[Televisionary]

"Some doors close forever. Others open in most unexpected places." - Varys When it is wise to commit a horrific act in the name of the greater good? Does one life matter more than that of millions? Can you cross a moral line in order to keep a larger peace? Such questions of moral relativism hovered over this week's fantastic episode of Game of Thrones ("The Wolf and the Lion"), written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by Brian Kirk, which presented both King Robert and Ned Stark with a weighty dilemma: do they act to keep the peace and murder a pregnant girl? Is Daenerys' existence alone enough the shatter the tenuous union of the Seven Kingdoms? By employing an assassin, would they avert a larger war down the road? Should she and her brother have been murdered as children? By allowing them to survive, did they curse themselves to a potential Dothraki invasion from across the Narrow Sea? And if Robert gets his way and Dany is slain by some se

"Everyone who isn't us is an enemy." - Cersei The brutality of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros--and the vantage point of the Lannister clan--is eloquently summed up in Queen Cersei's words of advice to the young prince Joffrey: it's a paranoid and arrogant declaration of their family's separation from the rest of mankind, a testament to the roar of the Lannister pride and of Cersei's own suspicious nature. Trust no one, she tells her son. This is, after all, a woman involved in an incestuous romance with her twin brother, willing to conspire in the death of a ten-year-old boy in order to protect their dark secret. (It's also a creepy scene in which she instructs her son to sleep with "painted whores" or virtuous virgins if he wishes, in addition to bedding his betrothed when the time comes.) In this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("Lord Snow"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Brian Kirk, we're give

"You may not have my name, but you have my blood." Matters of life and death hung over this week's episode of Game of Thrones ("The Kingsroad"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, in which Bran Stark--nearly killed from his fall--hovered uneasily after nearly shuffling off his mortal coil, thanks to the Lannisters. While Jaime and Cersei--so careful to protect their secret--didn't hesitate to silence young Bran, their treachery is now doubly dangerous as the fall didn't kill the little climber of Winterfell. But as Bran lies motionless in his room, change is taking place all around him: Ned leaves for King's Landing, where he will serve as the Hand of the King, and takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him; Jon Snow heads north for the Wall, where he will take the black and become one of the sworn brothers of the Night's Watch; Robb steps forward and assumes the lordship of Winterfell in his father's ab

It doesn't take the greensight to know that HBO was going to issue a second season pickup for its fantasy series Game of Thrones , based on the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels by George R.R. Martin, after the premium cable network touted an impressive 4.2 cumulative viewers for the Sunday broadcasts of the first installment. The announcement about the renewal was issued by Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming. “We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin’s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” he said in a prepared statement. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.” No word on when we can expect to see the arrival of Season Two of Game of Thrones or how many episodes the sophomore season will contain, though I'm hoping to see something closer to thirteen episodes as Benioff and Weiss begin to adapt "A Clash of Kings," the hef

Winter is coming, as we're told several times throughout the first episode of HBO's lavish and gripping new series, Game of Thrones , based on the George R.R. Martin novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire." It's a belief that the halcyon days of summer will soon be behind us, that the icy grip of winter--true winter--will soon wrap its fingers around our throats. Those happy days are behind us. In the series premiere of Game of Thrones ("Winter is Coming"), written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, the signs and omens are gathering around us. A direwolf has been slain by a stag, in turn killed by the great wolf itself, her children spilling from her bellies as orphans. In a world that moving forward away from superstitions, it's a tableau that should give even the deepest cynics of Westeros pause for thought. Change is coming to Winterfell and, by the time the closing credits of this first episode roll, the Starks have be

