Game of Thrones Season 1 (Part 1)
Overview
Game of Thrones (Season 1) tells three concurrent storylines. The first tells of the political struggles and intrigue that arises in King's Landing after the death of the Hand of the King. Ned Stark (the man on the poster), named the new Hand, has to figure out the truth behind his predecessor's death all while the other powerful houses are scheming to attain power for themselves. The second details Ned's bastard son Jon Snow's struggles on The Wall amidst the Night's Watch and the last story tells of the exiled Targaryens and their own attempts to return to King's Landing and regain their former glories.
Well, where to start with what's right about Game of Thrones? It's quite simply the most epic show ever put to television. The lavish sets, exquisite production design, extremely well-written characters, that iconic score (can't sing enough praises for Ramin Djawaldi), excellent casting, these are just some of the reasons why the show has become such a cultural phenomenon. Of course, the source material from which it was based on, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, is outstanding as well. (I urge those who have not read the books to give them a read) However, I believe one of the biggest strengths of the show comes from the acting of the cast. And what a cast it is, with no less than 18 starring cast members and a huge supporting cast. To accomodate such a huge cast, I will be splitting this cast ranking into two parts.
Cast ranking (Part 1)
Obviously, I won't be including every single recurring actor who has appeared in the season, or this list may never get completed. I will be including those actors who play the most important characters, as well as those that have made enough of an impression on me to merit their inclusion in the list. Without further ado, let's start on the list, and of course there will be MAJOR SPOILERS...
29. Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark
This performance is one that is just fine. I never really felt Hempstead Wright did anything actively wrong as Bran, and I always thought he was realistic enough in portraying a kid. That said, I did find Bran's storyline in the show to be far less engaging than that in the books. I also thought Bran was the least interesting out of all the Starks in Season 1. Granted, Bran's entire arc and storylines in the books have always been a bit fantastical and it will be quite hard to properly adapt it onto the screen. But Bran is one character that I honestly think the series failed to capture its full potential, and this is already evident in Season 1.
28. Gethin Anthony as Renly Baratheon
This performance is one that is just fine. I never really felt Hempstead Wright did anything actively wrong as Bran, and I always thought he was realistic enough in portraying a kid. That said, I did find Bran's storyline in the show to be far less engaging than that in the books. I also thought Bran was the least interesting out of all the Starks in Season 1. Granted, Bran's entire arc and storylines in the books have always been a bit fantastical and it will be quite hard to properly adapt it onto the screen. But Bran is one character that I honestly think the series failed to capture its full potential, and this is already evident in Season 1.
28. Gethin Anthony as Renly Baratheon
Another performance that I thought was fine. Renly is the youngest brother of the reigning king, Robert. Like in the books, Renly is a seemingly important character that does not get a lot of screentime. However, I do like Anthony's portrayal of Renly in his limited screentime. I quite like how he portrays a distinct lack of warmth between Renly and Robert. I especially enjoy his scene in the forest while hunting with Robert, as Renly lashes out at Robert's constant bragging, alluding to the lack of love between the Baratheon brothers. In the end though, the character of Renly is just too limited for an actor to really stand out, but Anthony does well enough with what he has.
27. Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle
The character of Grand Maester Pycelle is technically a very static character. He doesn't really have much development or any arcs, he really is mainly there to be a sickly old man. Glover is actually very entertaining at playing up just how much of an old fool and ponderous oaf Pycelle really is. He makes that slouch, slow shuffle and all of Pycelle's ramblings seem really natural. What I really enjoyed though was Glover's ability to show how all of this is just a facade put up by Pycelle and he always suggest the intelligence of Pycelle very well in his eyes. He really nails that hilarious scene where Pycelle shows he's not as weak as everyone thinks.
27. Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle
The character of Grand Maester Pycelle is technically a very static character. He doesn't really have much development or any arcs, he really is mainly there to be a sickly old man. Glover is actually very entertaining at playing up just how much of an old fool and ponderous oaf Pycelle really is. He makes that slouch, slow shuffle and all of Pycelle's ramblings seem really natural. What I really enjoyed though was Glover's ability to show how all of this is just a facade put up by Pycelle and he always suggest the intelligence of Pycelle very well in his eyes. He really nails that hilarious scene where Pycelle shows he's not as weak as everyone thinks.
26. Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne
Ser Alliser Thorne is one of the most important recurring characters in the Wall storyline and also a complete jerk towards Jon and (no pun intended) a constant thorn in his side. Teale actually does a great job of playing a character you just want to hate, but as with his performance in the later seasons, he carefully does not go overboard and make Thorne a one-dimensional evil villain. He cleverly and effectively alludes to how this "jerk" persona is actually Thorne's way of preparing the recruits for the harsh realities of The Wall, seen nicely in a standout scene where he criticises Jon for defending Sam.
25. Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark
Ahhhh the role of Benjen, a character who is more often mentioned than actually seen in the entire series. Thankfully, in Season 1 we actually get to see his character. Mawle only appears in 3 episodes, but I think he actually makes quite an impact in his short screentime. First off, he just fits the part perfectly. He has the right ruggedness fitting to a man of the Night's Watch, and in his scenes with Ned he and Bean really sells the brotherly relationship very well. His best scenes are with Jon though, as he firstly perfectly plays the role of the cool Uncle and really makes you understand why Jon would look up to him. However, he nicely tweaks his performance slightly after reaching the wall, as Benjen comes into his element. He importantly never makes Benjen's treatment of Jon come off as cold, but rather that of still the Uncle trying his best to impart valuable lessons to his nephew in the form of "tough love". I actually thoroughly enjoyed Mawle's portrayal of Benjen and it's a real shame that he doesn't appear more often in the books or the series.
24. James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont
Cosmo is perfectly cast as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Like Teale and Mawle, he brings that hardened edge to Mormont as a man of the Night's Watch and really makes you believe how an old man could still command so many people. Cosmo really sells the dedication that Mormont has to his job, and I really love the scene where he asks Tyrion for help in supplying the Night's Watch with more men. I really love how Cosmo plays the moment, as Mormont recognises the sorry state of the Night's Watch, and the fact that it has fallen so far really pains him. I also really like the understated warmth he brings in small moments that show that Mormont sees the potential in Jon Snow and Sam. The most important thing though in his performance is that he really sells the old bad-ass that Mormont really is, and Cosmo deserves full credit for making that final scene of Season 1 as powerful as it is.
24. James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont
Cosmo is perfectly cast as the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Like Teale and Mawle, he brings that hardened edge to Mormont as a man of the Night's Watch and really makes you believe how an old man could still command so many people. Cosmo really sells the dedication that Mormont has to his job, and I really love the scene where he asks Tyrion for help in supplying the Night's Watch with more men. I really love how Cosmo plays the moment, as Mormont recognises the sorry state of the Night's Watch, and the fact that it has fallen so far really pains him. I also really like the understated warmth he brings in small moments that show that Mormont sees the potential in Jon Snow and Sam. The most important thing though in his performance is that he really sells the old bad-ass that Mormont really is, and Cosmo deserves full credit for making that final scene of Season 1 as powerful as it is.
23. John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
I have always thought that the role of Sam is one of the most thankless one on the show. He is neither a skilled fighter like most of the hero or a scheming manipulator like most of the villains. Sam is really just an all-around nice guy who really just wanna do what he loves. In Season 1, it is especially apparent that Sam is not as flashy of a character as some of the others. He's mainly there to be the supportive best friend of Jon Snow, and provides advice to Jon when Jon becomes a little too hot-headed. Bradley does very well with that, and he is pretty hilarious at portraying Sam's softness and naivety in contrast to his harsh surroundings. What I really like though were the moments when Sam alludes to his sad past. Bradley does a good job of portraying Sam's sadness at essentially being rejected and kicked out of the family by his father for being too soft and really makes you feel for his plight. In the end though, Sam doesn't really have much of an arc in Season 1, and Bradley only really gets to shine in the later seasons.
22. Aiden Gillen as Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
Alright this might be a bit controversial, placing Gillen so low in the rankings, as I know quite a few friends who really loved this performance. However, Gillen's performance as Littlefinger is one that I have always liked, but never loved, as I have always felt that he never quite grasped the full potential of this amazing character. His performance just never went that extra step for me, and I felt this is particularly evident in Seasons 1 and 2. On the surface, Gillen actually does well in playing up the slime and skeeviness of Littlefinger. He is good at being this person whom you know can't be trusted. I actually think he has a couple of great moments where he really captures the essence of the schemer that is Littlefinger, particularly when he turns against Ned.
