TV shows win or die based on the quality of their pilots, and thankfully Game of Thrones was a winner from the very beginning. The premiere episode had the Herculean task of immersing the audience in a believable fantasy world while also providing a story we could get invested in, and it succeeded on both fronts. As soon as we saw those Nights Watch rangers travel beyond the awe-inspiring Wall into the haunted forest, we knew wed be in this for the long run. Were gradually introduced to the shows major players throughout the hour: the honorable-to-a-fault Eddard Stark, the witty and wonderful Tyrion Lannister, the future Mother of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen, and many others. While much of the episode is just pieces being places on a chess board, its hard to notice because the placement is so masterful. In less than 60 minutes, the pilot transports us to the world of Westeros, helps us understand the culture and customs, and thanks to that gut-punch cliffhanger ending, it guarantees we come back for more.
J.D. Laney is an aspiring novelist and screenwriter from Cleveland, Ohio. When he isn't trying to write his own material, he is constantly consuming the work of others for analysis and, occasionally, for fun. He has a particular interest in film, literature, and video games.