I didn't read the books, and wasn't even familiar with them until I heard about this show. I saw a sneak peek that HBO had released and I was immediately intrigued. Medieval type setting and supernatural creatures? That's all I needed to see. I tuned in last night to watch the first episode, "Winter Is Coming" and was not disappointed.
There are already a lot of plots and back story going on, and while you do have to make sure you don't miss anything, I didn't find the show to be difficult to follow at all. The main plot of the story focuses on the death of Jon Arryn, the King's Hand, and the King coming and asking his only trusted friend, Lord Stark, ruler of the North, to take his place. Stark eventually accepts his offer, having to leave his family, which includes his wife and 6 children, behind.
We are also introduced to the Lannister Family, the family of the Queen, who are powerful and ambitious. They reside in King's Landing, the capital of the kingdoms.
The fair-haired brother and sister, Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen, are introduced amidst a plan to marry into the Dothraki horde. The young Daenerys is accepted by the Dothraki Lord, Khal Drogo, and once wed, he has now promised to help the brother and sister take back their throne.
The feel of the show varies from kingdom to kingdom. The North is quite dark and full of grim coloring, whereas the east is full of bright, warm coloring and plentiful sunshine. The imagery of the series is quite stunning, really. Between the differences in colors and light, the costumes and sets, it's indeed epic.
There are many storylines that erupt in just this first episode. The secret relationship of the Queen and her brother, the suspicious death of the King's Hand, the murder of a Stark son, and of course, the massacre committed by the elusive White Walkers, who are shown in the very beginning, and then hardly mentioned in the rest of the episode. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them, as well as seeing how all these characters are developed.
Even with numerous characters and storylines, I never once felt overwhelmed by everything they throw out at you in this first episode. This is an excellent show and very well played out by all actors involved. Definitely a top notch production. Be sure to check it on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. on HBO.
