The year is almost over and Game of Thrones is capping a fantastic 2012 with appearances on the year-end lists of many critics and websites.
Here’s what a few notable reviews and lists had to say:
- TV Guide says “Game of Thrones proved once again that viewers don’t have to sacrifice thought-provoking character study to enjoy some visceral blood and gore.”
- MSN calls it the year’s best, complimenting its “sweeping battle scenes” that are “coupled with all the drama, emotion and backstabbing (literally) of a medieval “Dynasty” on steroids.”
- Time Magazine is calling it “a breathtaking study of how power is seized among the shadows.”
- A.V. Club includes in it their Best TV of 2012. The fine work of the cast is highlighted, noting that “the expanded role for Alfie Allen’s Theon was a riskier proposition that paid off, and the show’s casting continued to shine with a set of new cast additions.”
- Mo Ryan of The Huffington Post says that Game of Thrones “greatly improved on its first season and offered some wonderful battles, sharp dialogue and terrific performances along the way.”
- The show is number 5 on HitFix‘s First Annual Television Critics’ Poll, with 21 critics choosing GoT for their top 10 lists.
- In addition to the website’s poll, HitFix’s executive editor Dan Feinberg cites the “intimate character work” we see in episodes like “Blackwater,” with “tremendous performances” from Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Jack Gleeson and Sophie Turner.
- Tim Goodman for The Hollywood Reporter ranks the show at #3, calling it “epic” and adding that “the best of Game of Thrones could be ahead of it, which is inspiring and impressive.”
- Game of Thrones is included in Alyssa Rosenberg’s 65 Favorite Things From The Year in Pop Culture, with her observing that the show has “gotten more emotionally rich and visually ambitious as it’s gone on.”
- As reported previously, Stephen King lists the show among the “Best TV I Saw in 2012″ in EW’s year-end issue, and the magazine named “Blackwater” as the Best TV Episode of 2012.
Ours is the Fury: Game of Thrones has racked up an impressive list of accolades, especially for a fantasy genre show with a dizzying amount of characters and storylines. It’s great to see the second season embraced by the public and the critics.
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37 Comments
Happy new year everyone! Here’s hoping we’ll be back next year as the #1 show across the critical spectrum.
sunspearQuote Reply
Lets hope season 3 is the year Game Of Thrones finally wins all those dramatic awards.
Al SwearengenQuote Reply
IMDB listed Game of Thrones as the number 1 show of 2012 rated by users also!
http://www.imdb.com/oscars/year-in-review/top-user-rated-tv-of-2012#10
MotelsonthemoonQuote Reply
Awwwwwesome!
But…we all knew this! :) Always nice to get confirmation, though!
AziraphaleQuote Reply
Yes-GoT was absolutely robbed in awards season this year…cannot believe that Golden Globes gave no recognition!
Patchy FaceQuote Reply
Excellent. :)
Jeff O’ConnorQuote Reply
Season 3 will be hailed as the greatest season of television ever… and Emmy voters will all but ignore it.
GeekFuriousQuote Reply
I second that. An eventful year for GoT , and to all posters a Happier new year.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Ours is the Fury : the accolades are especially good to be reminded of at this
time. GoT has also received noteworthy mentions for being in great demand
too, even where access is sketchy. The distinction may even prove to have
some global effect to expediting changes in Network access issues by season
four ( hopeful ). The awards will be meted out in strong approvals soon enough,
but a subject of history making access to linear streams for the future, is contribution
to Network Protocols and Media Streaming history. Game of Thrones is a game changer.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Cue haters in 5,4,3,2…
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I really can’t wait to see critics reaction to The Red Wedding
Eugene ToussaintQuote Reply
It’s about the characters. It’s about how power is used/abused. The Game is played today, with different costumes…
MonicaQuote Reply
Eugene Toussaint,
I totally agree with you. Most people agree that it was absolutely astonishing when read but now I’m really really excited to see how it turns out on tv. It’s going to be the best hour of television ever (hey isn’t that what everyone was saying about blackwater? And that was pretty damn true…at least until this season’s episode nine) I’ve always been a fan of the unexpected ;)
Hooooooooooodor
Hodor the DreadQuote Reply
How AVC could doubt that Alfie, would not handle his role? Lets wait to next season’s episode 9. What critics will write? Or even will they will be able to write something after they fall of their chairs?
bonQuote Reply
I knew this already I know great when I see it
Iron BornQuote Reply
Eugene Toussaint,
I can’t wait to see MY reaction to that event! Will it be less gut-wrenching than the books, or perhaps more so, due to the visual medium? Having become familiar with the portrayal of certain characters by their actors, will it become even more personal and tragic?
I can’t wait to find out, although I am also going to be tremendously sad.
