Game of Thrones (TV Series) Dragonstone (2017) User Reviews

A terrific start to the seventh season

[gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297 · 9/10 · 23 February 2018]

After being impressed by how impressive the sixth season of Game of Thrones was when it continued the character arcs for the surviving Stark and Lannister family members and the writing was as strong as the previous five seasons (despite one episode in season 5 that I considered to be my least favorite, Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken even though it was decent). Anyway, when I saw the first episode of the seventh season last summer in order to catch up with the series finale coming in 2019, it lived up to my expectations and it became a great start. The reason why I'm giving this a 9/10 is because the only quibble that I have with Dragonstone is that while it was great to see Ed Sheeran and the other song artists Will Champion, the drummer from Coldplay and Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol playing Lannister soldiers and sharing a scene with Maisie Williams, they only appeared for four minutes. I mean, after they sang that song together, I was expecting them to have more screen time in the seventh season, but sadly, they didn't. What a shame.

Anyway, the rest of the episode is solid. The storyline continues to be exquisite much like the previous six seasons and continues to up the ante with the relationships. Not only that, there are some great scenes that made it worthwhile to other viewers. Arya disguising herself as Walder Frey and having her revenge on the House of Frey for killing her mother Catelyn Stark and her brother Robb Stark by killing them, Sandor Clegane, who survived his wounds after the fourth and sixth seasons and having to atone for his old life of working with the House of Lannister, and Daenerys's dramatic homecoming to Dragonstone. Those sequences are amazing and another perfect example of well-paced and atmospheric filming which makes them on par with The Red Wedding, the Execution of Eddard Stark, the destruction of the Great Sept, and more. Ramin Djawadi continues to create more excellent music for his score for this season. It fitted the scenes really well as well as retaining the scale and scope of the production designs, which are still as gorgeous and before. The editing is sharp, the pacing didn't drag, and the acting continues to be strong with the best coming from Maisie Williams, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, and Emilia Clarke.

Overall, Dragonstone delivered what it promised. It showed the characters trying to make an army to they can begin the war against the White Walkers while continuing the depth and development. This deserves a thumbs up from me. :)

Great Season Premire

[Rainey-Dawn · 9/10 · 19 September 2018]

Season 7, episode 1. The Hound and Beric Dondarrion are aligned - both wonder why they are still alive, Beric talks Hound into looking into the fire to see what he can see. Cersei is trying to find allies - Jaime is there to help her. Arya pays a visit to all the Freys to remind them "The North Remembers". Daenerys, Tyrion and their fleet arrive in Westeros. Sam and Gilly are adapting to their new life in Oldtown - Sam discovers a Stannis must have been correct. The Night King is making his way south.

9/10

A Topsy - turvy start

[ajeetpaul · 7/10 · 17 July 2017]

I was eagerly waiting for Game of Thrones to return ever since Cersei blew up the Sept and Danaerys set sail to Westeros in Season 6 Finale. But does this episode live up to this hype? The answer is not a strict yes or no. Instead, this premiere marked a Topsy - turvy start to the season.

Although nothing eventful happens in season premieres, but considering the reduced episode count for this season, this premiere should have been action packed. It had its moments - humour, revenge, remorse but the narrative momentum never attained a desirable pace. The starting sequence of Arya's revenge increased the hype manifold and as soon as the opening theme started, I couldn't wait anymore. But again, the episode didn't really take off.

The scenes at King's landing - Cersei and Jaime realizing their odds in the war to come, Euron Greyjoy's entry and his proposal to Cersie - were well enacted and laid a foundation to an alliance to be witnessed in the war. Things started going downhill when Euron left promising to return with a "gift" (This was really predictable). Then we see Sam cleaning "pots", having weird meals, sorting books and weighing organs. The editing in this part was on point and prevented the scene from seeming out of place. I, honestly, would be happy if Sam did not return for further scenes in the same episode. But, nah. Another scene where Sam gets "access" to the restricted area in the library and him finding out important information about dragon-glass, seemed rushed and I think, was not necessary to be shown in the premiere. Maybe this would have been more appropriate in the next episode?!

