Rewatched seasons 1 to 5 anyway in the lead up to season 6.
Season 1 (22 July). A reminder of how neatly everything is set up, with a lot of what's to come foreshadowed not just in this first season but in fact in the very first episodes. And, in fact, what a tightly put together season of storytelling it is.
Season 2 (21 August). Rewatching this goes in layers: previous book reads, previous tv season watching, and the experiences of all of the above, all in the background to the immediate re-encounter. Season 2 occasionally feels spread just a touch too thin even though it has the convergence of several major characters on King's Landing as its spine, but it's noticeable how it lays out both history and depth of its characters as it goes, while also showing the choices that they make which will later prove fatal whether literally or otherwise (Theon, Robb).
Season 3 (10 December). On first pass, I think when I watched this season I might not have been fully focused on it; on this go around I also felt that the episodes themselves were perhaps just a bit too scattered, but that's probably inherent in the show's design and particularly the number of characters and how widely flung they are (Derrick asked me who my favourite was; answer: Arya). The Tyrells become more prominent, we meet the wildlings, bad things are done by erstwhile Stark allies (and by plenty of others), Theon's torture really gets to be a bit much (although it does allow for a few minutes of uprush at the end when Yara comes across all heroic), all the killing at the end of the 'red wedding' still hits home, I realised that Davos's decision to save Gendry is maybe responsible for Stannis's later and even worse choice (and we see a bit of poor doomed Shireen), and a whole lot of other characters who'll endure through to at least season 5 (which is as far as I've seen as yet) go through an awful lot: Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion, Sansa, Jon, Sam, Brienne, with Petyr Baelish and Dany for the time being seemingly ascendant and Bran an apparent wildcard. Power and family are equally important themes, along with the morally arbitrary way in which anything can happen to anyone.
Season 4 (17 December). In a show full of brutal shocks, Oberyn's death is right up there - not only because he's such an enjoyable character, but because it happens right when it seems he's on the verge of actually exacting justice (which would be pretty much unique in the show so far). Also worthy of note: the way that the slipping of the Lannisters' grip on power is precipitated by the four main family members themselves - even Tywin - and their relationships with each other (once Joffrey has been removed from the frame); the way that Cersei continues to be given moments that make her, if not quite sympathetic, at least at times an understandable figure deserving of sympathy; Sansa's seemingly beginning to come into her own; episode 9 as the wildlings storm the Wall and Jon takes unofficial command; Dany beginning to bog down; multiple encounters between previously separated characters on their various travels; the relationship between Arya and the Hound (and the optimistic final scene of the season, as Arya sails away to Braavos).
Season 5 (30 December). A few things here. It's so baked in that you don't even notice how thoroughly the character archetypes (as opposed to the narrative expectations) are being undermined until you pay attention: beautiful queens, heroic knights, noble lords, evil dwarves. The dragons get very big during this season and you remember that maybe they're at the heart of this whole thing. Myrcella looks like an actual fairytale princess until she succumbs as part of the carnage of the final episode. The Sand Snakes are unconvincing - a low point in the characterisations of the show. Cersei gets her moment and is not as subtle as she thinks; the Tyrells are brought low; Stannis loses it all (so what of Melisandre?); the Boltons are proving maybe the purest manifestation of the cruelty of the will to power. A remarkable number of Stark children are still alive. Tyrion (and Peter Dinklage) is really magnificent - great in his own right and no matter who he is playing against (Varys, Jorah, Dany).
(previously - seasons 1 (and again), 2, 3, 4 and 5)
* * *
Season 6 (5 January). Starts fast and strong, immediately going to the aftermath of all the major developments and cliffhangers from the ending of the previous season and producing an effectively creepy reveal at the end of opening episode "The Red Woman". And the rest of the season mixes episodes and passages moving at a similar pace as the key characters increasingly converge or are put on a path to convergence and a whole lot of loose ends are tied up including seemingly every major character or group who's previously been introduced returning as the pieces begin to move into place for the beginning of the endgame, with episodes and sections that are more about scene-setting and exposition (but with a similar aim of gathering things together for the impending series climax).
Along the way, it can almost feel - at once satisfyingly and (given the tenor of the show to date) concerningly - like heroes and villains are emerging, with the latter getting their just deserts.
