HBO's 'Game of Thrones' Makes a Violent Return

Move over reality TV, there’s a new contender for the crown of most volatile television program, and this one has dragons.

“Game of Thrones” returned to HBO last Sunday to the joy of fans everywhere. Along with the series winning two Emmy awards, the first season’s finale grabbed 3.04 million views last June and has kept everyone crazy for more.

Some fans of the series that couldn’t stand the anticipation sought solace in reading ahead with the books, but let’s be honest, nobody likes a cheater, and if viewers were patient and simply waited for the opening credits to roll on their own, “Thrones” seemed ever sweeter and did not disappoint.

A word to the reader, if you haven’t watched season one of “Game of Thrones,” you shouldn’t be reading ahead. You should be watching season one of “Game of Thrones.”

Right off the bat the viewer is reminded just how big of a jerk the newly crowned King Joffrey really is. As if no one thought making a 14-year-old incest-bread adolescent an absolute monarch would have any possible negative consequences.

His constant abuse of Sansa Stark goes even further than last season, and now we can see the full extent of his mistreatment several months out. Yet this is not the only plot point that piques the viewer’s interest.

Pretty much every single lord or nobleman in the kingdom is now staking out claims to the throne, often making who is who a little confusing for the average viewer. The new king mania strays a little too much into the political side of things, which has the propensity to lose audience interest. It is understandable that a premier episode needs to take time and establish exposition, but for the ordinary viewer we really just came for fighting and fan-favorite dwarf Tyrion Lannister.

Peter Dinklage’s character continues to win the hearts of fans, being the most well-rounded character of the cast. As the newly elected Hand of the King, Dinklage lets his character do what he does best, piss of the rest of his Lannister family.

In a show based around the social and physical backstabbing of Westeros’ political scene, Tyrion’s flippant personality is a welcome relief for viewers. Within the first 10 minutes of the episode Tyrion is verbally jabbing King Joffery and irritating his incestuous older sister, something any viewer would pay good money to see.

All crowd-pleasing dwarf action aside, season two of “Game of Thrones” picks up right where it left off. The northern kingdoms are still seeking revenge for the tragedies against their family, the Dothrakis are still marching to war with some new dragon babies and Bran Stark is still crippled and having weird dreams.

The directors are playing it safe by using what is reliable, but in this case it’s not a bad thing. The audience wants something that is at once otherworldly, but relatable. In an election year, the uncertain world of Westeros seems similar to the wild world of American politics, but maybe with a little more bloodshed. For die hard fans, and those curious about all the Internet buzz, “Game of Thrones” promises to be a wild ride in season two, one that is definitely worth an hour a week, especially if there are going to be some sweet dragon battles down the road.