Unfortunately, Gillen's performance kinda stops at this surface characterization. Littlefinger is supposed to be this master schemer (the ultimate schemer even, since he basically orchestrated the events kicking off the entire series) whose always two steps ahead of everyone and no one can figure him out. I don't think Gillen's performance really gets across this idea fully. There are just moments where I was hoping for a little more "oomph" from his performance, and there were even moments where I think he goes a little too broad with his accent and just come off as more of a moustache-stroking villain. All in all, I do think this performance ends up working in favour for the series and the effective moments do outweigh the iffy ones, but it always feel like Gillen could have gone further with his performance.
21. Jerome Flynn as Bronn
Ah, Bronn the sellsword, one of the fan favourite characters. Honestly, it's not hard to see why after going back and re-watching Season 1 and in particular, any of Bronn's scenes. First off, Bronn is just a bad-ass and Flynn absolutely nails any of his fighting scenes. Like many of the actors who have to portray fighting men, Flynn brings that hardened edge and lived-in quality in his performance. Flynn also smartly shows that Bronn is not any old dumb sellsword, as he brings this deadly glint of intelligence in his eyes, and never allows there to be any doubt that Bronn is a most capable swordsman and killer.
However, despite the technically unsavoury and despicable nature of Bronn, Flynn never ever makes him unlikable. Bronn is someone who truly wants to enjoy life, and has no qualms about doing things that would be considered unsavoury in order to further his own interests. He even openly states that he is only in it for the gold. Well, Flynn is pretty great at making Bronn's self-interest extremely hilarious to watch. He delivers all of his one-liners and zingers with the perfect mix of self-awareness and conviction. Most importantly though, Flynn is just thoroughly entertaining in his portrayal of this bad-ass and uncouth rogue, and I gladly say that Flynn's portrayal of Bronn actually improves upon the book's version of Bronn.
20. Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
The criminally underrated Alfie Allen plays one of the most complex characters of the entire series, Theon Greyjoy. Quick aside, I think it's kinda bullshit how Allen hasn't gotten any critical awards for his astounding portrayal of Theon across the 7 seasons. But anyways, back to his Season 1 performance. Well, Theon in Season 1 is actually at his least interesting in Season 1, being basically a kinda pompous prick for most of the season, before becoming one of Robb's closest advisors after he becomes the King in the North. Furthermore, despite being one of the starring cast members, quite a number of Allen's scenes have him basically being in the background or just reacting to another actor's performance. To his credit though, Allen is actually pretty good at making an impression with whatever screentime he has. He is good at being the pompous jerk that Theon should be in his initial appearances, before adjusting his performance nicely to becoming the supportive friend to Richard Madden's Robb. What I thought was really great though were the moments where another character alludes to Theon's family and his past. Allen is great at showing all of the pompousness and confidence leaving Theon whenever he is reminded of the defeats and humiliation suffered by the Greyjoy family, and of his own situation as basically a "glorified hostage". It is actually really subtle great work that nicely sets up the future arcs for Theon, and really builds well to Allen's astounding work in the subsequent seasons.
19. Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
Well my next three positions are all quite interchangeable in my opinion, and it is not out of the question if I come back in the future and switch them around. First up is Sophie Turner as Sansa, Ned Stark's elder daughter. Sansa is actually a very tricky character to pull off, much like the next two characters in the ranking. I have read a great many comments on various sites about how annoying Turner was as Sansa in Season 1, and quite frankly I think that was the point of both the character and her performance. Sansa, in any of her POV chapters in Book 1, was pretty much an airhead and a dumb naive little girl to be honest, and I think Turner actually does a great job of capturing this naivety and foolishness in her performance. I really like how she plays Sansa as attempting to project this perfect image of what a princess should behave like, and I particularly love/hate her scenes with Jack Gleeson's Joffrey, as she really shows just how infatuated Sansa is with Joffrey. Yes, it is infuriating to watch her fall for such a despicable character, but Turner really does a great job of selling the foolish young love that Sansa has for Joffrey, and it is to her credit that she really makes sense of some of Sansa's more foolish actions. My favourite scenes though are when Sansa is with her family, particularly with her sister Arya and father Ned. In these scenes, Turner appropriately shows that Sansa is still a child and does a good job of playing up the immaturity of Sansa, despite her best attempts to act more like an adult than Arya. Her chemistry with Maisie Williams' Arya is excellent and really brings to life the bickering and conflicts that are inevitable between siblings growing up. In the end though, like many of the performances in Season 1, Turner's role as Sansa in Season 1 serves as only a warm-up for her performances in the later seasons, as much of Sansa's character development comes in the later seasons in the series.
