There will be only one showing of the “Game of Thrones” Season 6 premiere before it arrives on HBO on April 24. It was Sunday, in Hollywood, and I was among the lucky people who got to attend.
HBO has asked us not to ruin the episode for people who haven’t seen it yet, by revealing plot points. So I won’t. Not a single one. But I don’t think I’ll ruin anything by sharing this overall impression:
It’s great. It’s “Game of Thrones.”
Other words I might use include captivating, confident, and funny. (It’s surprisingly funny.)
It has crushing lows and soaring highs. I broke into applause more than once. The episode, titled “The Red Woman,” kept me surprised, engaged and interested throughout.
It feels like the show is as good as it’s ever been, and like it’s about to break through to a higher level. We know these characters, and they know themselves. The showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, know exactly what fans want and expect and demand, and are having a lot of fun working with those emotions.
It’s a powerful episode, a fun episode, a smart episode. I think you’ll really, really like it.
I may have said too much already. April 24 is coming.