Game Of Thrones: 12 Ups And 5 Downs From Season 7

10. The Action

It almost goes without saying at this stage, but once again the action on Game of Thrones continues to be on another level entirely. We've already discussed the dragons, but even outside of the fire-breathing creatures there were some stunning action sequences this year, and more than usual too.

Again, there's more to Thrones than this, but in a season when the storytelling took a dip the spectacle and scale of the show really shone through. It's enough to remind you that we should be thankful this show even gets made at all.

The battle at sea kicked things off, giving us a different, darker perspective on the typical battle. It was fast, frenetic, and, while a little difficult to make out at times, exciting to see Euron Greyjoy in full mad pirate mode.

Beyond-The-Wall, again, gave us some gorgeous set-pieces, thanks to the icy backdrop and heart-in-mouth tension of the episode. The wight bear was a wonderful monster movie-esque scene, and the battle with the dead - and subsequent arrival of Daenerys - some of the best zombie action you'll find on television.

Then there's The Spoils of War. The episode wasn't perfect, but watching the 'Loot Train Attack' unfold was a sight to behold. Dragon aside, it was great to finally see what the Dothraki are capable of in an open field, while following Bronn through the battle - a la Jon during the Battle of the Bastards - was an indelible bit of camera work, and gave one of the show's best characters his big moment. If anything this season had too much focus on its action and dragons but, in terms of watching those things play out, it was pretty marvellous.