Also, Jorah Mormont is at the Citadel locked in a room. He extends his arm out of a small window just to ask if Dany has reached Westeros. This was weird and honestly, disappointing. Also, there is a rather long sequence of Hound with BWB (Brotherhood without banners) where they find a suitable place to rest for the chilly night. The sequence was really long (about 10 minutes long) where certain things happened (all of which, IMO, has little to no impact on the overall story). It seemed rather unnecessary and just for the sake of giving a certain depth to Hound's character but there is just not enough time (and need) for this.

Also, Ed Sheeran's cameo scene is strangely humorous and weird and feels out of place. It is also uncomfortably long and feels rather forced. The last six minutes are devoted to Danaerys and her allies arriving at Dragonstone. Emilia Clarke had one dialogue throughout the scene but she was supposed to (at least) show some emotion as she arrived at her ancestral home. Like, why is she so expressionless?

The biggest complaint I have with this episode is its editing. Why didn't they edit some unnecessary long sequences to accommodate sequences of other characters who weren't shown in the premiere at all (Melisandre, Olena Tyrell, Sand Snakes, even Bran and Meera were just shown arriving at Castle Black). A huge chunk of time was devoted to Sam, Arya and Hound & BWB. A crisp editing would have enabled about 15 minutes to spare on other characters as well which were absent. Even Jon is given a mere 5 minutes of screen time but he shines (as always). A brief argument (disagreement?) between him and Sansa and littlefinger's smirk really set up the political disturbance yet to be experienced at Winterfell. Tyrion Lannister (one of the most important characters) had (close to) no screen time, no dialogues. Another problem is that this episode was largely predictable and nothing (big) actually happened.

So all in all, it was a largely average episode (bad, considering the standards set by the series) which had its moments. But that's it. A large portion of it was some unnecessary stuff which nobody really cares about.

The reason to wake at 03:00 am

[battles_in_north · 10/10 · 16 July 2017]

In Europe, the world premiere airs at 3am. And GoT is the only reason on this planet I'd set my alarm to wake me up in the middle of the night. Yes, it delivers. Yes it is epic. Yes with a start like this, one can only hold his breath for yet another week. Game of Thrones completely ruined the world of TV shows for me, because it raised the standards so high I'm having troubles finding another show to hook up with.

Please, keep it coming and stay on this awesome course. It is an honor writing a review.

Shall We Begin?

[ThomasDrufke · 8/10 · 16 July 2017]

Well, the longest wait in between seasons is finally over. Winter is here and Game of Thrones has returned. Much like most of the season premieres, 'Dragonstone' dealt with a lot of aftermath to last season's events, and a whole lot of set-up for this season. The one thing that separates this season from most is that it seems like the majority of the characters are actually beginning to realize the bigger threat at hand. That is, besides Cersei and Daenerys, they haven't gotten there just yet.

Ironically, that's part of what really excites me about this season, though. The inevitable battle for Westeros and battle of wit between Daenerys and Cersei, and how everyone else deals with the army of the dead. Nearly half of the scenes mentioned the Night King or his army in some way shape or form. Of course, Cersei chooses not to associate herself with any of that, even going as far as mentioning every other threat in Westeros besides the white walkers. However, her scene with Jaime was just as interesting anyway. You can tell how torn and worried Jaime is. You can only hope the best for him, even after everything he's been through. And what might this gift be that Euron is offering to give Cersei? It's hard to think of anything she'd want more than Tyrion's head at this point, but I hardly believe that will be the outcome. Instead, I think it will be something or someone we haven't seen in quite some time. I tend to believe that Gendry Baratheon theory the more and more I think about it.

