Kaka

This episode plays on a darker note. The tug-of-war for the royal throne between the brothers, Tyrion's pulling of strings around the queen, the lavish desert city and the final grim surprise in the bay. Unfortunately, so far these are rather hints, which are probably meant to seduce the viewer into watching more episodes. It's safe to assume we'll have something to look forward to in a few episodes. Again, another skipped/cut battle – this is becoming a trend that I firmly hope will not continue.

After the thrilling scene from the previous episode, which foreshadowed exciting twists and turns, comes a surprising cooling down. A rather underwhelming episode that introduces a couple of new characters, Tyrion as a brilliant strategist and an excellent final battle. Otherwise, things are basically standing still.

Tyrion rules, and apart from a few haunting panoramas of castles on cliffs, he practically steals the whole episode for himself with his biting and incredibly caustic remarks, amazing. The screenwriters and the actors deserve a pat on the back, thanks to (not only) that, the second part is going faster than the first. So far, the barbarians are getting surprisingly little space.

Obviously, the second episode draws the lines much faster than the first. Everything about the king and Kings Landing is a riveting, looming battle of nations about to begin. The introduction of new players to the game is pleasingly brief, but probably absolutely crucial for future episodes.

This French attempt at a big-budget, visually lavish tragic romance worked out less than halfway. Apart from the natural beauty and the exquisite shots, costumes and sets, this film has absolutely nothing to offer in terms of content. It tries to be far more romantic than spare and historically accurate. Unfortunately, instead of a gripping story, what we get is a cheesy and pathetic love tangle sucked out of thin air. The French and their perception of emotion is a bit out of place, or maybe it's because the film's rhetoric has become so dated over time – both are a nuisance. The similarly structured The English Patient is somewhere else.

An honestly told story about a truth that all company founders know all too well: it's not so much about talent, but about perseverance and the drive to move forward. The Founder may not be as inventive and sophisticated as other bombastic tales of ascent, but it cannot be denied a certain degree of realism, occasionally biting sarcasm and functional elements from life (family problems, debts, etc.). It may not have any climactic moments, but it's a classy film. Michael Keaton steals the whole film for himself and the statement "the older the better" applies to him as well.

I understand the enthusiasm and exaltation of this series. After all the idiotic crime shows like CSI and Cobra 11, this is a fresh, atypical ride through a gritty, mythological medieval period, but one that doesn't forget to use vulgar language, sex, and often cut someone's head off for effect. This blending of the old with the "modern" is cool and confident and there's no denying the great atmosphere, and the fact that the lack of a budget and therefore the absence of juicy, spectacular battles can be forgiven. The characters have depth, and each of them usually plays an important role in the intricacies of the story. It's catchy, although there's that serial aftertaste of drag, but fortunately, the least in a very long time. Giddy-up for the second season.

A spectacular ending to the season that captivates with scenes as heroic as they are intimate. It’s one of the few episodes with a minimum of filler, the story has drive and has nothing redundant or gratuitous. The motivations of the characters are clear, unambiguous, the twists are minimal. Things are likely to be more drastic in the coming season.

The penultimate episode is full of emotion, an interesting barbarian resuscitation ritual and a gripping finale, probably the most pivotal scene of the entire season and at the same time probably a ruthless indication of where the Game will actually go and how the characters will be dealt with.

An episode entirely about intrigue and political infighting, spiced up by two attractive minor duels – a fencing teacher and a barbarian warrior. The zombie thread is still taken with a grain of salt, let's see what the writers have planned for it.