Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season

For fans of the hip, high-budget HBO series, this is your chance to see the first season of "Game of Thrones" in its highest definition format - a must own!

For sure, HBO's production of "Game of Thrones," based on George R.R. Martin's fantasy saga "A Song of Fire and Ice" (seven large novels and counting), was a huge gamble. The books have a fan base, of course; but the overarching saga of a half-dozen powerful families wrestling for control over Westeros, a fictional fantasy kingdom, is both sprawling and complex. And the genre of televised fantasy has, since the 80s, been difficult to master.

Fortunately, the creative team of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss managed to whittle down the colossal first novel into a tight, well-spined seven hour-long episodes - and HBO was brave enough to allocate $50-60 million to the season. The result has been spectacular success, from critical acclaim (Peter Dinklage won an Emmy, a Satellite Award and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister) to audience fandom (the finale was watched by 3.04 million viewers, up from 2.22 million for the premiere). On the strength of this first season, a second has been produced, and will begin airing on April 1st of 2012 - and in preparation, we get to watch the first season in all its high definition glory.

And it's a sizzler of a time. Not only are the multiple kingdoms of Westeros at war for the right to sit atop the Iron Throne, but mysterious threats are rising from beyond the Wall in the north, and across the Narrow Sea the ousted royal house of Targaryen is plotting to return for vengeance - with dragons in tow. And thanks to its cable roots, "Game of Thrones" can support the lustier aspects of Martin's fantasy soap, including gay sex, full nudity, incest, whores, and all kinds of depravity. You'll also get to see lots of swordplay, carnage, blood, etc. It's an entirely entertaining series of episodes filled with the sweeping imagination of Martin's world and likable performances from leads Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Jason Momoa, Lena Headley - not to mention a bevy of remarkable child actors. For those who enjoyed the first season on HBO, here's your chance to watch more closely and appreciate the whimsical detail of the show; for those who missed it, this is one of HBO's best works; you must see it.

Get ready - numerous special features are included ::

- Complete Guide to Westeros - an interactive compendium of the noble houses and lands featured in season one.

- Making "Game of Thrones" - an exclusive 30-minute feature including never-before-seen footage from the set and interviews from the cast and crew.

- Character Profiles - profiles of 15 major characters as described by the actors portraying them.

- Creating the Show Open - an inside look at the creation of the Emmy�-winning opening title sequence for "Game of Thrones."

- From the Book to the Screen - executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss along with author George R.R. Martin talk about the challenges of bringing Martin's epic fantasy novel to life on HBO.

- The Night's Watch - an in-depth look at the unique order of men who patrol and protect the Wall, a 700 foot ice structure that separates the Seven Kingdoms from the darkness beyond.

- Creating the Dothraki Language - an insightful glance into the comprehensive language created for the Dothraki people in "Game of Thrones."

- Audio Commentaries - Seven audio commentaries with cast and crew including David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Bryan Cogman, Harry Lloyd, Daniel Minahan and Alan Taylor.

- Blu-ray Complete Guide to Westeros - an interactive compendium of the noble houses and lands featured in season one, PLUS 24 exclusive histories of the Seven Kingdoms as told by the characters themselves done with animated illustrations that provide more information on the background of "Game of Thrones."

- In-Episode Guide - in-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories while each episode plays.

- Anatomy of an Episode - an in-episode experience that explores the creative minds and colossal efforts behind episode six, "A Golden Crown."

- Hidden Dragon Eggs - find the hidden dragon eggs to uncover even more never-before-seen content.

Game Of Thrones
Blu-ray
$79.98
www.hbo.com