Hooked on HBO's epic swords-and-dragons fantasy "Game of Thrones"? Judging from the series' ratings, you're not alone. And luckily, the cable outlet offered a sneak glimpse of what's coming up on the series next month.
Prediction: You'll probably want to brace yourself for a whole lot of bloodshed. But then, if you've seen the show, you probably already knew that.
The month of "Thrones" kicks off on the ominously titled episode 8, "The Pointy End," which bows on June 5 at 9 p.m., has the honor of being the only episode of Season One penned by George R.R. Martin, author of the "A Song of Fire and Ice" book series that the series is based on. Apparently HBO was judicious in its use of Martin's screenwriting prowess, because the episode promises to be a pivotal one, with the Lannisters using their leverage over the Starks, and Robb gathering his father's northern allies to venture off to war in the south.
The following episode, "Baelor," (debuting June 12 at 9 p.m.) finds Robb taking a prized prisoner in his war campaign, while Targaryen dynasty heir contends with her reign teetering on the brink of destruction. Meanwhile, Ned grapples with a fate-deciding choice.
The Season One finale, "Fire and Blood," debuting on June 19 at 9, finds a new king rising in the north and Dany finding new hope, after discovering that marriage to bloodthirsty Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo isn't exactly an endless parade of unadulterated bliss. Sounds like a season-ending cliffhanger in the making…
In other good news for the "Throne"-heads of the world, HBO also announced on Friday that episode 7 of the series, "You Win or You Die," will be available to users of the cable station's HBO Go platform immediately following the debut of episode 6, which airs at 9 p.m. on May 22. Available free to all subscribers of HBO, HBO Go can be accessed online or via the HBO Go app, which can be downloaded to iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
