8. Insight Into Robert And Cersei
There is never any doubt that King Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister's marriage wasn't a blissful one. He was a raucous drunk and she a highly strung, ambitious woman. The books touch on these themes but always from other peoples' perspectives and we are given only gossip and speculation as to how these characters really felt. David Benioff and D. B. Weiss deserve high praise then for spotting some very interesting drama in this situation and expanding it into one of the most heartfelt moments of season 1. In the scene in question we find Robert and Cersei sitting across a table from each other discussing where it all went wrong. There is a real palpable sense of regret from them both and they even manage to share a laugh. The exchange even manages to humanize the characters further and this deeper context makes you think a bit more before judging, which is down to great writing and stellar performances.