World On Fire Season 2 Trailer

Flavor of television series

Game of Thrones
Season 2
Region 1 DVD artwork
Starring	Peter Dinklage Lena Headey Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Michelle Fairley Emilia Clarke Aidan Gillen Iain Glen Kit Harington Liam Cunningham Isaac Hempstead Wright Richard Madden Sophie Turner Maisie Williams Alfie Allen John Bradley Jack Gleeson Rory McCann Stephen Dillane Carice van Houten James Cosmo Jerome Flynn Conleth Hill Sibel Kekilli Natalie Dormer Charles Trip the light fantastic
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	10
Release
Original network	HBO
Original release	April 1 (2012-04-01) – June three, 2012 (2012-06-03)
Season chronology
←Previous Flavor 1 Adjacent → Flavour 3
List of episodes

The second season of the fantasy drama idiot box series
Game of Thrones
premiered in the United states of america on HBO on April 1, 2012, and concluded on June iii, 2012. It consists of 10 episodes, each running approximately 50–lx minutes. The flavor mostly covers the events of
A Clash of Kings, the second novel of the
A Song of Ice and Fire
series by George R. R. Martin, adapted for television set by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. HBO ordered the second flavour on Apr 19, 2011, which began filming in July 2011, primarily in Republic of ireland, Northern Ireland, Republic of croatia and Iceland.

The story takes place in a fantasy world, primarily on a fictional continent called Westeros, with 1 storyline occurring on another continent to the east, Essos. Like the novel, the flavour follows the aftermath of Eddard "Ned" Stark'due south dramatic death, and the political turmoil that comes with it. The season mainly centers around the War of the Five Kings, fought amidst the leaders of Westerosi factions who are either staking a merits to the Atomic number 26 Throne, or seeking independence from it. Cersei Lannister, the widow of the late Male monarch Robert Baratheon, stays in the majuscule every bit queen regent, while her son Joffrey rules as King of the Vii Kingdoms. Cersei's twin brother, Jaime, is Robb Stark's prisoner, and her other brother, the dwarf Tyrion, serves as Acting Hand of the Rex to Joffrey, until the siblings' father, Tywin Lannister, returns to assist defend the upper-case letter. In the North, Jon Snow and the Night'south Watch stay with a reluctant marry during an trek across the Wall. Meanwhile, in Essos, with three newborn dragons past her side, Daenerys Targaryen attempts to discover allies and resources to assist her fulfill her perceived destiny to win the Iron Throne.

Game of Thrones
features a large ensemble cast, including Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley and Emilia Clarke. The season introduced a number of new bandage members, including Stephen Dillane, Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten and Liam Cunningham.

Critics praised the show's production values, cast, and music. Viewership rose compared with the previous season. The second season won six of the twelve Emmy Awards for which it was nominated. It received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Role player in a Drama Series (Peter Dinklage) and Outstanding Drama Series. U.S. viewership rose by approximately viii% over the course of the season, from 3.ix million to 4.ii million by the season finale.

Episodes

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Cast

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Chief bandage

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Starring

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Also starring

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• Jason Momoa equally Khal Drogo

Invitee cast

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The recurring actors listed here are those who appeared in season 2. They are listed by the region in which they first appear:

Product

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HBO ordered a second flavour of
Game of Thrones
on April 19, 2011, two days after the serial premiere.^[thirteen]
The second flavor obtained a 15% increase in upkeep in order to be able to stage the war'south most important battle,^[14]
the Battle of the Blackwater, in episode nine.

Filming took place during 106 shooting days. During 3-quarters of those, two crews ("Dragon" and "Wolf") were working simultaneously in dissimilar locations.^[fifteen]

Crew

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David Benioff and D. B. Weiss serve as main writers and showrunners for the 2nd season. They co-wrote six out of ten episodes. The remaining four episodes were written by story editor Bryan Cogman,
A Song of Ice and Fire
writer George R. R. Martin, and new series writer and co-executive producer Vanessa Taylor, who wrote two episodes.

Alan Taylor was promoted to co-executive producer and directed four episodes, including the season premiere and finale. David Petrarca and David Nutter each directed two episodes, while series cinematographer Alik Sakharov and filmmaker Neil Marshall directed the remaining two.