The last two episodes are absolutely packed: first you get the feel-good in Meereen, with Dany (definitely in the hero camp for now, as she has been all series) beating the slavers and then teaming up with Yara (less prominent but also clearly 'good' for now in the sense that you see her care for other people and want to do the right thing) and therefore teamed up with Tyrion (another 'good' character pretty much from the get go somehow despite killing both his lover and his father in quick succession a couple of seasons back), Varys (good by default because principled and trying to serve the realm) and Theon (presumably now redeemed despite the villainous doings in sacking Winterfell, killing innocent children, etc), then there's the ugliness of the Battle of the Bastards (preceded by the dispatching of Rickon) which still is the end of Ramsay, followed by the feel-bad in Kings Landing with the unexpected - but, in retrospect, maybe entirely consistently escalatory and direct - turn of Cersei blowing up the Sept and with it Margaery (I'll miss her) not to mention Loras, Mace, Lancel and the High Sparrow (with Pycelle also removed) and then Tommen's departure leaving her on the throne.
So you've got Cersei in Kings Landing surrounded by her supporters, with the unknown that is Jaime and his relationship with her. And you've got Jon, acclaimed as the new King in the North, and Sansa (reunited in another feel-good moment that does feel earned given how long all the Starks have been separated ... although the unknown of the relationship between them) in Winterfell, together with Davos and the ever unknown quantity that is Littlefinger. And, finally, Dany is on her way, with the supporters she's garnered (see above) plus seemingly the Martells and what remains of the Tyrells.
There are still plenty of others at large, but increasingly they seem on a trajectory to collision or resolution. Bran and his history-filling flashbacks (which actually work well) is now full of knowledge plus there was the sudden action with the Night King - not to mention the pathos of Hodor - and it seems like he's headed for the fray. The Brotherhood without Banners is seemingly heading north, Sandor Clegane probably with them. The Red Woman might be heading their way. And Arya does away with Walder Frey and is also heading back towards the main action. Elsewhere, the Knights of the Vale have finally been activated, and the Tullys at Riverrun (with Edmure) may be back in the game. Plus Brienne and Jorah, and it's unclear what's become of Euron ... and Gendry?
Despite the absurdity of the number of characters there, it feels comfortingly like everything is being moved into configuration giving the show every chance to stick the landing.
Season 1 (22 July). A reminder of how neatly everything is set up, with a lot of what's to come foreshadowed not just in this first season but in fact in the very first episodes. And, in fact, what a tightly put together season of storytelling it is.
Season 2 (21 August). Rewatching this goes in layers: previous book reads, previous tv season watching, and the experiences of all of the above, all in the background to the immediate re-encounter. Season 2 occasionally feels spread just a touch too thin even though it has the convergence of several major characters on King's Landing as its spine, but it's noticeable how it lays out both history and depth of its characters as it goes, while also showing the choices that they make which will later prove fatal whether literally or otherwise (Theon, Robb).
Season 3 (10 December). On first pass, I think when I watched this season I might not have been fully focused on it; on this go around I also felt that the episodes themselves were perhaps just a bit too scattered, but that's probably inherent in the show's design and particularly the number of characters and how widely flung they are (Derrick asked me who my favourite was; answer: Arya). The Tyrells become more prominent, we meet the wildlings, bad things are done by erstwhile Stark allies (and by plenty of others), Theon's torture really gets to be a bit much (although it does allow for a few minutes of uprush at the end when Yara comes across all heroic), all the killing at the end of the 'red wedding' still hits home, I realised that Davos's decision to save Gendry is maybe responsible for Stannis's later and even worse choice (and we see a bit of poor doomed Shireen), and a whole lot of other characters who'll endure through to at least season 5 (which is as far as I've seen as yet) go through an awful lot: Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion, Sansa, Jon, Sam, Brienne, with Petyr Baelish and Dany for the time being seemingly ascendant and Bran an apparent wildcard. Power and family are equally important themes, along with the morally arbitrary way in which anything can happen to anyone.
Season 4 (17 December). In a show full of brutal shocks, Oberyn's death is right up there - not only because he's such an enjoyable character, but because it happens right when it seems he's on the verge of actually exacting justice (which would be pretty much unique in the show so far). Also worthy of note: the way that the slipping of the Lannisters' grip on power is precipitated by the four main family members themselves - even Tywin - and their relationships with each other (once Joffrey has been removed from the frame); the way that Cersei continues to be given moments that make her, if not quite sympathetic, at least at times an understandable figure deserving of sympathy; Sansa's seemingly beginning to come into her own; episode 9 as the wildlings storm the Wall and Jon takes unofficial command; Dany beginning to bog down; multiple encounters between previously separated characters on their various travels; the relationship between Arya and the Hound (and the optimistic final scene of the season, as Arya sails away to Braavos).
