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.
"The Wars to Come", "The House of Black and White" and "High Sparrow" were very good to great previous episodes from Season 5. "Sons of the Harpy" manages to be even better than them, while not one of my favourite 'Game of Thrones' episodes or one of the show's magnum opuses, it was with this episode where Season 5 started to properly settle.
While there is evidence of the quieter and intricate tone seen in the previous three episodes, "Sons of the Harpy" balances that and brilliantly with brutally bold action, insightful characterisation and development (the one possible exception being Sansa, who the episode could have done more with), surprising twists and revelations and drama that feels intense and emotional. Of the four episodes, it is with "Sons of the Harpy" where it felt the most like the storytelling and characterisation were evolving and moving forward.
'Game of Thrones' has never failed to deliver on the acting. "Sons of the Harpy" doesn't disappoint in that regard with strong performances across the board, regardless of any reservations with Sansa it to me doesn't lie with Sophie Turner but merely that the character pales in comparison to stronger characters that have had more development and exposure.
Visually, "Sons of the Harpy" looks amazing, as one would expect for 'Game of Thrones'. 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 "Sons of the Harpy" 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. The story is still riveting, with plenty of passion and sensitivity.
Summing up, excellent episode if not quite one of my favourites. 9/10 Bethany Cox
"The Wars to Come", "The House of Black and White" and "High Sparrow" were very good to great previous episodes from Season 5. "Sons of the Harpy" manages to be even better than them, while not one of my favourite 'Game of Thrones' episodes or one of the show's magnum opuses, it was with this episode where Season 5 started to properly settle.
While there is evidence of the quieter and intricate tone seen in the previous three episodes, "Sons of the Harpy" balances that and brilliantly with brutally bold action, insightful characterisation and development (the one possible exception being Sansa, who the episode could have done more with), surprising twists and revelations and drama that feels intense and emotional. Of the four episodes, it is with "Sons of the Harpy" where it felt the most like the storytelling and characterisation were evolving and moving forward.
'Game of Thrones' has never failed to deliver on the acting. "Sons of the Harpy" doesn't disappoint in that regard with strong performances across the board, regardless of any reservations with Sansa it to me doesn't lie with Sophie Turner but merely that the character pales in comparison to stronger characters that have had more development and exposure.
Visually, "Sons of the Harpy" looks amazing, as one would expect for 'Game of Thrones'. 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 "Sons of the Harpy" 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. The story is still riveting, with plenty of passion and sensitivity.
Summing up, excellent episode if not quite one of my favourites. 9/10 Bethany Cox