‘And Now His Watch Is Ended’ is another outstanding Game of Thrones instalment, in which several power-plays are set in motion across the world. Some of the mighty find themselves fallen low, while the once-meek assert themselves as powerful entities in their own right.
What makes Spartacus so much more complex than many expect it to be is that when it presents us with an idea, it is never content to move on from it without exploring it in depth.
It may be something of a surprise to learn that the two men behind Game of Thrones have never actually stepped behind the camera to direct an episode themselves. That all changes with ‘Walk of Punishment’, as David Benioff takes control and directs an instalment brimming with confidence.
‘Walk of Punishment’ is another terrific episode, but one that’s intentionally likely to leave a bad taste in the mouth, given the terrible things that happen – or nearly happen – to a lot of the characters.
It’s been another good week for ITV drama, with both Broadchurch and Scott & Bailey pulling in viewers.
Spartacus doesn’t do filler episodes. Yes, ‘The Dead and the Dying’ may be the penultimate instalment of the show but that hardly means it’s an uneventful one.
This is an episode that is all about consequences, catharsis and remembering the dead. It’s a tribute to Crixus that develops into a tribute to all who have fallen in the war against Rome, masterfully executing numerous resonant moments while doing significant work building for what is sure to be an epic series finale.
With most of the ground-work for Season 3 laid down in last week’s opener, this week finds Game of Thrones on surer footing. ‘Dark Wings, Dark Words’ is a more exciting episode and a more interesting one.
After the somewhat perfunctory opening episode of Season 3, Game of Thrones is really cooking again with ‘Dark Wings, Dark Words’. Checking in with the characters absent from last week, we get a more enthralling and exciting instalment.