Game of Thrones
This is an excellent 10-part drama about the intrigues, violence and everything else you’d expect in a clearly adult drama series set in fictional kingdoms that bear than more than a passing resemblance to Tolkein’s middle earth (but without the elves, dwarves, trolls, and orcs).
The story and drama is well-crafted and treated completely seriously, the set design and general direction is very good, and the cast and level of acting is excellent (other than the child actors, which are adequate). I also give it credit because at the midpoint of episode 8 I thought I understood completely how it would finish, but in fact it surprised me with at least 2 major shocks/twists – and in ways that were completely coherent to the logic of this universe.
On the other hand, it did finish with barely any single plot threads resolved, taking cliff-hanging in TV series to a new level, in my opinion.
This is thoroughly recommended – but be aware that whilst it has some of the trappings of Lord of the Rings, it is completely and thoroughly adult in tone and content
Rating: Good, 9/10