10. Better The Devils You Know Than The Devils You Don't
Episode One: The North Remembers Commentators: Co-executive producers/co-creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss Let's kick off the season with something simple, shall we? This little tidbit doesn't reveal any disasters during production (which we'll get to) or clue the viewer in to the seamless magic of TV production (ditto), but it does give a bit of insight into how and why what's intended isn't always what ends up on screen. Just as was the case in A Clash of Kings, the very first scene in Season 2 was meant to begin on the shores of Dragonstone introducing viewers to Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), Melissandre (Carice van Houten), Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) and his claim to be the true heir to the Iron Throne on account of all the twincest. It was with this opening that the episode was originally written, shot and edited together. But when Benioff and Weiss took a look at it, they decided that they didn't want the new season to begin with unknown characters after viewers had spent a whole year away from the show. They also loved the way that Alan Taylor had shot Joffrey's (Jack Gleason) Name Day Tournament and decided it best to begin The North Remembers by reorienting viewers to the world they had left - a world where an honorable family has been irreparably divided and an innocent young girl lives under constant fear of the monster who has an entire kingdom to cater to his every whim. It's twenty-four minutes after this fear and hatred have been re-established that viewers are introduced to Stannis, a claimant to the throne who would seem significantly less appealing to us if we hadn't just been reminded of the prick who currently reigns. Speaking of that prick...