Game Of Thrones Season 7: 10 Ups And 2 Downs From 'The Spoils Of War'

7. Welcome To GoT, Matt Shakman

How many episodes of Game of Thrones has Matt Shakman directed before this one? Zero.

Even more surprising than that fact is that Shakman, while a TV veteran, is best known for directing the sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (along with the likes of House, Mad Men, and Fargo).

Although clearly talented and with some flair, it's not the kind of resume that obviously lends itself to this kind of episode, and yet Shakman - who got the gig when David Nutter (The Rains of Castamere, The Dance of Dragons) was unable to do it after back surgery - does an incredible job here.

There is some indelible imagery, especially in the battle, and some wise choices in how to film it, such as following Bronn a la Jon Snow in the Battle of the Bastards. In the way the sequence is staged he manages to conjure up a hell of a lot of heart-racing tension, right from that first shot teasing (but crucially not showing) the Dothraki. At the same time he ensures it hits the emotional beats, such as with the Stark reunion. It often goes without saying that Thrones is well-directed, but with this being Shakman's first time, it's definitely worth stating it here.

How many episodes of Game of Thrones will Matt Shakman direct after this one? There aren't many left, but there's a compelling case to give him one of the final six after this showing (and he does have one more to come in Season 7).