In the North, we had a few important but predictable things happen. We had heard that there would still be some (unnecessary) tension between Sansa and Jon, well that was definitely the case. Isn't it about time Sansa trusts Jon's way of things? I get it, she's trying to warn Jon about being too honorable, something that got Robb and Ned killed. But there's something to be said for 2 family members on this show not arguing their way to an unpleasant death, am I right? Elsewhere at The Wall, Bran and Meera were let in after convincing Ed that he's the three-eyed raven and he knows everything. How long until Jon meets back up with Bran?

Speaking of Starks, perhaps the person with the most memorable moments of the episode was Arya's 'Red Wedding Redemption' at Riverrun. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if it took spending 2 seasons at The House of Black and White for Arya to produce great scene after great scene, then I think it was all worth it. A reverse Red Wedding was exactly the cold open we needed, once again proving that George RR Martin can be good to the Starks after all. I was a little bit surprised to not see her immediately kill those Lannister soldier's, but I guess it was done to show us that there's still a little bit left of innocent Arya in her.

There was a lot of Sam in this episode, perhaps too much. Check that, there was definitely too much screen time for Sam. It's not that I don't like his character, but I just don't see the reason behind wasting valuable time on something that could be sped by in a minute or two. He may have found the key to defeating the white walkers, and we found out Jorah isn't doing so well and spending time at the Citadel being partially taken care of by Sam himself. Cool to see Jorah, but man those scenes with Sam were crappy (for the most part). But, Seriously though.

The last few bits included The Hound finding his way back to the house him and Arya stayed in a few seasons back, and Daenerys finding her way home. Both very different 'homecomings', but both very emotionally resonant scenes nonetheless. There isn't necessarily a parallel to be drawn between the two, but it's very interesting to think about how far those 2 characters in particular have come since the opening episode of the series. I love seeing The Hound in a different light, one that's less bloody and far more forgiving, and Daenerys is certainly at her most powerful after reaching her home. And that was about it for a first episode. Certainly an impressive opening, albeit not as surprising as last year's Melisandre shocker. It's annoying to think we only have 6 more weeks of this, but it will have to do for now. I'm 100% sure that the rest of the season will be top-quality Thrones.

+Recap & set-up

+Daenerys reaches home

+Jaime is torn

+Arya's redemption

+The Hound's transformation

-Sam cleaning up crap

8.3/10

Great start to an excellent series

[Atl-Sam · 9/10 · 16 July 2017]

HBO continues to be the home of fantasy and action combined with thought- provoking drama. GoT Season 7 premieres with all the depth of Season 6's finale. Without spoiling the fun, "Dragonstone" doesn't just pick up where "Winds of Winter" left off, it amps up the intensity and brings a promise of another great season of GoT.

Most of our favorites get plenty of airtime, difficult considering the breadth of the series. As befitting a season premiere, we're given some surprising twists, reintroduced to some we've missed, and left ready for the next episode. In between, time flies... although the dragons wait a bit before appearing. But when they do appear, the title becomes both appropriate and poignant. The lack of deep dialogue provides a perfect background for the setting.

Couple of tips - wait for that snack, make sure you watch from the start (before the credits) until the end. Pay attention to small talk and detail, and remember that we're off the books now... for the most part, DB and DW have the reins with GRRM providing oversight!

Waiting for "Stormborn"...

Wow.. what an amazing premier episode

[jacksand-30048 · 10/10 · 16 July 2017]

Just out of this world awesome, has to be the best season premier of any show ever. Every second of this one hour episode was pure gold, everything from the writing, to the amazing acting, directing and effects.

HBO has done it again, this is the reason why Game of Thrones is the greatest show that has ever been. I have to also praise the score by Ramin Djawadi.

All and all, this episode made it official, that Game of Thrones is way way better than the books it's based on. Sorry George, but sometimes adaptations are just better. And this is one of those times.

