisters retain control of the capital of Westeros, King's Landing. They are at war with the Starks who are pushing south from Winterfell following the execution of Ned Stark towards the end Season 1. Further north, beyond the wall are the Wildlings and the Knights Watch. Far away but still seeking to return are a faction of Dothraki led by the Targaryen claimaint to the throne of Westeros. New for Season 2 are two different factions of Baratheons angling for the kingship, the wealthy and ambitious Tyrells, and the warlike Iron Islanders.With so many factions it can at times be hard to keep track. That is especially when seemingly important characters turn out not to have a real role. This is particularly the case with the very brief apperance of Lucian Msomati who viewers will recognise from No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency but who only appears in one scene. The arrival of a known actor seemingly heralds someone to follow so it is strange when that character is not referenced again.It can also be a bit confusing when defining features of factions lack distinction. The Tyrells are described as being the richest family in Westeros. As the Lannisters were described in exactly the same way in Season 1 it makes it a bit difficult to follow.Of course the continuing difficulty of the name Westeros which sounds far too much like Wester Ross spoils the suspension of disbelief.Still, Game of Thrones sometimes gets it more right than anything that has come before. This is so amazingly the case in the form of the Iron Islanders. As a group of people living on islands to the west of the mainland and who make their living by raiding they demonstrate such incredible understanding of British history by Americans. The Iron Islands geographically seem to be the Isle of Man but more completely they are of course the representation of both the Kingdom of Mann and the Lordship of the Isles. That they have their own culture and beliefs is such a pitch perfect representation of those two raiding societies with a strong sense of independence from the mainland. Being so close to reality yet being clearly fantasy is such a spectacular success of this season.Other quibbles include accents. The idea of using different British accents to represent different types of people is genious. It is not executed perfectly. The Wildlings for instance should surely not have the same accent as those of Winterfell. The accent of Theon Greyjoy was excellent in Season 1 because it clearly marked him as being from the North but not being of Winterfell stock. It turns out he doesn't have the same accent as all of those from his homeland in Season 2, most particularly his sister which is a bit of a shame. Also, Theon's actions in Winterfell receive scorn from his family yet represent exactly the success they claim to have wanted so it is never clear why his actions should be considered a failure.Those quibbles are minor compared to the scope of excellence. Most particularly what works well is the depth of characterisation on show. So many of these characters are fascinating in their own right. There really are no weak links in either the characterisation or the acting. The leading characters are largely the same as in Season 1 and they remain excellent. Tyrion Lannister in particular is an amazing character. Peter Dinklage's performance is undoubtedly the best ever produced by a dwarf and arguably the most positive representation of a disabled person the television screen has ever bestowed. Tyrion's machinations and his brilliance are delicious. His clever moves to survive as The Hand and to fight off his enemies are just superb because they play so well into the story so far. The intenal feuding within the Lannisters, most particularly between Tyrion and Cersei is great. The moment in which Tyrion displays unbelievable leadership against the threat from Stannis Baratheon and then moments later sees Cersei's defining move is breathtaking. It really does take a couple of reflections from a viewer to grasp the gravity of what transpired. Almost no television shows have produced something quite so mesmerising.Tyrion's foil Cersei is really unlikeable. She is clearly the bad guy in many ways and Lena Headey is so easy to dislike. She's not even likeable during the Extras when she takes part in a roundtable with several other actors and is the only person to try and use scorn to get her point across. The edge Headey has makes her scenes feel sharp, when she pushes Tyrion it feels impactful.The men of the North are a bit less impressive during this Season. Rob Stark and Jon Snow are both gritty, reliable, and honourable. Stark and Snow both grow as people during Season 2, discovering more about the world around them and the people they can be. In Stark's case it is his leadership and the tough choices he has to make. He is a great leader, warm and engaging with his people. He contrasts so much with the unpleasant Joffrey Lannister. Snow loses his innocence in the harsh land beyond the wall, finding the compromises others put up with being too much for him and having his eyes opened to the potential horrors that lie beyond.It is perhaps the second tier of characters that turns Game of Thrones from excellent into amazing. Daenerys Targaryen is a long way from Westeros and her story does not tie