Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.
"Mhysa" may not be the most powerful, grand or barn-storming of season finales and it does pale in comparison to the previous episode "The Rains of Castamere" (which in all honesty was on a completely different level, being the magnum opus of a generally fine season of one of the magnum opuses of the whole of 'Game of Thrones'). It may not be the most plot-development-heavy (in terms of the episode itself) or twisty episodes. It also ends on an admittedly uplifting and hopeful but also rather anti-climactic note, that isn't the going out with the bang one expects (Daenerys had a much better final scene in "And Now His Watch is Ended").
What "Mhysa" does do brilliantly is set things up for Season 4 and propel the action forward, making one highly anticipating the next season rather impatiently. It also excels just as well in past characters, that didn't get the focus they should have before, making welcome and well overdue returns after long absences. "Myhsa" was quite a poignant reunion episode of sorts and the softer and character-focused approach, while still having plenty of tension and resonance, to the storytelling was appreciated.
Acting is superb all round, it is hard to follow on from Michelle Fairley's tour-De-force performance in "The Rains of Castamere" but everybody with no exceptions are more than up to the task, and on the dramatic front only the final scene didn't quite work for me. Direction is fine.
Visually, "Mhysa" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about "Mhysa" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
Overall, a very well executed season finale but it is hard not to feel that there could have been even more than what was given. Everything is done brilliantly, the episode just could have gone a little bit further. 9/10 Bethany Cox
"Mhysa" may not be the most powerful, grand or barn-storming of season finales and it does pale in comparison to the previous episode "The Rains of Castamere" (which in all honesty was on a completely different level, being the magnum opus of a generally fine season of one of the magnum opuses of the whole of 'Game of Thrones'). It may not be the most plot-development-heavy (in terms of the episode itself) or twisty episodes. It also ends on an admittedly uplifting and hopeful but also rather anti-climactic note, that isn't the going out with the bang one expects (Daenerys had a much better final scene in "And Now His Watch is Ended").
What "Mhysa" does do brilliantly is set things up for Season 4 and propel the action forward, making one highly anticipating the next season rather impatiently. It also excels just as well in past characters, that didn't get the focus they should have before, making welcome and well overdue returns after long absences. "Myhsa" was quite a poignant reunion episode of sorts and the softer and character-focused approach, while still having plenty of tension and resonance, to the storytelling was appreciated.
Acting is superb all round, it is hard to follow on from Michelle Fairley's tour-De-force performance in "The Rains of Castamere" but everybody with no exceptions are more than up to the task, and on the dramatic front only the final scene didn't quite work for me. Direction is fine.
Visually, "Mhysa" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.
One cannot talk about "Mhysa" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.
It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. The story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.
Overall, a very well executed season finale but it is hard not to feel that there could have been even more than what was given. Everything is done brilliantly, the episode just could have gone a little bit further. 9/10 Bethany Cox