GAME OF THRONES: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
(2013, Blu-ray released February 18, 2014 – MSRP $79.98)
THE SERIES:
- “In the third season of the hit HBO drama series Game of Thrones, the Lannisters are barely holding onto power after a savage naval onslaught from Stannis Baratheon, while stirrings in the North threaten to alter the overall balance of power in Westeros. Robb Stark, King in the North, is facing major calamity in his efforts to build on his victories over the Lannisters while beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder and his huge army of wildlings continue their inexorable march south. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen – reunited with her three fast-maturing dragons – attempts to raise an army to sail with her from Essos, in hopes of eventually claiming the Iron Throne. “
REVIEW:
Wow. What can I say about this season of Game of Thrones that hasn’t been exclaimed a thousand times over across the internet? Stunning. Fearless. Red!
I understand the stories that make up every episode and season of this award-winning show are merely adaptations of a popular series of fantasy books and should therefore not have too much praise heaped upon them for remarkable character arcs and groundbreaking plot work but holy good god, never before has anything the likes of Game of Thrones been attempted on the small or, for that matter, large screen. The scripts are tight but give most every character room to breathe and grow, all the while never feeling to the audience as if much time is allowed to pass, each scene bounding breathlessly to the next. It’s a remarkable feat of script craft, to be certain, to achieve this level of narrative depth juxtaposed with so much incredible, high-fantasy action and intrigue in so little screen time. I’m in awe.
Make on this season and those before might sound akin to hyperbole but Game of Thrones has proven itself, thus far, to be absolutely critic-proof (aside from those staunch hold-outs who insist on comparing the show to the book.) One can pick nits, sure, but on the whole, this is the best the medium has ever been. I only thank the good lords and ladies of HBO that there’ll be more!
In terms of the audio/visual presentation of the series on Blu-ray, well, I’m sure if you’re an avid reader of this site you know what to expect. Game of Thrones is, once again, the height of technical perfection on Blu. It looks far more detailed, colourful and vibrant than even the very attractive 1080p broadcast version of the show you no doubt viewed via cable or satellite last year. Audio is perfectly immersive and dynamic in another series of spot-on DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. These are very near reference quality discs.
Special features are once again plentiful (you’ll find a complete list below the screencaps), with the number of informative and fun commentary tracks outnumbering the actual episodes. In addition to the usual plethora of featurettes, deleted scenes and in-episode guides, this 5-Blu-ray set also includes a pretty rad picture-in-picture type of in-episode experience, not unlike Warner’s much-loved Maximum Movie Mode. There are a ton of interviews and behind-the-scenes videos to be screened within The Rains of Castamere Unveiled feature, as well as in-experience clickables. There’s no shortage of material to delve into here. Enough to please even the most passionate GoT fan.
Highest possible recommendation!!
SCREENSHOTS:
Click to enlarge
(Note: All screenshots are created in the lossy jpg format which may cause additional compression artifacts and noise in the image.)
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- A Gathering Storm – Look back at the stormy events of Season 3 in this 14-minute recap with cast and crew.
- The Politics of Marriage – Cast and crew examine the institution of marriage and its place in Game of Thrones.
- Inside the Wildlings – Go beyond the Wall with this introduction to the wildlings.
- New Characters – Meet the new faces in Season 3: Olenna Tyrell, Missandei, Mance Rayder, Tormund Giantsbane, Orell, Jojen & Meera Reed, Blackfish & Edmure Tully, Thoros of Myr, and Beric Dondarrion.
- Deleted Scenes/Extended Scenes – Five deleted and extended scenes.
- Audio Commentaries – 12 audio commentaries with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley, Kit Harington, Richard Madden, and more.
- In-Episode Guide – In-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories.
- Histories & Lore – Learn about the mythology of Westeros as told from the varying perspectives of the characters themselves.
- The Rains of Castamere Unveiled – Get an in-depth look at the creation of the most pivotal episode of Season 3 in this comprehensive exposé featuring cast and crew.
- Roots of Westeros – Explore the interconnected web of relationships, rivalries, and conflicts between the noble houses of Westeros with this interactive guide.