Season 5 (30 December). A few things here. It's so baked in that you don't even notice how thoroughly the character archetypes (as opposed to the narrative expectations) are being undermined until you pay attention: beautiful queens, heroic knights, noble lords, evil dwarves. The dragons get very big during this season and you remember that maybe they're at the heart of this whole thing. Myrcella looks like an actual fairytale princess until she succumbs as part of the carnage of the final episode. The Sand Snakes are unconvincing - a low point in the characterisations of the show. Cersei gets her moment and is not as subtle as she thinks; the Tyrells are brought low; Stannis loses it all (so what of Melisandre?); the Boltons are proving maybe the purest manifestation of the cruelty of the will to power. A remarkable number of Stark children are still alive. Tyrion (and Peter Dinklage) is really magnificent - great in his own right and no matter who he is playing against (Varys, Jorah, Dany).
(previously - seasons 1 (and again), 2, 3, 4 and 5)
* * *
Season 6 (5 January). Starts fast and strong, immediately going to the aftermath of all the major developments and cliffhangers from the ending of the previous season and producing an effectively creepy reveal at the end of opening episode "The Red Woman". And the rest of the season mixes episodes and passages moving at a similar pace as the key characters increasingly converge or are put on a path to convergence and a whole lot of loose ends are tied up including seemingly every major character or group who's previously been introduced returning as the pieces begin to move into place for the beginning of the endgame, with episodes and sections that are more about scene-setting and exposition (but with a similar aim of gathering things together for the impending series climax).
Along the way, it can almost feel - at once satisfyingly and (given the tenor of the show to date) concerningly - like heroes and villains are emerging, with the latter getting their just deserts.
The last two episodes are absolutely packed: first you get the feel-good in Meereen, with Dany (definitely in the hero camp for now, as she has been all series) beating the slavers and then teaming up with Yara (less prominent but also clearly 'good' for now in the sense that you see her care for other people and want to do the right thing) and therefore teamed up with Tyrion (another 'good' character pretty much from the get go somehow despite killing both his lover and his father in quick succession a couple of seasons back), Varys (good by default because principled and trying to serve the realm) and Theon (presumably now redeemed despite the villainous doings in sacking Winterfell, killing innocent children, etc), then there's the ugliness of the Battle of the Bastards (preceded by the dispatching of Rickon) which still is the end of Ramsay, followed by the feel-bad in Kings Landing with the unexpected - but, in retrospect, maybe entirely consistently escalatory and direct - turn of Cersei blowing up the Sept and with it Margaery (I'll miss her) not to mention Loras, Mace, Lancel and the High Sparrow (with Pycelle also removed) and then Tommen's departure leaving her on the throne.
So you've got Cersei in Kings Landing surrounded by her supporters, with the unknown that is Jaime and his relationship with her. And you've got Jon, acclaimed as the new King in the North, and Sansa (reunited in another feel-good moment that does feel earned given how long all the Starks have been separated ... although the unknown of the relationship between them) in Winterfell, together with Davos and the ever unknown quantity that is Littlefinger. And, finally, Dany is on her way, with the supporters she's garnered (see above) plus seemingly the Martells and what remains of the Tyrells.
There are still plenty of others at large, but increasingly they seem on a trajectory to collision or resolution. Bran and his history-filling flashbacks (which actually work well) is now full of knowledge plus there was the sudden action with the Night King - not to mention the pathos of Hodor - and it seems like he's headed for the fray. The Brotherhood without Banners is seemingly heading north, Sandor Clegane probably with them. The Red Woman might be heading their way. And Arya does away with Walder Frey and is also heading back towards the main action. Elsewhere, the Knights of the Vale have finally been activated, and the Tullys at Riverrun (with Edmure) may be back in the game. Plus Brienne and Jorah, and it's unclear what's become of Euron ... and Gendry?
Despite the absurdity of the number of characters there, it feels comfortingly like everything is being moved into configuration giving the show every chance to stick the landing.