Casting

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The casting for the second season began in May 2011.^[16]
Although a big portion of the first-flavor cast were returning, the producers were yet faced with a huge number of new characters to be cast. The producers decided that several characters from
A Disharmonism of Kings, including the Freys and Crannogmen Reeds at Winterfell, Frey bannermen of the Starks, the Tullys, Stannis' wife and daughter, Theon's uncle Aeron Greyjoy and the bastard Ramsay Snow would not be bandage despite appearing in the novel. Showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss commented on this saying that certain grapheme introductions taking identify in
A Clash of Kings
would be delayed until the third season. This was done due to the large number of characters already introduced in season two, and because they couldn't afford to take people "waiting around" for their characters to get cardinal to the plot.^[17]
Having to make full and then many speaking roles, the showrunners non only "postponed" the introduction of several primal characters, only they also merged some into one, or certain plot-functions were given to different characters. Many physical traits were also contradistinct, such as the ethnicity or age of characters. The cast was estimated to be the largest on television.^[18]
Scattered around 2 fictional continents characters include, by order of importance:

Emerging as the fourth claimant to the throne is the estranged blood brother of the late king Robert, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane).^[19]
The foreign priestess Melisandre, portrayed by Carice van Houten poses as an influential, yet manipulative counselor to Stannis. Van Houten was previously asked (simply unable) to audition for the role of Cersei in season 1. While her graphic symbol retains her signature red robes and hair, unlike in the novels Melisandre is not portrayed every bit having ruddy eyes, making her appear somewhat more human.^[xx]
Liam Cunningham stars as Ser Davos Seaworth, the "Onion Knight", a bannerman of Stannis and a former smuggler.^[21]
Cunningham had already been in talks for a role in the offset flavour. As he is left-handed, his Davos has the fingers of the right mitt shortened, unlike in the novels where his left hand is crippled. In an interview, Cunningham said that a lot of new dialogue had to be written for his character, considering in the novels Davos, a point-of-view character, is portrayed more through his thoughts than through his actions.^[22]
These three characters headed a new storyline ready on a different location, that by the finish of the flavor merged with the master plot.

Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), a main cast member from the first flavour, but with lesser importance than the others, came to prominence during the 2nd flavor, as his story unfolded and his character became more fundamental. Gemma Whelan appeared every bit his sister, Yara Greyjoy. Named "Asha" in the novels, the character'south proper noun was inverse to avoid confusion with the Wildling Osha, Bran Stark's companion.^[23]
"Asha" is portrayed equally a fairly provocative and independent woman, a captain of xxx ships, as opposed to her television counterpart Yara, who did not retain "Asha's" traits, although her rivalry with Theon remained intact. Their father Balon Greyjoy was played by Patrick Malahide.^[24]
Many of the characters involved in the Greyjoys' storyline weren't introduced, most notably Balon'due south brother Aeron Greyjoy. Notwithstanding, the storyline received enormous praise, with the alteration of Yara's name and persona being the only criticism.

Tom Wlaschiha is cast as Jaqen H'ghar, a mysterious prisoner who develops a murderous human relationship with young Arya Stark (Maisie Williams).^[25]
Wlaschiha's pronunciation of his grapheme's proper name,
Jack-in, was adopted for utilise in the testify.^[26]
Natalie Dormer, best known for her portrayal every bit seductive Anne Boleyn in Showtime's
The Tudors, was cast in a similar role as Margaery Tyrell, a noblewoman and the wife of the third claimant to the throne, Renly Baratheon.^[27]
Gwendoline Christie played, to much praise, Brienne of Tarth, a female warrior who joins Renly Baratheon's guard, but later becomes a follower of Catelyn Stark.^[28]
To prepare for the role, Christie took upwardly an intense training regimen, adding over a rock (6.4 kg) of muscle mass.^[29]
And so that she could exist mistaken for a man, her armor was busy with lines that slant away from her hips.^[30]
On the other side of the fictional world, 2 female roles with rise prominence were added to the bandage:
Skins
star Hannah Murray filled the role of Craster's daughter Gilly, a love involvement to Samwell Tarly;^[31]
while the 2d role, the one of Ygritte, Jon Snowfall's love interest among the Wildlings, was played past Rose Leslie.^[32]

Daenerys Targaryen's (Emilia Clarke) stay at Qarth, opened the fashion for several recurring characters. Nonso Anozie played Daenerys's host at Qarth, Xaro Xhoan Daxos.^[33]
The character differed a lot from his novel counterpart. Xaro's homosexuality, femininity and caucasian origin were overshadowed by dark skinned Anozie'south masculinity and heterosexuality. Acting every bit one of her suitors is the treacherous warlock Pyat Pree portrayed by Ian Hanmore. Her tertiary and final suitor was the masked priestess Quaithe (Laura Pradelska). Particularly created for the television series was the so-chosen "Spice King", a rich merchant from Qarth, played by Nicholas Blane. Also an original creation of the evidence is the character of Talisa (Oona Chaplin), a healer from Volantis and a romantic interest for Robb. She fills the office of another female interest of Robb's, chosen Jeyne Westerling, who has no similarities with Talisa whatsoever. In addition to Talisa, Michael McElhatton joins the cast in the role of Roose Bolton, an important character in Robb Stark'southward storyline. Lastly, Simon Armstrong plays the legendary Night'southward Watch ranger Qhorin Halfhand.

