US Airdate: April 24th-June 26th 2016
The Winds Of Winter: We have gotten to the point that the show has surpassed the actual book series and with The Winds Of Winter still unreleased, it could be argued that the show was going to be in something of a pickle. Instead what we got was something of a creative rebirth for the show as well as a rather literal one too.
The rumours of Jon Snow's death were greatly exaggerated and while it took two episodes to get him back into action (and for Melisandre to actually prove herself for once), this was something of a defining season for him. First of all, the much needed reunion between him and Sansa and secondly, getting the hell out of the Wall, once and for all but not before the ones who betrayed him got their just desserts.
Having Jon and Sansa working together this season to take down Ramsay was one of the best decisions ever made. Right now, they've only got each other and seeing them play off each other and go over their past showed just how far both characters have actually come in the space of six season as they went to reclaim Winterfell.
The hype of the season was clearly the Battle Of The Bastards and it's easy to see why. The show certainly knows how to raise it's game during it's penultimate episode and Jon and Ramsay's bloody battle for Winterfell certainly became one of the most ambitious and claustrophobic pieces of television I saw in all of 2016. However, while Jon got Winterfell back, it was really Sansa who saved the day.
Sansa has grown from a rather irritating and impressionable girl from the first season to a hardened and more strategic young woman right now. I liked that it was her who ultimately orchestrated Ramsay's downfall (and much I found him fascinating, there was nowhere else he could've gone in his depravity and terror), as well as being the one who saw the tyrant killed by his own starving hounds. A much deserved death for such a horrific character.
If anything this season really was one for the female characters moreso than ever. Cersei in particular went from grieving her daughter's death to accepting her son's eventual suicide as her long game plan to wipe out most of her enemies came to fruition. Unfortunately that saw the demise of Loras and Margaery but it also heralded the team up of Olenna and Ellaria and while Cersei might be sitting on the throne by the end of this season, she may not get to enjoy it for very long as we headed into the closing chapters of the series.
As for Daenerys, her arc started with being captured by more Dothraki but the writers wisely sped through this storyline as she used fire to cripple their kingdom. More importantly was the growing rapport with herself and Tyrion, absolving Jorah of his past transgressions, ending things with Daario and teaming up with both Theon and Yara towards the end of the season as well as finally getting out of Meereen, once and for all.
Arya had something of an awakening as her time in Braavos came to a rather life and death kind of end. I liked her scenes with the actors as well as her defeat of the Waif and takedown of Walder Frey as well. Now we just need to see her reunited with her siblings next season.
Speaking of siblings, Bran came back this season and the best thing about this was the exploration into Hodor's backstory (and easily the best episode after the final two), which more than delivered while Benjen also reappeared for a bit. Rickon on the other hand fared less well this season, adding to the fallen Starks by the end of the season.
While this season was mostly on fire, there were a few missteps here and there. Most of Sam and Gilly's scenes were fairly dull (let's never see the former's family again) and Jaime was predominantly relegated to scenes with the Freys and Edmure. On the plus side, he did get some lovely moments with Brienne and didn't seem too pleased with his sister's coronation but other than that, this season could've used him a little better. There was also a fun but shortlived guest appearance for Ian McShane and I wish more had been done with the Hound, but there's always next season for that I guess.
DVD EXTRAS
The usual we've expected from the series. Commentaries for nearly every episode from various cast and crew members. Other features including Recreating The Dothraki World, an in depth look at the Battle Of The Bastards fight sequence, as well as deleted scenes and a Histories And Lore feature, giving us a rundown of various histories of the families seen and mentioned in the series.
EPISODE RATINGS
6x01: The Red Woman = 9/10, 6x02: Home = 8/10,
6x03: Oathbreaker = 8/10, 6x04: Book Of The Stranger = 9/10,
6x05: The Door = 10/10, 6x06: Blood Of My Blood = 6/10,
6x07: The Broken Man = 7/10, 6x08: No One = 8/10,
6x09: Battle Of The Bastards = 10/10, 6x10: The Winds Of Winter = 10/10
Season 6 is currently available on DVD.
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