18. Richard Madden as Robb Stark
Madden portrays Robb, the eldest son of Ned Stark. Something interesting to note is that Robb is actually not a POV character in the books, but the showrunners liked Madden's portrayal of Robb so much that they wrote more scenes for him to perform. Watching Madden's performance in Season 1, it is not hard to understand why though. Madden, like Sean Bean as Ned Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow, does a great job of just being the hero that the audience wants to root for. Like the two of them, Madden just exudes this innate goodness and honour which never gives any doubt to the decency of the character of Robb. I particularly love any scenes where Robb interacts with his family, like his mother and younger brothers. He really shows the warmth and care Robb has for his family. However, the meat of the performance comes after Robb summons his army to respond to his father's arrest.
Madden is pretty amazing at portraying the internal struggle of Robb as he is essentially an adolescent who is forced into becoming the head of an army and the Lord Paramount of the North. Any scenes where Robb is forced to deal with the harsh realities of war is great, particularly when Robb puts Greatjon Umber in his place or when Robb contemplates the cost of his first victory. Madden effectively shows the tough guy facade that Robb has to put on while subtly alluding to the young man underneath who is horrified at being placed into such a tough position. I really liked Madden's portrayal of Robb's arc in Season 1, which culminates in that fantastic "King in the North" scene which is without a doubt one of my favourite scenes of Season 1.
17. Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon
Ah yes, Gleeson gets the extremely thankless role of portraying one of the most despicable character of the whole show, Joffrey. This is another role that is extremely tricky to pull off, given that the actor has to walk a fine line between playing an obnoxious and annoying character and being actually obnoxious to watch. To Gleeson's credit, he pulls it off marvelously, and it is really a testament to the strength of his performance that Joffrey instantly became such a hated character. Gleeson himself actually stated he took inspiration from Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Commodus in Gladiator, and I can actually see where he's coming from.
Gleeson is actually rather entertaining in playing up the pompous and self-entitled nature of Joffrey and really is perfect at showing Joffrey to be the brat that he really is. Every scene where he interacts with Sansa or when he tries to play the part of the royal charming prince is just skin-crawling to watch and it really is due to Gleeson's work. His pitch-perfect rendition of the bratty prince actually adds so much satisfaction to numerous scenes, particularly when Tyrion deservingly slaps him, or when Arya turns the tables on him and throws away his sword. I also really enjoyed his quieter scene with Lena Headey's Cersei, as he actually tones down his performance appropriately to just show that Joffrey is still a child who still needs his mother's love and support. All in all, this was actually a pretty great rendition of an extremely difficult character, and Gleeson really deserves all the praise for perfectly portraying the obnoxious and despicable brat that Joffrey really is, especially considering that Jack Gleeson is such a down-to-earth fellow in real life.
16. Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon
I just have to say, Peter Vaughan's Maester Aemon is one of the unsung heroes of the entire series. Despite his rather limited appearances, I really just loved every second of his work sprinkled throughout the series and thankfully he has some screentime in Season 1 and Vaughan really makes it count. Like the other actors portraying men of the Night's Watch, Vaughan brings that lived-in quality to his work that just makes his Aemon fit right in with the rest of the men. Vaughan could not have been better in his introduction scene, as he and Cosmo as Mormont, really brings across the desperate situation of the Night's Watch in their requests to Tyrion. Vaughan is so powerful in that moment as he shows Aemon's dedication to his duty as well as his sadness at the downfall of the once proud Night's Watch. However, the clear stand-out scene is when he reveals his true heritage to Jon. As masterfully written as that monologue is, Vaughan is really the one who brings out the full emotional power of it. He really shows the full complexity of Aemon's emotions as he recounts the destruction of his family while he could do nothing but stand aside and watch. Vaughan really lets all the regret, sadness and anger pour out at once, and really illustrates to Jon the difficulty of the choice of duty against family. It is a pretty moving scene that ranks among my favourites of Season 1, and it really is a shame that Vaughan doesn't really have more screentime across the entire series.
Part 2 will be up probably next Friday as I will be taking a short vacation for a few days
Unfortunately, Gillen's performance kinda stops at this surface characterization. Littlefinger is supposed to be this master schemer (the ultimate schemer even, since he basically orchestrated the events kicking off the entire series) whose always two steps ahead of everyone and no one can figure him out. I don't think Gillen's performance really gets across this idea fully. There are just moments where I was hoping for a little more "oomph" from his performance, and there were even moments where I think he goes a little too broad with his accent and just come off as more of a moustache-stroking villain. All in all, I do think this performance ends up working in favour for the series and the effective moments do outweigh the iffy ones, but it always feel like Gillen could have gone further with his performance.
