The Critical Corner

Next week’s episode of Game of Thrones is surely an exciting one, as the long-hyped “Battle for Winterfell” is finally upon us (and bringing with it a mammoth 82-minute length with the longest battle ever recorded in TV and Movie history). As exciting as that prospect is, it is always good to remember that, before they had the budget they have now, Game of Thrones thrived and shined on its world building, its rich characters and its extensive, morally grey character development. We care about the crazy journey most of the characters still alive have taken, and with next week presumably bringing the demise of many long-time players, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was a triumph of longform storytelling, and a welcome final calm before the storm. As great as many moments from last week’s episode, “Winterfell”, were, there was a nagging sense for some that the limited time of this abbreviated final season meant that any table setting and slow build up