Game of Thrones: Season 1

Game of Thrones:
Season 1

Information

Episodes

10

Premiere

Winter Is Coming”

Finale

Fire and Blood”

Release dates

April 17, 2011 to
June 29, 2011

Production dates

July 23, 2010 to
December 18, 2010

DVD/Blu-ray

March 5, 2012

Episode guide

Next

Season 2

The first season of Game of Thrones consists of ten episodes, including a re-shot version of the pilot episode originally filmed in October 2009 and November 2009, and was otherwise filmed between July 23, 2010 and December 18, 2010. Season 1 had a budget of $60 million. Season 1 of Game of Thrones was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States and United Kingdom on March 5, 2012, setting new sales records for first-week sales of a HBO series. On September 2, 2012, the first season of Game of Thrones won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.[1] David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were the executive producers and showrunners.

The season premiered on April 17, 2011.

Season 1 is mostly based on A Game of Thrones, the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin.

Premise

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author), this sprawling HBO drama series is set in a grounded fantasy world inhabited by ambitious men and women of both honor and ill-repute, much like our own real world.[2]

Overview

Season 1 spans a period of several months on a world where the seasons last for years at a time. The action begins in the unified Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as the long summer ends and winter draws near. Lord Eddard Stark is asked by his old friend, King Robert Baratheon, to serve as the Hand of the King following the death of the previous incumbent, Eddard’s mentor Jon Arryn. Eddard is reluctant but receives intelligence suggesting that Jon was murdered. Eddard accepts Robert’s offer, planning to use his position and authority to investigate the alleged murder.

Meanwhile, on the eastern continent of Essos, the exiled children of House Targaryen, which Robert destroyed to claim the throne, are plotting to return to Westeros and unseat the ‘usurper’. To this end, Viserys Targaryen arranges the marriage of his sister Daenerys to Khal Drogo, the leader of 40,000 Dothraki warriors, in return for the use of his warriors in invading Westeros. For her part, Daenerys just wants to find a safe refuge far away from King Robert’s assassins and her brother’s scheming ambition.

Finally, on the northern-most border of the Seven Kingdoms the sworn brothers of the Night’s Watch guard the Wall, a 300-mile-long colossal fortification of ice which has stood for thousands of years. The Watch defends the Wall against the depredations of the lawless wildlings who live beyond, but rumor speaks of a new threat arising in the lands of perpetual winter.

Episodes

Cast

Starring

Also starring

Guest starring

Crew

Producers

Writers

Directors

Production

Filming

Season 1 was mainly filmed on location in Northern Ireland and Malta, with the Paint Hall facility in Belfast being used as the main studio.

Deleted scenes

Due to limitations of filming time, there was very little shot for the season which was not eventually used. However, a notable scene cut was a flashback scene featuring the execution of Brandon Stark at the hands of the Mad King. Actors were cast for this scene and it was filmed, even appearing in some trailers, but ultimately was not used. The scene did not even appear on DVD or Blu-ray releases of the season.[3]

Home media

Season 1 of Game of Thrones was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK on 5 March 2012, and in the USA a day later. In the United States, Best Buy had exclusive packaging featuring the sigils of House Stark and House Targaryen on the cover, while HMV featured the Stark cover in the UK.

On release, the DVD and Blu-ray became the fastest-selling release in the history of HBO, outselling in its first week box sets of series such as The Sopranos, Band of Brothers and True Blood. It sold over 350,000 copies in its first week on sale, with 57% of those sales on the Blu-ray format. It has also set new HBO records for digital sales on iTunes.[4]

As well as all ten episodes of the first season, the set includes the following extra and special features:

Blu-ray exclusives

• Blu-ray Complete Guide to Westeros: An interactive compendium of the noble houses and lands featured in Season One, PLUS 24 exclusive histories of the Seven Kingdoms as told by the characters themselves.
• Anatomy of an Episode: An in-episode experience that explores the creative minds and colossal efforts behind episode six, “A Golden Crown”.
• In-Episode Guide: In-episode resource that provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories while each episode plays.
• Hidden Dragon Eggs: Find the hidden dragon eggs to uncover even more never-before-seen content.