Looking for all of our coverage of HBO's Game of Thrones in one place? Look no further. At The Daily Beast's Newsmaker page for Game of Thrones , you find all of our collected coverage of Game of Thrones , including: Game of Thrones for Dummies, my in-depth glossary and character gallery for the uninitiated; George R.R. Martin's two Curator features, in which he picks Top 10 Fantasy Films and Top 10 Science Fiction Films; my initial preview feature; my behind the scenes feature, 10 Secrets From HBO's Game of Thrones , and much more. Finally, my advance review of the first six episodes of Game of Thrones can be found here . Game of Thrones begins Sunday at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Attention, Game of Thrones uninitiated: you've come to the right place. HBO's new fantasy series Game of Thrones creates a massive world with its own jargon and a ton of characters. Over at The Daily Beast, check out my latest feature, " Game of Thrones for Dummies," (I didn't pick the hed!) in which I break down the objects, people, places, and curiosities of Westeros and beyond in a Game of Thrones glossary for those who don't know who the hell the Kingslayer is, what in God's name a wilding is, or why they keep saying "Winter is coming." Plus, there's also an embedded character gallery accessible here , which breaks down 20 of the major characters of Game of Thrones into easily digestible profiles, with character descriptions, likes/dislikes, weapons, family relations and more... including quotes from Emilia Clarke (Daenerys), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), and Kit Harington (Jon Snow). And don't worry, those of you who

Game of Thrones , HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's first book in his bestselling series A Song of Ice and Fire , premieres April 17th on HBO. In anticipation, Martin curates his 10 favorite fantasy films of all time , from Ladyhawke and Raiders of the Lost Arc to the Lord of the Rings trilogy at The Daily Beast. For Martin's previous Curator feature of his favorite science-fiction films, read this . For my interview with Martin; the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; and Sue Naegle, the entertainment president of HBO, read this feature . Fans of the books should also read "10 Secrets of HBO's Game of Thrones," to find out about casting direwolves, forging the Iron Throne, creating the Dothraki language, and many other behind-the-scenes details. And you can read my review of the first six episodes of Game of Thrones here . (Minor spoilers, only.) Did your favorite make the list? What's your take on GRRM's favorite science fi

Fans of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," adapted by HBO as Game of Thrones , already know the novels inside and out. I go behind the scenes to offer 10 secrets from the HBO drama, launching April 17. Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature (which is for the die-hard fans of the novels as well as those looking for some behind-the-scenes details about the HBO production), entitled " Game of Thrones : 10 Secrets About HBO's Adaptation," in which I speak to George R.R. Martin, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Dothraki language developer David Peterson (and get an exclusive translation of a key phrase), weapons master Tommy Dunne, set designer Gemma Jackson, head animal trainer Jim Warren, HBO entertainment president Sue Naegle, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, set decorator Richard Roberts, and supervising prop maker Gavin Jones. Among the topics discussed: Martin's unseen cameo from the original pilot, the crystal blade that the White Walkers

HBO is about to unveil an ambitious adaptation of George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel Game of Thrones , the first book in a seven-novel series entitled "A Song of Ice and Fire." Over at The Daily Beast, it's the first of two Game of Thrones -centric features today, this one a broad overview of the series and intended to be hugely accessible for newbies to the series who haven't read the books. (There are no real spoilers within, though I do explain why you need to be watching.) In my latest feature, entitled " Game of Thrones Comes to HBO," I speak to George R.R. Martin; the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; and Sue Naegle, the entertainment president of HBO, about the ruthlessly addictive show. Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

There are few new series as widely anticipated or as closely watched as that of HBO's gorgeous and gripping Game of Thrones , which premieres later this month amid a flurry of promotion, from food trucks and sneak peeks to skyscraper-sized billboards in major cities. Winter is coming, it seems, and just in the nick of time. Based on the novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones arrives with its brutality and vision very much intact. Adapted by executive producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss, this is a staggering adaptation of a monumental literary achievement, a densely-plotted fusion of fantasy and potboiler political thriller with a deeply cinematic scope. For those unfamiliar with the underlying material, Game of Thrones revolves around the power games enacted by a group of lords and ladies in a feudal society that's vaguely reminiscent of our own Dark Ages. But in this world, where seven kingdoms are uneasily bound together int

Missed last night's preview of Game of Thrones , premiering later this month on HBO? Fret not, as you can catch the first few minutes of the amazing pilot episode--written by David Benioff and Dan Weiss and directed by Tim Van Patten, below. I'm curious to know: What do you think of the footage shown? Does it match up to your expectations and your imagination of George R.R. Martin's epic novel series? Did it set the stage for the epic story to follow? And, most importantly, will you be tuning in on April 17th? Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17 at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Warm up a bottle of Tru Blood, because we're heading back to the Louisiana bayou for another season come June. HBO today announced the official launch date for Season Four of the vampire drama, which will kick off its twelve-episode season on Sunday, June 26th at 9 pm ET/PT. The pay cabler also announced return dates for Curb Your Enthusiasm , which will launch its ten-episode eighth season on Sunday, July 10th at 10 pm ET/PT, and the final season of Entourage , which will begin on Sunday, July 24th at 10:30 pm. Glad to finally have a date to circle on your calendar, True Blood fans? You're not the only ones anxious to sink your teeth into the fourth season this summer...