A solid start to season seven

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 26 December 2018]

This episode largely serves to remind viewers where each of the protagonists are and where they hope to go. In the opening scene we see that Arya's revenge against the Freys didn't end with the killing of Walder. Meanwhile her brother Brandon reaches The Wall, warning of the approaching threat while their siblings Jon and Sansa disagree on how to proceed after the defeat on Ramsey Bolton and his forces. Back in King's Landing Cersei, now the Queen, is seeking new allies for the coming fight against Daenerys's forces as well as against the Armies of the North and the Sand Sisters to the south. Elsewhere Sam is trying to find a source of dragon glass and Daenerys finally returns to Westeros.

I really enjoyed this episode; it started well with Arya making it abundantly clear that she has lots of people to kill. It then proceeds to remind us what other characters are up to while setting things up for future episodes. The tension between Sansa and Jon hints at possible problems to come and the meeting between Cersei and Euron Greyjoy suggests the possibility of an interesting alliance. Apart from the opening scene there is little in the way of violence; even that involved poison rather than action; that didn't bother me though as the more talky elements served to remind me of the various characters after some time away from the series. I know some people weren't keen with having singer Ed Sheeran appear as a Lannister soldier but it didn't bother me; if I hadn't heard about his appearance before watching I doubt I'd have thought anything of it. As expected the cast are all on fine form and the effects are impressive. Overall a long season opener that immediately brought me back into the story after a gap of almost two years.

A great start!

[callumstokes · 9/10 · 16 July 2017]

All in all, the season 7 premier was a great start! Great visuals, good plot advancement and good quality sounds.

My only issue was the Ed Sheeran cameo. Was incredibly forced, and is not needed in a show like this, especially when he got more lines than the main characters! The 5 minute scene was not needed and could have been used elsewhere.

Regardless, when looking over that scene, it was a good strong start the the season. It did not disappoint.

A perfect build up

[giorgosmrg · 9/10 · 16 July 2017]

A very good premiere especially in the begging when Arya poisoned the Freys!! Excellent acting, scenery, effects all perfect. For those who disagree it was the 1st episode of course we wont see any huge mind-blow event until the last episodes..The scene when Khaleeshi step foot on Dragonstone was such a touching moment!! Cersei baddest bitch of all i wait more from her and we will see lots of destruction caused by her! Let's begin!

It's still got it!

[Johnny-the-Film-Sentinel-2187 · 9/10 · 25 July 2017]

Game of Thrones is finally on its seventh season now. And we finally have the endgame in sight for the story. This episode does admittedly fall short of the previous two OUTSTANDING episodes from season six, but we still want to see where Daenerys, Tyrion, Jon Snow and The Hound end up by the time the story is all wrapped-up come season eight.

This was a good episode to start on, but I'm mighty curious to see where this will all go to. Will Tyrion survive? Will Daenerys actually take back her long-lost home of Kings Landing? And will The Hound confront his brother The Mountain? I hope the latter happens; that will be a fight to remember.

Anyway, Game of Thrones is still on the air and still leaving an impact on us.

SHALL WE BEGIN

[dannylee-78082 · 7/10 · 27 April 2022]

1. Arya kills the rest of the Freys 2. Sam cleans up poop 3. Dany gets to Dragonstone

In the Riverlands

• Arya killing off the rest of the Freys was quite satisfying. I was surprised at first because GoT does not use much flashback methods and seeing him alive again tripped me up. Her encounter with ED SHEERAN was cute and funny. Now we know what Arya's next goal is - she's slowly crossing people off her list.

• We get a big moment for Sandor where he receives a lot of character development. We see a deeper side of his humanity as he guilts over the dead farmer and his daughter. Sandor also is invited to the flame but I don't really like how they executed it. I thought he was being sarcastic because there really wasn't any visualization in the flames.

