Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.
"A Man Without Honour" continues the consistently high standard of 'Game of Thrones', if not quite one of the best for me. Other previous episodes had scenes that were bigger, bolder and more memorable, something that "A Man Without Honour" is slightly lacking in comparison in. Having said that, the episode's quieter tone, meditative pace and that it was more character and interaction driven and more intimate and less focused on action was appreciated.
It is the characterisation and the character interaction that makes "A Man Without Honour" the great episode that it is and elevates it to a stronger level, although it was already an impeccably well made, written and acted episode. The only missteps are Arya made to look a little foolish and the overlong and not particularly necessary scene between Jaime and Alton.
Otherwise, Maisie Williams and Charles Dance act their scenes beautifully, while the Jon Snow/Ygritte and Daenerys moments and the character of Pyat Pree are Season 2 and show-so-far highlights.
Visually, "A Man Without Honour" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about "A Man Without Honour" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
Direction is superb as is, even more so, the acting with not a single weak link.
In summary, more 'Game of Thrones' greatness. 9/10 Bethany Cox