in with any of the other characters. The siloed story still works well because it is a reminder of this faction and also builds a sense of potential through the dragons. Not knowing whether they are likely to be a source for good or ill makes them fascinating. The experience of Daenerys in the city of Qarth is at times beautiful. The Qarthaginians have an interesting governance structure as a free trading city, a nice nod to the powrful merchant cities of European history. The magician of Qarth is horribly creepy and the reveal of the source of the wealth owned by Qarth's richest is really well structured. The lack of screen time and twist for Daenerys' assistant Doreah played by the very attractive Roxanne McKee is a disappointment. On the other hand the scene in which Daenerys has to choose between a life of comfort with the light of her life and her ambition is absolutely beautiful.The new factions of Baratheons are very interesting in their difference. Renly is such a sympathetic character and seemingly quite popular with the ladies despite being gay. Perhaps Gethin Anthony has a charm that really works. He is so different to Stannis played by Stephen Dillane. Of all the characters in Thrones, Stannis seems the straightest - he issues not one moment of comedy and hardly any emotional scenes at all. The stoicism his chief assistant Davos in the face of the single-mindedness of Stannis is very moving, aided by Liam Cunningham's outstanding acting. Of the Stannis faction the most eye catching is of course the witch Melisandre, a devastating combination of exceptionally sexy and so very dangerous. For all the flesh on show, Carice van Houten is arguably the most eye catching woman on display.In this reviewer's opinion the most eye catching male chatacter is Jaqen H'Ghar. Like Melisandre he has a very memorable turn of phrase that marks him out as foreign. Jaqen is a relatively minor character but is so very interesting in his own right. The interaction between Jaqen and Arya Stark is terrific. Arya the tomboy is seemingly defined by her companions - her fencing teacher in Season 1 was the source of Arya's characterisation then while Jaqen fills that role in Season 2. As an assassin, Jaqen is a potential cliche but his phraseology and value system are both fascinating.With these and so many other engaging people on display, Thrones Season 2 is really interesting because of their interaction. Like the very best of US television it is mainly about the way those people react to one another and changes in their environment. Still, this is a fantasy show which means visual effects and battles. There are some draw dropping moments in Thrones Season 2 on that front. The naval battle scene with the greek fire followed by the sequence in which The Hound becomes transfixed by a burning man etch their way into a viewer's long-term memory. The use of sorcery by Stannis and Melisandre is disturbing.There are surprisingly few battle sequences in the Season. It is mostly dialogue and actually very little action, just the way a great show should be. Unfortunately the lack of action is supposedly made up for by unnecessary repetitions of sex scenes. It becomes a little boring trying to work out which woman will be naked by the end of an episode. Pretty much all the female characters are on full or partial display which is fine but seems aimed at that less experienced segment of the audience for whom such visions represent something new.The other visual elements are great. The scenery continues to be terrific. The scenery beyond the wall is Iceland and of course it is incredible. Iceland seems to just be one giant film set and it looks great here. The use of Dubrovnik makes a lot of sense as Kings Landing. Malta did a fine job in Season 1 but Dubrovnik is one of the great wonders of the tourist world.The costumes of course are exellent. Whether that be the vivid red for Melisandre, the outstanding warrior garb of The Hound, Joffrey's regal attire, or any of the so many great costumes they really add to the sense of people and place.Musically, Thrones is hard to recall. The main element is the opening sequence where attention is drawn heavily to the map. That map continues to be excellent.The DVD Extras are good, not great. Some of the main players do not really give much. There is not a huge amount from Peter Dinklage for instance. The roundtable discussion is ok. There is extensive coverage of the naval battle which does make sense as it is the main set-piece in the series. Very interesting that battle is not the conclusion of Season 2, and a great piece of directing to avoid that result. There is a brief coverage of the religions but it acts more as a resume of what has already been seen rather than any additional insight.Game of Thrones Season 2 is among the best of US television. It builds on the excellent Season 1 and is arguably better. The factions are riven with more internal dissention, the motivations and machinations of so many different aspirants are fascinating to follow. The acting is uniformly excellent. The pacing and focus on dialogue is terrific with the use of language and witty retorts filling the show with brilliance. Game of Thrones is fantasy but it could easily pass for altenative history, it really is one of the most interesting shows television has generated.