At Winterfell

• Great leadership moment from Jon. Every decisions he made was quite controversial and untraditional but he is able to back himself up with his abilities. It was quite tense with Sansa questioning him in the middle of everybody but she did have a good point too. They really need to work together to come to good conclusions now that Cersei is definitely going to be on their worries list.

At the Wall

• Bran finally gets back to Castle Black after... so many seasons. My biggest question is why does it take so long for the White Walkers to get to the Wall? It's not that far from Hardhome to the castle..

In King's Landing

• Beginning of Cersei's rule is rough. Jaime almost seems rational here as she is surrounded by enemies inside and out. She doesn't consider Eulon as an ally yet until he brings a mysterious gift, which I assume is something like Tyrion's head.

• It's quite interesting to see that she still thinks Tyrion and Sansa are responsible for Joffrey's death. She almost feels very unhinged and raging mode, possibly the most tilted the character's been since the beginnin .

In Oldtown

• Sam cleans up after people and he realizes that Dragonstone has a bunch of Dragonglass. I am wondering why this was literally not a common knowledge until now. It didn't feel like it was hidden but sure.

• We also see Jorah in a worsened condition, most likely failed to find a cure hence stuck in the citadel. It really is fun to see characters from different subplots colliding together. Jorah is definitely not going to make it.

On Dragonstone

• Dany gets to her ancestral home, Dragonstone. So we can see where this is going -- Jon and Dany are going to cross paths on Dragonstone. She is finally going to lead a campaign to take back the Iron Throne!!

Overall, lots of good moments - despite not being on emotional highs, GoT still shines on expertly delivering narratives. From S7 and onwards, the writers don't have any original material so I hope that there is not a drop in quality.

Like an extended "previously on..."

[floppylobster-86-283328 · 3/10 · 17 July 2017]

Like an extended "previously on..." Before you get too offended by my rating, please understand I'm not someone who rates everything between a 5 and 10. I use the full scale and if it dips below a 5 it's because I didn't enjoy it. The show is still a high quality production.

So where did it lose points from being average? Pretty much every scene just recapped something we already knew. Very little new information and very little forward momentum. When it does this it puts the characters in danger of becoming stale and predictable, and you suddenly realize that the premise set up six seasons ago - that the white walkers were about to attack from the north while the rest of the country fought among itself - is finally happening. Six seasons later. So long has it taken that they're all but finished fighting with only a few factions left. For a show that is known for surprises it's getting remarkably drawn out and predictable.

I'm sure part of that is from finally running out material from the books to work from. And since that happened, the plot twists have become a little more predictable and familiar. Ever seen someone toast a group of people only to actually be poisoning them all? You may have if you watched Breaking Bad. Which also felt oddly referenced in the cleaning chamber pots montage. Overall I don't think either sequence worked.

And Ed Sheeran? Really? That scene was flat out terrible. Forced dialogue, ("Are you old enough to drink?" - I think pretty much anything goes in the world of Game of Thrones, so I'm not sure when they added a drinking age); pretty stilted acting; and as with many other scenes, not a lot of new information.

I trust the show will pick up and the plot will get moving again, but you're pretty safe from spoilers when everything that happened was basically the completion of an action we saw started in the previous episode. Previously on Game of Thrones, watch someone get on a boat, this episode, see them get off it.

Excellent start of a new season

[saikirankakarla · 10/10 · 16 July 2017]

This is how 1st episode of new season of a series should start .It is without drag ,it didn't divert from the plot and no unnecessary scenes in this episode.Perfect start for a new season of Game of Thrones and this is what viewers and a Game of thrones fan would expect, a perfect start .