Game of Thrones , HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s first book in his bestselling series "A Song of Ice and Fire," premieres April 17th—and the network is showing the first 15 minutes of the first episode this Sunday. In anticipation, Martin curates his 10 favorite science-fiction films, from The Road Warrior to Blade Runner at The Daily Beast . (And be sure to check back next week, when Martin curates his favorite fantasy films in Part Two of this two-part feature.) Did your favorite make the list? What's your take on GRRM's favorite science fiction films? Head to the comments section to discuss and debate. Game of Thrones premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is/To have a thankless child!" - William Shakespeare A word to the wise: Don't go into HBO's Todd Haynes-directed mini-series Mildred Pierce , which begins Sunday, expecting the noir-tinged murder plot of the 1945 Joan Crawford film. In adapting James M. Cain's novel--the basis for that famous film--writers Todd Haynes and Jon Raymond have hewed closely to the underlying material, rather than the sensationalized drama film with the same name, where the titular businesswoman, Mildred Pierce (Crawford), is suspected of killing her wealthy playboy husband, allegedly trading her pie weights for bullets. Here, there is no murder, no discussion of criminality, though the notion of maternal sacrifice looms large over the action. Here, in Haynes' five-hour miniseries, Mildred Pierce is played by Kate Winslet, who gives her Mildred a brittleness and hubris-like pride that are wholly in keeping with McCain's original novel.

"I may not always love you But long as there are stars above you You never need to doubt it I'll make you so sure about it God only knows what I'd be with you." Saying goodbye is never easy, particularly when it's a series as deeply nuanced and as emotionally resonant as HBO's Big Love , a groundbreaking series that subtly shifted our perceptions of what the television family drama could accomplish. Over five seasons, the audience witnessed the struggles of the Henrickson clan as they attempted to seek out their own destinies, both as a group and as individuals. This was a series that was centered around hearth and home, sex and salvation, faith and family. It was at times hugely operatic (Season Four, I'm looking at you), Shakespearean, or pared-down (the final season). But what Big Love accomplished was to deliver a look into a family that was markedly different, perhaps, than our own, but which also had the same growing pains, the same fears, the same

HBO's landmark drama series Big Love ended its run tonight with a fantastic series finale. Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, " Big Love Series Finale: Its 12 Most Memorable Moments," in which I select the twelve best moments from Big Love 's entire run, including tonight's series finale, and allow you to relive these searing moments, thanks to our wonderful video team. Did your favorite moment make the list? Head to the comments section to discuss.

HBO's landmark drama series Big Love wraps up its run tonight with a fantastic series finale. Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, " Big Love Series Finale: Its Ten Most Memorable Moments," in which I select the ten best moments from Big Love 's run ahead of tonight's series finale and allow you to relive these searing moments, thanks to our wonderful video team. Be sure to check back after the episode when I unveil my two additional moments from the series finale, which is gripping and emotional, to say the least, as well as my thoughts about the show's end. Did your favorite moment make the list? How do you think tonight's series finale will wrap up the last five years of storylines? Head to the comments section to discuss.

"The age of false prophets is over." As we near the end of Big Love 's run next week, the notion of sacrifice hovers over the action, with each of the characters being forced to come to terms with their own personal divinity as they weigh the outcome of their actions. For every mother who strives to give their child a better life at the expense of their own happiness, there's another who puts their own insecurities and shame onto their offspring. It seems as though we truly can't even outrun out pasts, much less escape them. There's always a way that the past--whether it be a crazed gunman out for bloody vengeance, a corrugated iron washtub, or our formative experiences in childhood--manages to catch up with us. On this week's tension-laden episode of Big Love ("Exorcism"), written by Roberto Aquirre-Sacasa and directed by Adam Davidson, the past didn't so much as sidle up to the Henricksons as it did throw a bucket of acid in their faces, f