Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Directed By: Alik Sakharov
Synopsis: Tyrion learns who really tried to kill him on the Blackwater; Jon Snow climbs the Wall; Robb attempts to make peace with the Freys.
The Verdict: This week on GAME OF THRONES, Joffrey invents the Snuff Film. Well, sort of.
THE CLIMB is in many ways a great episode of THRONES, but there is the niggling feeling after the credits roll that there’s not been much in the way of plot development. If anything, THE CLIMB is aptly named – the plot this week is merely the writers climbing and clambering to get to the meatier story that’s obviously just around the corner. Any other TV show would bore the audience to death if they produced an episode like this, but thankfully the writing (and in particular the dialogue) from Benioff & Weiss is solid enough to keep things moving at a fair lick.
Of particular note this week is Jon and the Wildlings actual physical climb up the Wall, a scene that boasts some great visual effects, as well as the usual solid direction from cinematographer-turned-director Alik Sakharov. It does perhaps go on too long (it is devoid of dialogue for the most part), but the final shot of the episode is worth the heavy focus on the ascent.
Elsewhere though there’s little in the way of getting the ball rolling. Robb convinces Edmure to get married, Samwell sings to Gilly and her newborn, Tyrion has to tell Sansa about their impending nuptials, and Bran sorts out an argument between Osha and Meera. It’s fun to watch, but the distinct lack of revelations or twists that THRONES does so well is a bit of a disappointment. Arya’s story has an intriguing twist, but nothing too major; whilst the reveal that Joffrey was the one who tried to kill Tyrion in BLACKWATER is hardly a massive surprise.
I’m being a bit unfair – every season so far has had an episode with little in the way of incident. This is a merely stopgap episode – setting things up for the final few episodes that will no doubt be full of twists, shocks, reveals, and probably even a death or three. But there’s no denying that THE CLIMB is a bit too slow, when compared to the previous episodes this season.
Best Bit: Theon’s torture at the hands of his mysterious and twisted captor (played to perfection by Iwan Rheon, clearly relishing the opportunity to play a complete psychopath) is gratuitously nasty and extremely tense. It also put this reviewer off playing Guess Who ever again!
R.I.P: For the past few seasons, we THRONES fans have wondered and debated why was Ros (Esme Bianco), the show’s recurring prostitute, ever there, except to occasionally get a boob or two out. Season three saw fit to give her a role within the backstabbing and political maneuvering, only for that role to end with her horrible death this week at the hands of Littlefinger and Joffrey! A real shock moment and actually quite sad.
Best Line(s):
Brynden ‘Blackfish’ Tully: “The laws of my fists are about to compel your teeth.”
Game of Thrones returns next Monday on Sky Atlantic, as does THN’s Game of Thrones Blog!