Happy New Year 2013 to all, don’t forget your Kleenex come March! :-)
David the GreyQuote Reply
I do think that season 3 with dany’s arc and the other huge event will literally change tv let alone fantasy on tv
Friend Of fireQuote Reply
David the Grey,
Agreed! Once it is done, everyone will be talking about Michael McElhatton.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
If they thought that Season 2 was great, wait till Season 3! The critics will be freaking out when Jaime loses his handand Tyrion’s wedding,thinking what could possibly top those surprises…I’m just giddy thinking about it!
GatorfischQuote Reply
Any non-biased spectator could see that GOT’s season 2 was one of the best shows on TV this year. Here’s hoping that it tops the list in 2013, or at least shares the spot with Breaking Bad’s final season.
OT, does anyone know when the first trailer for season 3 will air? HBO is sure to premier their next group of Sunday shows in January. Isn’t that usually when they show trailers for the upcoming season?
Tyrion PimpslapQuote Reply
All kudos are well-deserved, and there will be many more in the seasons ahead if all goes as we expect. Huzzah to GRRM, D&D, cast and crew, can’t wait for March! Happy New Year to all!
Mrs. H’gharQuote Reply
It’s really great to read some positive feedback on season two :)
I’m at my parents’ for the holidays and brought my GoT S1 dvd to watch again. My parents are not fantasy fans, but my dad couldn’t help but stop and watch every time he walked into the living room, especially with Peter Dinklage’s scenes and he started asking what his role was about. My mom watched episode 5 with me and laughed out loud when Ros tells Theon “he’s good with his fingers, and his tongue”.
If critics are saying this about S2, imagine what they’ll think of S3/4.
mags giantsbabeQuote Reply
Battle Of The Fist
The Red Wedding
Purple Wedding
Arya & The Hound at The Crossroads Inn
Reek
Astapor
Stannis saving The Wall
The Red Viper vs. The Mountain
Tyrion killing Tywin
So many good things to come!
The Young WolfQuote Reply
I still think season 2 was crap…
If only the dumb producers would had make it exactly as the book…
You bastards!!!
El BetoQuote Reply
The Young Wolf,
Tywin’s dead is going to be on season 4, along with Joffrey’s
El BetoQuote Reply
Boo!! }:[
Season 2 was amazing! The scenes with Arya and Tywin were pure genius and that wasn’t in the books! Surely you agree with that at least?!
GrijnwaaldQuote Reply
mags giantsbabe,
I finished watching S1 a few days ago , while HBO repeats the entire season,
S2 began tuesday. It’s amazing the amount of detail missed with the initial
viewing, refreshing to re-experience the larger points. Season three is bound
to confront and excite us all over again, with it’s ambitious agenda.
WildSeedQuote Reply
Grijnwaald,
:D
He’s drinking fortified wine, shh…..
WildSeedQuote Reply
Most important:
Rolling Stone named Stanis and Melisandre the #7 juciest TV hookup of 2012!
http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/the-juiciest-tv-hookups-of-2012-20121210/game-of-thrones-melisandre-and-stannis-season-2-episode-2-19691231
ReneQuote Reply
El Beto,
You don’t have to watch if you hate it so much friend. Personally I applaud Dave, Dan and all the rest of the production team for pulling off what must have been a difficult and daunting task. I’m guessing that you hate LOTR too beacause there was no Tom Bombadil.
tweedieQuote Reply
El Beto,
*sigh* Obvious troll is obvious. Move along folks, nothing to see here.
fevredreamQuote Reply
Let us hope that next season continues to improve on these accolades and is the season that finally wins the serious awards.
Aegon the ConquerorQuote Reply
Wildseed,
Exactly :) every time I watch it again
I just drink in the awesome dialogue.
mags giantsbabeQuote Reply
El Beto,
Hey man, I used to hate the changes they’d make but after watching season two from start to finish, I’ve come to think of the books and the series as two separate ways of telling the same story. It worked for me and now I don’t mind Dave and Dan taking so many liberties. Of course I wish they could have done Jon’s story in season 2 like it was in ACOK because it was awesome the way GRRM told it but now they are on track again. And I didn’t really like the stealing dragon thing in Dany’s story but who am I kidding? She needed some more material for season two! I just wish she wouldn’t be such a bitch sometimes ;)
Hoooodor
Hodor the DreadQuote Reply
The Young Wolf,
i hope the battle scenes will be at least as good as the ones in the Blackwater episode. some of the things you mentioned are really deserve a good TV portrayal.
alexQuote Reply
At least until the 4th season, I just finished another reread of Storm, and if they can pull it off we have an incredible two seasons to look forward to.
Steven SwansonQuote Reply
Took a little longer than I thought. ;)
Steven SwansonQuote Reply