Blu-ray and DVD

• Making Game of Thrones: An exclusive 30-minute feature including never-before-seen footage from the set and interview from the cast and crew.
• Creating the Show Open: An inside look at the creation of the Emmy-winning opening title sequence for Game of Thrones
• From the Book to the Screen: Executive producers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, and author George R.R. Martin talk about the challenge of bringing Martin’s epic fantasy novel to life on HBO.
• Character Profiles: Profiles of 15 major characters as described by the actors portraying them.
• Audition Tapes: 25 minutes of audition reels and tapes showing how the main actors won their roles.
• Inside the Night’s Watch: An in-depth look at the unique order of men who patrol and protect the Wall, a 700-foot ice structure that separates the Seven Kingdoms from the darkness beyond.
• Creating the Dothraki Language: An insightful glance into the comprehensive language created for the Dothraki people in Game of Thrones.
• Audio Commentaries: Seven audio commentaries with cast and crew.
  • “Winter Is Coming”: Commentary by producers/writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
  • “The Kingsroad”: Commentary by actors Lena Headey, Mark Addy and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
  • “Lord Snow”: Commentary by actors Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams and Isaac Hempstead-Wright.
  • “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things”: Commentary by actor Kit Harington and writer Bryan Cogman.
  • “A Golden Crown”: Commentary by actors Peter Dinklage, Harry Lloyd and Emilia Clarke, and director Daniel Minahan.
  • “The Pointy End”: Commentary by writer/producer/consultant George R.R. Martin.
  • “Fire and Blood”: Commentary by producers/writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and director Alan Taylor.

Special limited edition

Season 1 was reissued on 20 November 2012 in a special limited edition box set. This set contains the entirety of Season 1 on Blu-ray and DVD (with the accompanying special features), as well as access to digital downloads of the episodes. The set also included a dragon egg paperweight and a bonus preview disc containing the first episode of Season 2.

In the books

The season generally follows the first novel A Game of Thrones, and consists of a few scenes based on the second novel A Clash of Kings.

Gallery

Videos

Trailers

Game Of Thrones “Raven” Preview (HBO)

Game Of Thrones “Winter Is Coming” (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: Clip Preview (HBO)

Game of Thrones: “Iron Throne Preview” (HBO)

Game of Thrones “Iron Throne” Clip Preview

Game Of Thrones “The Game Begins” Preview (HBO)

Game Of Thrones “Fear and Blood” Trailer (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: “Power” Trailer (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: “Epic” Promo (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: “Poison” Trailer (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Season 1 – Critics Trailer (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Comic-Con Trailer (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 1 DVD/Blu-Ray: Intrigue

Game of Thrones Season 1 DVD/Blu-Ray: War

Game of Thrones / Official Season 1 Recap Trailer (HBO)

Behind the scenes

Game Of Thrones: In Production (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Season 1 – Inside Game of Thrones (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: Invitation To Westeros (HBO)

About Game Of Thrones (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Costumes (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Making Of (HBO)

The Artisans

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Richard Roberts (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Michele Clapton (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Gemma Jackson (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Gemma Jackson on the Castle Black Lift (HBO)

Game of Thrones: The Artisans – Buster Reeves (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Maisie Williams (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Paul Inglis (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Tommy Dunne (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Simon Brindle (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Gordon Fitzgerald (HBO)

The Artisans: Gemma Jackson on the Iron Throne Room (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: The Artisans – Jim Stanes (HBO)

House features

Game Of Thrones: House Baratheon Feature (HBO)

Game of Thrones: House Lannister Feature (HBO)

Game of Thrones: House Stark Feature (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: House Targaryen Feature (HBO)

Character features

Game Of Thrones: Character Feature – Robb Stark (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: Character Feature – Bran Stark (HBO)

Game Of Thrones: Character Feature – Viserys Targaryen (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Season 1 – Stark Kids Sing Show Open (HBO)

Images

References