21. Jerome Flynn as Bronn
"I'll impregnate the bitch"
Ah, Bronn the sellsword, one of the fan favourite characters. Honestly, it's not hard to see why after going back and re-watching Season 1 and in particular, any of Bronn's scenes. First off, Bronn is just a bad-ass and Flynn absolutely nails any of his fighting scenes. Like many of the actors who have to portray fighting men, Flynn brings that hardened edge and lived-in quality in his performance. Flynn also smartly shows that Bronn is not any old dumb sellsword, as he brings this deadly glint of intelligence in his eyes, and never allows there to be any doubt that Bronn is a most capable swordsman and killer.
However, despite the technically unsavoury and despicable nature of Bronn, Flynn never ever makes him unlikable. Bronn is someone who truly wants to enjoy life, and has no qualms about doing things that would be considered unsavoury in order to further his own interests. He even openly states that he is only in it for the gold. Well, Flynn is pretty great at making Bronn's self-interest extremely hilarious to watch. He delivers all of his one-liners and zingers with the perfect mix of self-awareness and conviction. Most importantly though, Flynn is just thoroughly entertaining in his portrayal of this bad-ass and uncouth rogue, and I gladly say that Flynn's portrayal of Bronn actually improves upon the book's version of Bronn.
20. Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
The criminally underrated Alfie Allen plays one of the most complex characters of the entire series, Theon Greyjoy. Quick aside, I think it's kinda bullshit how Allen hasn't gotten any critical awards for his astounding portrayal of Theon across the 7 seasons. But anyways, back to his Season 1 performance. Well, Theon in Season 1 is actually at his least interesting in Season 1, being basically a kinda pompous prick for most of the season, before becoming one of Robb's closest advisors after he becomes the King in the North. Furthermore, despite being one of the starring cast members, quite a number of Allen's scenes have him basically being in the background or just reacting to another actor's performance. To his credit though, Allen is actually pretty good at making an impression with whatever screentime he has. He is good at being the pompous jerk that Theon should be in his initial appearances, before adjusting his performance nicely to becoming the supportive friend to Richard Madden's Robb. What I thought was really great though were the moments where another character alludes to Theon's family and his past. Allen is great at showing all of the pompousness and confidence leaving Theon whenever he is reminded of the defeats and humiliation suffered by the Greyjoy family, and of his own situation as basically a "glorified hostage". It is actually really subtle great work that nicely sets up the future arcs for Theon, and really builds well to Allen's astounding work in the subsequent seasons.
19. Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
Well my next three positions are all quite interchangeable in my opinion, and it is not out of the question if I come back in the future and switch them around. First up is Sophie Turner as Sansa, Ned Stark's elder daughter. Sansa is actually a very tricky character to pull off, much like the next two characters in the ranking. I have read a great many comments on various sites about how annoying Turner was as Sansa in Season 1, and quite frankly I think that was the point of both the character and her performance. Sansa, in any of her POV chapters in Book 1, was pretty much an airhead and a dumb naive little girl to be honest, and I think Turner actually does a great job of capturing this naivety and foolishness in her performance. I really like how she plays Sansa as attempting to project this perfect image of what a princess should behave like, and I particularly love/hate her scenes with Jack Gleeson's Joffrey, as she really shows just how infatuated Sansa is with Joffrey. Yes, it is infuriating to watch her fall for such a despicable character, but Turner really does a great job of selling the foolish young love that Sansa has for Joffrey, and it is to her credit that she really makes sense of some of Sansa's more foolish actions. My favourite scenes though are when Sansa is with her family, particularly with her sister Arya and father Ned. In these scenes, Turner appropriately shows that Sansa is still a child and does a good job of playing up the immaturity of Sansa, despite her best attempts to act more like an adult than Arya. Her chemistry with Maisie Williams' Arya is excellent and really brings to life the bickering and conflicts that are inevitable between siblings growing up. In the end though, like many of the performances in Season 1, Turner's role as Sansa in Season 1 serves as only a warm-up for her performances in the later seasons, as much of Sansa's character development comes in the later seasons in the series.
