Game of Thrones - Season 1 [DVD]

It’s hard to think of any more satisfying way to bring the world of George R. R. Martin’s Game Of Thrones to visual life than has been managed with HBO’s acclaimed series. Within minutes of season one kicking off, you get the feel that you’re in safe hands, with a creepy opening that sets the scene for a series with real justification in calling itself epic. The creative team here clearly understand and respect the source material, and yet aren’t afraid to make changes to suit a television production.

Not that you’ll notice it’s a television production. Made with the scope and scale of a major movie, Game Of Thrones look and feels dramatic in scale. Its story certainly is. Centered around the battle for power in days of old, there’s conflict, despair, romance, lust, backstabbing and no shortage of ice, both real and metaphorical. It demands your concentration, but remains accessible. It’s also a strictly adults-only adventure.

As befitting a series of such magnitude, they’ve clearly gone to town on the Blu-ray set. As well as revealing plenty of detail as to the production itself, with making of material and episode guides, there are some brilliant, less obvious features. The Blu-ray exclusively features, for example, an excellent guide to the world of Westeros, who everyone is, the backstory, and the noble houses. You can comfortably lose hours in it.

There’s simply so much depth in the set. Even the commentaries, often quite bland affairs, offer real insight and interest. That it’s wrapped up with a brilliant 1080p transfer, and speaker-shaking audio, is fitting. An excellent, ambitious piece of television, in a Blu-ray set that befits it perfectly. --Jon Foster