4/5 Stars
It has often been said the longer a show remains on the air, the more the quality of its writing and impact will decline and wither away. Numerous programs have succumbed to this inevitability, including animated heavyweights “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” and cable mainstays like AMC’s flagship production “The Walking Dead.” Instead of constructing inventive storylines and meticulously crafted resolutions, many programs meander on as their Nielsen ratings diminish from season to season until the network calls it quits and pulls the plug. For some, the decline in a show is marked by a season. Fans of “The Simpsons” state the show’s descent into mediocrity began after season 10, while viewers of Showtime’s serial killer serial drama “Dexter” argue the program took a nosedive after season four. For “Game of Thrones,” the fall from grace began in season five.
To preface, season five is not a terrible season. It has its fair share of spectacle and political intrigue. It contains one of the best episodes of the entire series in the thrilling “Hardhome,” and several storylines are without a doubt engrossing from beginning to end. Unfortunately, season five has multiple issues that would carry on into subsequent seasons and turn a masterful fantasy drama into only a good one.
For the most part, the core storylines in the fifth season are acceptable, as they deal with the main protagonists dealing with their respective increases in power. Jon Snow (Kit Harington, “How to Train Your Dragon: The Forbidden World”) assumes the title of Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and must facilitate relations between the black brothers and the gruff wildings. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”) continues her reign as ruler of the former slave city of Meereen, but she soon finds it is not easy to erase the past as intended.
However, the best storyline in season five is found in King’s Landing, where audiences are introduced to the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce, “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote”), a humble religious leader who will become one of the main antagonists of the season. What makes the character so fascinating is that his motivation goes beyond wealth or prestige. This makes him a foe that not even Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey, “Fighting with My Family”) can buy. In the end, this is a figure who acquires a huge amount of power and influence without the use of armies or dragons. The High Sparrow is easily one of the most compelling additions to “Game of Thrones,” and being portrayed by such a talented actor as Pryce does not hurt either.
Unfortunately, for every King’s Landing, there is a Dorne storyline. Not only is the Dorne storyline the weak link of the season, but it also features some of the worst characterizations and fight cinematography/choreography in the entire show. To summarize, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Shot Caller”) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn, “Loving Vincent”) are sent on a covert mission to the region of Dorne to recover Princess Myrcella (Nell Tiger Free) from the Martell family. The interactions between the two are the only bright spot in this respect, as the new characters are downright insufferable. Audiences are introduced to the Sand Snakes, the bastard daughters of Oberyn Martell from season four. Not only are these characters poorly portrayed, but they also seem to launch themselves into eye-rolling soliloquies every time they open their mouths. To put in simple terms, Dorne is wasted potential that ultimately brings down an all-right season.
“Game of Thrones’” fifth season is a hodgepodge of brilliant storytelling with disappointing narratives that created the weakest season of the show at the time. Even so, the decline in quality is not as drastic as other drama programs. In short, the first half of the season is pure quality, while the second half is questionable to say the least.
Image from GameofThrones via YouTube