Others were also added to the cast, either in a small recurring part or with reduced prominence. The about notable case is Tony Way's Ser Dontos Hollard, a drunkard knight, who had a pivotal role in Sansa Stark'southward storyline that ran in the grade of two novels, while in the serial the role was reduced to a small scene in the opening episode. Others include: Ben Crompton as "Dolorous Edd" Tollet, a man of the Night'due south Sentinel.^[34]
Robert Pugh as the Wildling Craster, father and husband to Gilly.^[35]
Kerr Logan as Davos Seaworth's pious son Matthos.^[36]
Karl Davies as Ser Alton Lannister, a grapheme created for the series^[37]
who replaces Cleos Frey as envoy from the Starks to the Lannisters. Daniel Portman took the part of Podrick Payne, the squire to Tyrion Lannister.^[38]
The 19-year-erstwhile Portman plays Podrick equally about 16 years erstwhile, instead of most 12 equally in the novels. To exist able to portray Podrick as awkward, shy and weak, Portman, previously a sportsman, stopped his fitness regimen and gained some weight to appear more endearing.^[39]
Lucian Msamati played Salladhor Saan, a Lysene pirate and friend of Davos Seaworth. Finally, Edward Dogliani appeared briefly as the "Lord of Basic" (or "Rattleshirt" in the novels), a Wildling leader and Oliver Ford Davies as Stannis's maester Cressen.^[40]

All of the recurring characters from the starting time flavour returned, with one notable exception: Conan Stevens, whose role of Gregor Clegane was recast with Ian Whyte, did not return.^[41]
Roy Dotrice, a friend of George R. R. Martin, known for reading the audio versions of the novels and having previously rejected a role due to health reasons, appears this season as Pyromancer Hallyne, an elderly alchemist at King's Landing.^[42]

Locations

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For the second season, the city of Dubrovnik, Croatia, was used instead of Malta for scenes in King's Landing and Daenerys' scenes in Qarth.^[43]
For example, the Minčeta Tower in Dubrovnik was used as the Firm of the Undying. Scenes set north of the Wall were filmed in Iceland in November 2011. The main locations are the Vatnajökull glacier,^[44]
the Svínafellsjökull glacier most Skaftafell, and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier near Vik used as the location for the Fist of the First Men with Höfðabrekka equally the Frostfang Mountains.^{[45]
[46]
[47]}
New shooting locations in Northern Republic of ireland include The Linen Mill Film & Television Studios in Banbridge, Ballintoy Harbour^[48]
and Downhill Strand. Equally the story in the second flavour required that the Winterfell set be expanded, a new set up for Winterfell was built at the Moneyglass Estate near Toome hamlet.^[49]

Music

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The music for the second season was once again composed by Ramin Djawadi. It contains a rendition of a vocal frequently mentioned or sung in the novels,
The Rains of Castamere, by the indie rock band
The National.^[50]

The soundtrack for the season was released on June xix, 2012.^[51]

Promotion

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HBO released numerous teaser trailers for the 2nd season, first on December 11, 2011.^[52]
The second trailer, published on January 29, 2012,^[53]
was viewed 3.5 million times in the offset three days later on publication, a record for HBO promotional content.^[54]
Other trailers were released on February 24,^[55]
March 3 (ready to Florence and the Machine's
Seven Devils)^[56]
equally well as subsequently.

HBO besides published other promotional material, such equally cast photographs^[57]
and teaser posters, prior to the airing of the commencement episode. The second issue of
Entertainment Weekly
in March 2012 had four culling covers dedicated to in-costume photographs of Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys), Kit Harington (Jon Snow) or Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Lena Headey (Jaime and Cersei Lannister).^[58]

Reception

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Pre-release

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Thanks to the critical and commercial success of the kickoff season, as well as HBO's marketing efforts, the second season received intensive media coverage well before it started airing.
Sunday is Coming, a two-minute short film for
Funny or Die, satirized viewers' excitement about the render of
Game of Thrones.^[59]
Several media outlets reviewed the season's first four episodes before they were broadcast, and rendered most uniformly positive verdicts.

