Game of Thrones
This writer has a confession to make: I have tried to get into both George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire saga and HBO’s Game of Thrones series, but could not quite make the investment. (I gave the series two full seasons of my time and had no interest in continuing from there.) However, one can still appreciate the performances and the scale of the production. Of all the things about the fantasy series this writer misses, though, is not Peter Dinklage’s ennobled Tyrion Lannister or the breathtaking action sequences. Instead, it is the title theme, a hard tune to get out of your head, especially when your friends are talking about last week’s episode.
The map of Westeros sprouts into a multi-faceted models of towns, kingdoms and forests, all beckoning for power – signified by the fiery sun protected by the blades. Many fantasy authors like to include sketches of the mystical lands their novel is set in to accompany the reader, and so the opening sequence unfolds the locations where the next episode will be set. Considering how Game of Thrones contains such a vast cast of characters, it would feel off if the opening focused on the characters. Instead, by foregrounding this setting and how the gears of the kingdoms prepare for the conflicts and conquests of the episode, the title sequence reflects the scope of this massive series.
Meanwhile, Ramin Djawadi, who also worked on the score to Pacific Rim and Clash of the Titans, has composed a theme as iconic as Howard Shore’s brilliant work on Lord of the Rings. The stringed score, both exotic and exciting, builds up to a crescendo by the end, leaving many viewers energized for the next hour.
Well, except for this one.