This is the reason to stay up and watch GOT

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 2 March 2023]

This sequence is the concession in the premiere toward the knowledge that we've entered the endgame. After all, Game of Thrones season premieres are notorious for their stately and regal pacing. And while this episode mostly maintains that heavy emphasis on exposition-a bit too much during the King's Landing scenes if we're being honest-as a whole, the hour flew by with extra tender loving care given to character dynamics. Presumably, it comes with the territory of nuking half the cast with green fire and ended contracts. The episode does not play coy. Every viewer has the image of Arya in sheer ecstasy etched into their memory as she held Walder Frey's body, convulsing in each wondrous death rattle. As soon as Walder Frey's face opens this evening's festivities, it's obvious this is Arya, and she is going to take the entire Frey family line with her. And special props to David Bradley, who slyly inhabits a different character in spite of relishing Walder's familiar, booming awfulness. N any event, as Arya steals the whole show, at least during the premiere, I hope that she also made sure to off that nasty little band from the Red Wedding too. That way Will Champion could've also enjoyed his very own cameoing Game of Thrones death. Arya can't resist telling them that she still intends to kill the queen. It's fascinating to watch Maisie Williams in this moment for there is noticeable disappointment flickering in her eyes as they laugh it off. Surely, what kind of teenage naive would actually volunteer a penchant for treason? But these boyos take it in better stride than protestors at a production of Julius Caesar. This is a disappointment to the she-wolf, because even after hearing their sob stories, Arya seemed to covet the idea of them taking offense or raising a sword against her. Nothing like a good workout of fencing and dismemberment. Daenerys now owns the world's largest supply of Dragonglass and actual dragons. The weapons needed to vanquish her foes, both human and dead. She will be the arbiter of all's fate. And even if she has heard nothing of White Walkers, she is clear on this fact as she stands above Stannis' very own Dungeons & Dragons tabletop layout (it's almost like this show was created by nerds). And then she says, "Shall we begin?". To make matters worse, his headmaster isn't Dumbledore, nor is he even Professor Slughorn, despite being played by the same actor. Aye, Grand Maester Jim Broadbent adds a magical touch to the proceedings, but as Game of Thrones writers have teased, this ain't Hogwarts. This teacher sounds more like Michael Crichton's Ian Malcolm, and not the cuddly fun one that Steven Spielberg and Jeff Goldblum softened for viewers. Nay, this is someone who looks at ecological Armageddon, be it climate change or White Walkers, and shrugs just as Crichton did to the real existential threat, or as how Malcolm would at human extinction. "Meh, history goes on, the world goes on, and life will find a way, even if it kills us all in the process."

Who run the world? The ladies of Game of Thrones, duh.

[punch87 · 8/10 · 1 October 2020]

"Dragonstone" did move a lot of pieces into place, re-establishing our memory of various alliances and giving a few key characters some show-stealing moments.

Pure Gold!

[fever_bv · 10/10 · 16 July 2017]

(spoiler)I've waited so long for this, was afraid I would get disappointed, and I must admit that I was a bit disappointed at the beginning of the episode, thinking it would just drag the story and lose 15 min on recap, not seeing what was about to happen. Overall I loved every second of it, especially the humor that was thrown every here and there, like the scenes with Euron and Sam. However, even though I rate the pilot 10, I must say that it felt way too short for a season premiere and I feel like there's so little I've learned besides what was already hinted by the 2 trailers and from episode description. Looking forward for second episode, hoping it will bring more action and somehow will pass the expectations hinted by the trailers.

A few quick words on the "Game of Thrones" Season 7 premiere.

[ericrnolan · 9/10 · 18 July 2017]

The premiere of Season 7 of "Game of Thrones" was damned good … enough for me to give it a 9 out of 10. (You know you're enjoying a TV show when you are riveted to the screen.)

The dialogue and character development for this show is always first-rate, and the acting often is. Last night was no exception — the exchange between Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), for example, was priceless.

The glimpse of The Night King's wight army, however brief, should please any horror fan. I watch a lot of horror movies, and I'm a tough fan to please. Yet I am still surprised at how this fantasy show continues to succeed in scaring me. It's impressive. If the leaked script for Season 7 is accurate, then the bad guys in the final episode ought to be damned frightening.

