Game Of Thrones Season 7: 10 Ups And 3 Downs From 'Beyond The Wall'
“Walking’s good. Fighting is better. F**king is best.”
Even in a shortened season, the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones lives up to its billing.
The 'ninth' episode (even when it comes as the eighth (as with Hardhome) or, as here, sixth in a season) is the biggie, and the show doesn't deviate from that formula here, even bringing back Alan Taylor - the man who directed the first ever ninth episode, Baelor - to helm it.
As the title indicated, the focus of this instalment was on the Magnificent Eastwatch Seven striding beyond the Wall to capture a wight, in what was the worst idea in a season of terrible plans - and, of course, it all goes accordingly to that.
It wasn't a one-location episode though, as some penultimate instalments have been. There were also further rising tensions between Arya and Sansa at Winterfell, and some terse moments with Daenerys and Tyrion, but King's Landing was left off the board this week.
Befitting its placement in the season, and the clash between the living and the dead, Beyond The Wall offered up some exhilarating thrills and icy chills, but also a fair bit of frustration as well.