Critical response

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Several media outlets reviewed the season's first four episodes before they were broadcast, and rendered almost uniformly positive verdicts. The season holds a Metacritic score of 90 out of 100 based on 26 critics, indicating "universal acclamation".^[61]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the second flavour has a 96% approving rating from 37 critics with an average rating of 8.89 out of ten. The site's disquisitional consensus reads, "Game of Thrones
follows up a potent debut with an fifty-fifty better 2nd flavour, combining elegant storytelling and vivid characters to create a rich fantasy world."^[threescore]

Brian Lowry of
Variety
gave the season a positive review and stated, "Thrones creates such a rich visual feast - replete with enough of gratuitous nudity and claret-letting - every bit to almost obscure its fundamental storytelling pleasures, which are as much a mob drama as anything else, having traded bullets for broadswords."^[62]
Nancy deWolf Smith of
The Wall Street Journal
said that "each week the story unfolds similar a tapestry, its intricate stitches slowly creating not just a scene simply a whole globe."^[63]
Slant Magazine
gave the flavor 3 out of 4 and stated, "[Game Of Thrones] Season Two
must exist admired for its gripping presentation of splintered families and unwavering ruthlessness."^[64]
Emily Nussbaum of
The New Yorker
gave the season a positive review and stated, "Game of Thrones
is the latest entry in idiot box'southward almost esteemed category: the sophisticated cable drama about a patriarchal subculture."^[65]
Matt Zoller Seitz of
Vulture
positively spoke virtually the season that "what's onscreen is so consistently remarkable, and so much smarter than it needed to be in gild to satisfy viewers who are mainly looking for sexual activity, violence, and intrigue, that the testify's presence feels like a kind of miracle."^[66]

David Wiegand of the
San Francisco Relate
its "compelling, murderous and sexy characters".^[67]
The
New York Post
stated, "Even though I get so dislocated my head feels like it'southward going to explode,
Game of Thrones
is brainy, adept fun."^[68]
Newsday
gave it a score of 'A+' and said that information technology was "Goggle box's best (merely do your homework before diving in)."^[69]
Ken Tucker of
Entertainment Weekly
gave it a score of 'A−', who praised its storytelling to be "then vivid, so vital, and only plain fun."^[70]
Maureen Ryan of
HuffPost
gave the season a positive review and stated, "It's gratifying to exist able to say that the start four hours of Flavour 2 of
Game of Thrones
are far more elegant and engaging."^[71]
Andy Greenwald of
Grantland
praised its ambition and scope,^[72]
while James Poniewozik of
Fourth dimension
establish the premiere episode to be "hustling off steadily and confidently."^[73]
Peter Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister was acclaimed by William Thomas of
Empire, who gave it a score of 5 out of v.^[74]

The only major publication to give the season a negative review was Neil Genzlinger of
The New York Times, who stated, "You have to have a fair amount of free time on your hands to stick with
Game of Thrones, and a fairly depression reward threshold."^[75]

Ratings

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Accolades

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The second flavour was nominated for 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, which included Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Peter Dinklage. It won six awards, for, Outstanding Costumes for a Series, Outstanding Art Direction for a Unmarried-Camera Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), Outstanding Audio Editing for a Serial, Outstanding Audio Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour), and Outstanding Special Visual Effects.^[76]

Release

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Circulate

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The 2nd season of
Game of Thrones
was broadcast on HBO in the United States from April ane, 2012 to June 3, 2012.^[110]
[111]

Home media

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DVD/Blu-ray box sets and digital downloads of the 2d season were released in North America on February 19, 2013.^[112]
The DVD set contains a thirty-minute feature covering the production of the episode "Blackwater", actor interviews, character profiles, twelve sound commentaries by cast and coiffure, and a discussion about Westerosi religions by the showrunners and George R. R. Martin. The Blu-ray set additionally contains a feature about the "War of the Five Kings" that breaks out in season two, too every bit nineteen blithe histories of the mythology of Westeros and Essos.^[113]

Copyright infringement

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The 2d season of
Game of Thrones
was the most-pirated Telly series in 2012.^[117]

References

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External links

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• 
  
  Game of Thrones
  
  
  – official US site
• 
  
  Game of Thrones
  
  
  – official UK site
• Game of Thrones
  – The Viewers Guide on HBO.com
• Making
  Game of Thrones
  on HBO.com
• Game of Thrones
  at IMDb
• Game of Thrones: Season 2
  at Rotten Tomatoes