Meanwhile in the kingdom of Westeros...Tyrion Lannister finds himself in the position of the King's right hand man. Unfortunately, the King happens to be Joffrey, a pasty faced teen with a penchant for ripping out tongues and lopping off heads (tsk! That's teenagers today for you!). Plotting against the young king are his half brothers Stannis (aided and abetted by a rather sexy witch) and Renly (he of the gorgeous little beard). Unfortunately, they both want a seat on the throne - who will win the right to assault the city of King's Landing? In the North, Rob Stark is also set to march on the royal city, seeking revenge for his father's death at the hands of Bad King Joff, but why is Robb's best friend Theon looking so shifty? Surely he's not thinking of betraying Robb? Surely not! Even further north, Robb's bastard brother Jon has fallen in with the wildmen of the icy forests, one of whom is a rather fetching and feisty (and surprisingly well-scrubbed) red-haired lass. And across the Narrow Sea, Danerys (yet another pretender to the throne of Westeros), accompanied by her three baby dragons, a crusty, blood-stained old knight-of-the-realm and a rag-tag bunch of murderous, barbarian horsemen, is looking for somewhere to live. Seriously, if they turned up on YOUR road and knocked on YOUR front door, wouldn't YOU hide behind the sofa 'till they went away?And so... the second series of HBO's epic adaptation of George RR Martin's equally epic tale of medieval-fantasy-political-soap-opera-drama, A Song of Fire and Ice. The word "epic" is a horrendous cliche these days, but there is no better subject, no more apt use, than this - ten episodes, each running to forty minutes and that only a seventh part of the expected (anticipated? hoped for?) full set. Martin has delivered five volumes and promises two more and HBO has dedicated a season to each of the first two books. If all goes well (dare I mention the word "Firefly"?) this series will still be running in 2020.Season 2 carries on, as one would expect, where Game of Thrones - Season 1 left off, but appears to have built considerably on its predecessor's foundations; it is no less epic, no less wide ranging, no less ambitious by any stretch of the imagination. The canvas is broad and richly painted, ranging from craggy, arid deserts and warm mediterranean climes to sweeping grasslands, icy tundra and freezing forests. It looks magnificent and the accompanying sets are just as marvellous. Some considerable CGI will have been used to build the vast cities and ruined castles but it has been done so well that, for once, the computers' imaginations don't rule this world.The cast is just as eclectic, with a broad admixture of fresh faces and old hands (playing many new characters and plenty of familiar ones too). The front liners do their job well indeed and there are some brilliant portrayals - my two favourites are Jack Gleeson's wonderfully 3D King Joffrey (he'd make an excellent Bond-baddie) and Peter Dinklage as "The Imp" Tyrion Lannister. The second line cast are rather more variable and it seemed to me that Danerys' handmaidens had all been to the same Hollywood School of Supporting Acting (TM) where they learnt to Act (with a capital "A"). The extras are also a little patchy with plenty of "Third Peasant, Rolling a Wine Barrel" or "Serf 6, Carrying Random Bushel of Straw" plying their thankless and monotonous trade in various castle keeps or military encampments. You can't have it all, I suppose.The plot is a lot easier to follow now. Perhaps the familiarity gained from watching the first series and reading the books (I haven't got past Volume 2 yet) has helped to cement the faces and motives (frequently ulterior) of the bewildering dramatis personae. It is not a simple story, however and a second viewing is almost essential. Despite the demands of a televisualisation, HBO have remained very faithful to Martin's original story - the necessities of editing have trimmed it down quite a lot, but the books and the TV series remain very close in spirit.Season 2 does struggle in terms of continuity. The structure of the book and the big geographical distances between some of the leading characters means that individual events and characters seem disconnected and isolated and in some episodes there are long periods between appearances of some of the main protagnists. The penultimate episode is a good example - the entire ep is (quite correctly) given over to the siege of King's Landing which means that the /last/ episode is basically no more than s breathless 50 minute canter around Westeros and outlying regions, catching up with everyone who wasn't at the siege but was clearly very busy doing other important stuff. This is an extreme example but most of the episodes do struggle (unavoidably) to keep us informed of everything that everyone is doing and some characters do indeed disappear for long periods at a time through out the series.One big deal with the TV series and an aspect that HBO most certainly "beefed-up" is the nudity. There's just as much in S2 than there was in S1 and both are a good deal "saucier" than the books. You can be sure that (with very few exceptions) if a female character is introduced, somewhere along the line you'll get to see her perfectly formed boobs and exquisitely trimmed/waxed thatch. Now as a bloke, I won't complain too much about this, but the amount of shagging (and some rather explotative sexual violence) does render the series out of the reach of the younger viewer who may have read the rather less explicit books. Along with the copious amounts of gore, the 18 Certificate is very well deserved. Note that the series itself is rated 18 but the individual episodes carry their own rating - 15 and 18 - depending on the content. Also note that the 15 rated episodes are still fairly explicit. I've added some additional thoughts in this review's comments section, below.There's a plethora of extras on this five disk set, including commentaries, character bios a couple of mini-documentaries and so-on. Even if the series does falter in later seasons, A Game of Thrones will inevitably remain an ambitious and breathtakingly well-produced piece of TV history. Great value at whatever price.

Muito rápido e boa qualidade

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Will not play in by DVD. Blueray. PS4/&ps3..do not buy..will not read or play..

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DVD dans la lignée du précédent,boitier de qualité,couverture brillante,la saison deux est à la hauteur de la saison une,un régal