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Watching 'Game of Thrones' play out in its fourth season

The “Thrones” cast saves the series from sacrificing insight to action

“Not you.” The phrase is a common one for Tywin Lannister, repeated often to his son Tyrion when everybody else is excused from his despicable presence. Perhaps, also, by fans of the show every time one of their favorite characters is beheaded, maimed or served up a succulent sword to the stomach. Welcome to the whimsically wondrous world of Westeros.  Welcome to “Game of Thrones.”

After four seasons, there finally seems to be a method to the madness for writers David Benioff, D. B. Weiss and Bryan Cogman. What makes a good ruler?  Answering this in an entertaining fashion is the goal of “Game of Thrones.”

   

While seasons one through three disparaged rulers who were honorable, charming and youthful, season four brings more candidates to the table. Pedro Pascal beautifully renders the honest vengefulness and lechery of Oberyn Martell. Pascal’s accent is sultry yet deadly, offering a fiery alternative to the cold rigidness of Charles Dance, who plays Tywin Lannister.  Tywin’s sternness and manipulation insist he is the better politician, but the show’s writers forge an audience affinity for Oberyn. The writers want audiences to root for Oberyn and Tywin, but neither man is fit to rule.

   

At this precise point in the series the show’s writers really shine in their portrayal of mood, as season four of “Game of Thrones” leaves viewers with a nauseating bleakness. Not only is the kingdom left without a proper king, the characters which the writers have so graciously allowed to survive are left purposeless.

Such search for direction should have a greater presence among those who play the Lannisters, arguably the most vivid set of characters in the series. Unfortunately, the show’s writers do not allow actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to explore the conflicted soul of his character, instead choosing to weave his plot almost entirely around Tyrion, played by Peter Dinklage. However restrained Coster-Waldau is, Dinklage clearly channels Tyrion’s psyche through vivid facial expressions of contempt, defeat and deplorability. They serve to frame the miserably wholesome vision of a man who has been laughed at and loathed to the brink of extinction.

Similarly, Lena Headey, who plays Cersei Lannister, bolsters the theme of bitterness.  Headey does an excellent job of portraying a woman who can get no lasting joy out of ruining others’ lives.

Looking ahead to Season Five, the question of whether Benioff, Weiss and Cogman choose to explore characters’ inner struggles or continue to shove award-winning drama into the limelight is as critical as ever. Though the former option may seem appealing, the latter one could pave the path to prequel seasons, and may even grant a glimpse into the past lives of characters.

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