'Game of Thrones' Season 2 Review

SPOILER FREE!

Going into the first season of Game of Thrones, I was skeptical. Kings and swords and Dragons are not really my genre of choice. I had seen the previews for the show during Boardwalk Empire and while it looked semi-intriguing, I wasn’t sold on adding another series to my watch list. At the urging of a friend (and all the talk on Twitter) I started watching and was immediately hooked.

Having never read any of the books, my biggest concern about season two was just how well it would hold together without Sean Bean and Jason Momoa. They were both a big part of season one and to me, the most interesting characters. Let me say that those fears were put to rest within the first five minutes of the season premiere. The creators have taken everything that was great about the first season and turned them up to eleven. More intrigue, more suspense, more Tyrion, more, more, more.

The stakes are high, not just for the characters, but also for the show. It was such a ratings and critical success (earning Peter Dinklage an Emmy) that the expectations for the new season are extremely high. After previewing the first few hours of the show I can assure you that the cast and crew are very aware of this and they deliver in spades. Even with the inclusion of new characters, everyone gets their moment. Dinklage’s Tyrion is clearly the star of season 2 as the character comes into his own here amongst a family that is clearly not to be trifled with.

The writers have been able to pull off the daunting task of telling a thoroughly compelling story with a huge cast. It’s amazing to see how the writers balance that size of a cast and each of the intricate plot lines. They keep the pace moving quickly and assuredly.  Each episode will have you on the edge of your seat, wide-eyed and shouting at the screen. This is exactly what I did at the end of episode four. That whimpering in the corner that you hear is me, waiting for April 29^th when I can finally learn what happens next.

Game of Thrones Season 2 premieres on HBO Sunday, April 1st at 9:00 p.m.