Winter is here, and so is Season 7 of the hit HBO show on Blu-ray
In my review of Season 6, I said “the handbrake is well and truly off.” Well, Season 7 ripped the damn thing out of the car. A shortened length, 7 episodes instead of the usual 10, it was by no means less impactful. Plot lines were tied up; characters were brought together, some for the very first time; and there was an escalation in the threat from beyond the wall. It’s a season very much setup to serve as a primer, laying out the final pieces for the all out conflict of Season 8; and while it stumbles on occasion, it remains a hell of an achievement, presented with the usual polish by HBO home entertainment.
Synopsis:
In Season 7, Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail for Westeros with her armies, dragons and new Hand of the Queen, Tyrion Lannister. Jon Snow has been named King in the North after defeating Ramsay Bolton in the Battle of the Bastards and returning Winterfell to House Stark. In King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister has seized the Iron Throne by incinerating the High Sparrow, his followers and her rivals in the Sept of Baelor. But as old alliances fracture and new ones emerge, an army of dead men marches on the Wall, threatening to end the game of thrones forever.
As mentioned, Season 7 is about putting the pieces in place for the endgame — wrapping up loose ends, either by stabbing, immolation, poisoning, copulation, or whatever takes those in power’s fancy. Since the beginning, this game of thrones has been brutal and enthralling, but ultimately a waste of resources and time, as the true threat beyond the wall looms ever larger. Now it’s brought into focus; winter is here and so are the White Walkers.
With the destruction of the Sept of Baelor at the climax of Season 6, we lost a huge swathe of the cast, a shocking and effective way to tie up loose ends, solidifying Cersei’s grip on power at King’s Landing. It was a trend that continues into Season 7, with big bold gestures to help bring things into focus, consolidating powers and positioning players. While things are scaled up, there is certainly a loss of the nuance that has gained the show so many fans over the years. Earlier in the show, huge swathes of screentime across multiple episodes were dedicated to minor plot points; now things like the invasion of Casterly Rock are ‘blink and miss it’ moments. Perhaps the most egregious issues with Season 7 come with respect to pacing and geography, sacrificing logic and believability in the name of plot and story impact. It’s less of a drawn out tease and more of an immediate reward at times — it still feels satisfying, but in a different way than what’s come before.
Some of the maneuverings are there, Cersei notably seeking to take advantage of Jon and Dany seeking an alliance, or a misjudged plot involving a stoked mistrust between Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams) by Lord Baelish (Aidan Gillen). The addition is understandable, but requires such suspension of belief on the part of the viewer, in both the show’s nuance and the lessons learned by these characters over 7 years, that it just doesn’t work at all. With time limited, there is a use of bait and switch as a plot mechanic to craft intrigue instead of playing the long game. More than being smart and savvy, it’s become something of a dumb delight. It seems somewhat ridiculous to critique the show for getting to where it was always headed. Questions are answered, karmic schadenfreude is delivered, we get a tingle seeing characters reunited or meeting for the first time, or our jaws drop at epic moments such as THIS. Game of Thrones still captivates and is undoubtedly changing; it’s embracing the epic it was destined to be, and things were always going to be lost along the way.
The Package
HBO have always done themselves, and the show proud when it comes to home video releases; season 7 is no different. The stunning visuals are very well represented. Beautiful vistas, slightly tinted blue, inky blacks, impressive contrast, with high detail throughout. Of course HiDef-ness does lead to more scrutiny, and as the show (necessarily) weaves in more CGI, it becomes more noticeable. Some of the dragon sequences show more ‘fakeness’ than others, but it’s a small niggle. Special features include:
- Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms – From the Game of Thrones realm comes the never-before-seen story of the tumultuous events that shaped the world of Westeros for thousands of years before the series start. Cast members team up to narrate the animated telling of Aegon Targaryen’s attempts to conquer the Seven Kingdoms: If you’ve purchased past seasons, you’ll know one of the highlights of the extras has been the animated shorts, retelling historical events in Westeros/Essos etc. This bonus disc brings them all together, showcasing narration by the cast and wonderful animation to flesh out George RR Martin’s world.
- From Imagination to Reality: Inside the Art Department – Extensive two-part featurette detailing the astonishing work of Production Designer Deborah Riley and her Art Department, dissecting the process behind the creation of this season’s incredible new sets, including Dragonstone, Casterly Rock, Highgarden, the Dragonpit, and more: The production quality of the show shines, so two featurettes showcasing the crew’s contributions are both warranted and welcomed.
- Fire & Steel: Creating the Invasion of Westeros – Revisit this season’s most pivotal moments with this behind-the-scenes featurette, including interviews with key cast and crew breaking down how fans’ favorite moments were created: One of the more spectacular sequences comes towards the end of the season. Like features past in this vein, it’s a very detailed and revealing look at the planning and execution of the scene. A great extra.
- Audio Commentaries – Commentaries on every episode with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Jacob Anderson, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, and more: I was unable to go through them all, but if past seasons are an example, these are always very insightful and entertaining, showcasing the banter and rapport between cast and crew. Technical insights as well as those into narrative and character choices, plus onset tidbits.
- Histories and Lore – 7 new animated pieces that give the history and background of notable season 7 locations and storylines including The Dragonpit, Highgarden, Prophecies of the Known World, the Rains of Castamere and more all narrated by cast members including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillen, Iain Glen, and more: Beautifully executed shorts expanding on various themes touched on this season.
- In-Episode Guides – In-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters and locations: The return of the interactive guide allows you to look up the people, places, and more while viewing if you need a refresher. Very well executed, deftly integrated, and presumably welcome by many.
- Creating the North and Beyond – Behind-the-scenes featurette delving into the massive undertaking of creating and filming the battle in Episode 6 of Season 7: Another technical featurette and another impressive addition. The series really does wonders weaving practical and special effects, and features like this deepen the appreciation for that Game of Thrones achieves.
- Digital download code.
The Bottom Line
While some griped about Season 7 going a little gung-ho in terms of action over narrative, it’s still a thrilling piece of TV, one that shifts around what’s left of the cast to where they need to be for the final stretch. Season 8 can’t come soon enough, but for now, this stuffed release from HBO will have to see you through.
Game of Thrones Season 7 is available on Blu-ray and DVD December 12th, 2017.