I will reiterate a very minor longstanding quibble that I have had with "Game of Thrones" as someone who has not read the books. This story seems to attach tremendous dramatic emphasis to the movement and arrival of groups of people. I do understand the need for this, and its appeal — the logistics are part of George R.R. Martin's world- building, and they bring detail and a sense of realism. There are times, however, when I feel like Daenerys' defining character trait is that she … goes places. (Look! Now her army is here!)

I won't say much more for fear of spoilers — this is a show where even mentioning a character's name can suggest a chapter in his or her character arc. (I will say that I loved the opening segment, even if I was understandably puzzled at first.)

This is great TV.

Less Is More...........

[mikerowerush · 10/10 · 2 August 2017]

Very often TV shows tend to go hell bent for leather with scant disregard for what has gone before.this episode is a perfect example of that old maxim "Less Is More".....a slow opening,some great production values,an almost total lack of dialogue from some main characters...all these add up to a great season opener that has gravitas,thought,depth and some great acting.....my fave band is Rush but I listen to Slayer as well,you need light/dark..you can't be pounded over the head all the time,you need to breathe and appreciate what the quiet really can bring out....you can't have constant battles/warfare without the little things that add greatly to an episode or a series....

Pick up the pace

[beebeedoo · 9/10 · 23 July 2017]

Creepy scene with the Whitewalkers and Wights. Now why wouldn't Jon order the burning of the dead giants so they couldn't be turned? Doesn't make sense. I understand this is only the first ep. of the season, but pace seems a bit slow, too much screen time with Sam and too long of a walk up to Dragonstone for Dragon Queen and crew. And really? Ed Sheeran? Though it helped he didn't have much dialogue. Brienne needs to keep an eye on sneaky Pete(yr) and be kinder to Ginger King Wildling. Want more action in eps to come, they promised things would move fast!

Good start with a lot of questions

[ttessam · 9/10 · 16 July 2017]

Am not saying that it wasn't quite predictable but it also left me a question marks on some scenes, and am sure it'd be s start for a great stories like who was in that jail , what is the real story behind the brotherhood , arya and bran !! it's a completing episode but it was MUST and a start of a great journey.. 8/10

More of the path started in season 5

[stefanhagenbinder-48178 · 6/10 · 17 July 2017]

I loved the show till the end of fourth season. Since then it's good, but not great with just a few great scenes, for example what happened in Hardhome. This premiere episode is more of the same since season 5. The time flies, the writers don't really care about details. For example: in season six when the greyjoys left with no ship show up with a fleet made on the iron island with no freaking trees there. But it's okay, because GoT handles things like that. It's the writing and dialogues I don't really like or not convinced of. When Euron Greyjoy dealing with Cersei don't come up with a strong hand, like saying "you have a lot of enemies, but no allies, what do you offer" If you want to have a strong ally you must offer yourself something. Instead Euron have to convince Cersei of his loyalty, well, too simple. So she is the big fish and sets the terms, right? But she doesn't have a fleet and she will need one against her enemies. Just saying. Also I don't get her motivation when Jamie asked her why they are doing this. It's reduced to power. That's a little too simple. Of course it's about power but how to get there? You need allies, you need deception, some matchplan for your goal, look how real geopolitics works. Instead we see King's landing reduced to Jamie and Cersei having their problems. I don't see a build up for smart moves or any power on the side of the Lannisters. All gone with Tywin. I just wanted to give you an impression where I see some problems of the once great and now just mediocre series.

Arya the Unbelievable

[cory_liang · 4/10 · 17 July 2017]

I used to absolutely love the storyline of Arya Stark, her list and the hope of her one day crossing off the names on that list. While she is certainly doing that now (eg. Walder Frey), I find the way she is doing it is super unbelievable and rushed.