18. Richard Madden as Robb Stark
Madden portrays Robb, the eldest son of Ned Stark. Something interesting to note is that Robb is actually not a POV character in the books, but the showrunners liked Madden's portrayal of Robb so much that they wrote more scenes for him to perform. Watching Madden's performance in Season 1, it is not hard to understand why though. Madden, like Sean Bean as Ned Stark and Kit Harington as Jon Snow, does a great job of just being the hero that the audience wants to root for. Like the two of them, Madden just exudes this innate goodness and honour which never gives any doubt to the decency of the character of Robb. I particularly love any scenes where Robb interacts with his family, like his mother and younger brothers. He really shows the warmth and care Robb has for his family. However, the meat of the performance comes after Robb summons his army to respond to his father's arrest.
Madden is pretty amazing at portraying the internal struggle of Robb as he is essentially an adolescent who is forced into becoming the head of an army and the Lord Paramount of the North. Any scenes where Robb is forced to deal with the harsh realities of war is great, particularly when Robb puts Greatjon Umber in his place or when Robb contemplates the cost of his first victory. Madden effectively shows the tough guy facade that Robb has to put on while subtly alluding to the young man underneath who is horrified at being placed into such a tough position. I really liked Madden's portrayal of Robb's arc in Season 1, which culminates in that fantastic "King in the North" scene which is without a doubt one of my favourite scenes of Season 1.
17. Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon
Ah yes, Gleeson gets the extremely thankless role of portraying one of the most despicable character of the whole show, Joffrey. This is another role that is extremely tricky to pull off, given that the actor has to walk a fine line between playing an obnoxious and annoying character and being actually obnoxious to watch. To Gleeson's credit, he pulls it off marvelously, and it is really a testament to the strength of his performance that Joffrey instantly became such a hated character. Gleeson himself actually stated he took inspiration from Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Commodus in Gladiator, and I can actually see where he's coming from.
Gleeson is actually rather entertaining in playing up the pompous and self-entitled nature of Joffrey and really is perfect at showing Joffrey to be the brat that he really is. Every scene where he interacts with Sansa or when he tries to play the part of the royal charming prince is just skin-crawling to watch and it really is due to Gleeson's work. His pitch-perfect rendition of the bratty prince actually adds so much satisfaction to numerous scenes, particularly when Tyrion deservingly slaps him, or when Arya turns the tables on him and throws away his sword. I also really enjoyed his quieter scene with Lena Headey's Cersei, as he actually tones down his performance appropriately to just show that Joffrey is still a child who still needs his mother's love and support. All in all, this was actually a pretty great rendition of an extremely difficult character, and Gleeson really deserves all the praise for perfectly portraying the obnoxious and despicable brat that Joffrey really is, especially considering that Jack Gleeson is such a down-to-earth fellow in real life.
16. Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon
I just have to say, Peter Vaughan's Maester Aemon is one of the unsung heroes of the entire series. Despite his rather limited appearances, I really just loved every second of his work sprinkled throughout the series and thankfully he has some screentime in Season 1 and Vaughan really makes it count. Like the other actors portraying men of the Night's Watch, Vaughan brings that lived-in quality to his work that just makes his Aemon fit right in with the rest of the men. Vaughan could not have been better in his introduction scene, as he and Cosmo as Mormont, really brings across the desperate situation of the Night's Watch in their requests to Tyrion. Vaughan is so powerful in that moment as he shows Aemon's dedication to his duty as well as his sadness at the downfall of the once proud Night's Watch. However, the clear stand-out scene is when he reveals his true heritage to Jon. As masterfully written as that monologue is, Vaughan is really the one who brings out the full emotional power of it. He really shows the full complexity of Aemon's emotions as he recounts the destruction of his family while he could do nothing but stand aside and watch. Vaughan really lets all the regret, sadness and anger pour out at once, and really illustrates to Jon the difficulty of the choice of duty against family. It is a pretty moving scene that ranks among my favourites of Season 1, and it really is a shame that Vaughan doesn't really have more screentime across the entire series.
Part 2 will be up probably next Friday as I will be taking a short vacation for a few days
I would say I pretty much agree on everything except I think I’d put John Bradley, Jerome Flynn and Aiden Gillian a bit higher (though I agree the latter is not as amazing as some say) and Richard Madden (just fine if you ask me) and Sophie Turner (she’s quite terrific from Season 2 onward but I think she’s occasionally a bit stilted in Season 1) a bit lower.
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