Let's go back to last season where we saw in episode 8, Arya leaving Braavos to head back home. In a matter of 2 episodes, we see Arya already at the Twins killing Walder Frey. Not sure if many viewers know this but the Twins is on the west side of Westeros, meaning it would have taken a really long time for her to get there. Instead, we don't get to see any part of that journey so we are left to assume she got there unscathed. It all felt so rushed. Okay, I accepted that and moved on.

Shift to this episode and right away, we see Arya murder a room full of Freys with poisoned wine. Okay, again, let's assume she was able to poison the wine without getting noticed or running into any trouble while doing so. Now she's left the Twins and is making her way down to King's Landing to kill Cersei? Surely, she would have caught wind somewhere that Jon and Sansa had retaken Winterfell since everyone else knows but instead she's unaware and is heading south. She runs into a group of Lannister men and again, nobody touches her! I'm sorry, but in the world of George RR Martin, Lannister men are not good men. They would have wasted little time seizing her, questioning her, and probably attempting to rape her. The country is still at war. How does a teenage girl riding alone with a sword not look suspicious? I don't believe this moment for a second. But I guess since Ed Sheeran was with them, there wasn't a bad bone in their bodies...

In the first 5 seasons, character's actions always had consequences and that is what made the show so great. Our favourite characters would get killed because of stupid mistakes (Ned Stark, Robb Stark). Even when the hated characters were killed, we were never fully satisfied. Joffrey died but Tyrion was imprisoned. Arya killed Meryn Trant but got her eyesight taken away. We may yet see Arya pay the consequences for these actions but right now, it is too easy for her. I don't believe she is a highly skilled assassin. She failed at the 2 assassinations she was assigned in Braavos and all we saw her get good at was fighting with a bow staff. Somehow, she is invincible right now.

I hope George RR Martin finished his books soon so we can really see what happens with Arya Stark.

A strong start

[IamInge · 9/10 · 6 August 2019]

This episode delivers a kick-ass start of the season. Then, it slows down a little bit.

Brilliant premiere to a long awaited season

[Dannyboi94 · 10/10 · 21 July 2017]

'Dragonstone' has to be the best first episode of Game of Thrones since season 4, it is filled with so many breathtaking scenes that the writers nailed right on the head. We are well ahead of the books now, so the writers are coming up with their own tale, and they are doing a great job at keeping up with the style of George R. R Martins books, without betraying the source material. Now I have read some of the ridiculous bad reviews from the fools in the review section, but these are probably just whiny little kids you just want everything to follow the books to a tee.

Dragonstone starts off with a great opening, tying up loose ends and showing us again how badass Arya is. However I do hope they don't overpower her too much. The scenes in the North were also brilliant, and I loved how Sansa questioned Jon about his decisions, and the scene plays out in a way that you can understand where both characters are coming from. Oh and please show us more Tormund and Brienne, they are just perfect for the much needed comedy.

The scenes at Kings Landing were good, nothing very important happens, other than Jamie being roasted, which was hilarious. I do hope however, that they make Euron as savage as he is in the books.

There is next to nothing wrong with this episode other than, one small issue. Ed Sheering. While I am a fan of his, he was so out of place here, and it took away from the immersion of the rather great scene he was in. Now it would have been better if he was less recognisable - maybe dressed in a long wig with a shaggy beard or even a patch over his eye, to make him less - Ed. The scene was great, as it showed Arya that not all Lannister soldiers are rapists and murderers.

But the best part of this episode, is by far the scenes with the Hound and the Brotherhood. The Hound is my favourite Game of Thrones character, and seeing him back in his full glory was incredible. His care-free attitude makes him one of the most interesting characters to watch, and I can't wait to see him roast more people for being bald.

Sam's scenes were great, I loved how they edited it all together, to make you gag and laugh all at the same time.

Dragonstone was a brilliant episode, that sets up the next episodes perfectly. Now that were are way past the books, I am more than eager to be surprised and not have anything spoiled by idiots on the internet.

9.6/10