REVIEW: Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season on Blu-ray
Out today is the Blu-ray edition of Game of Thrones: The Complete Sixth Season from HBO Home Entertainment.
We previously reviewed the Digital HD version of the season here but there are new elements to consider with the box set.
The vast majority of Digital HD releases do not come with the bonus features, extra, and Easter Eggs we have come to know and love about the disc format. As a result, the Digital HD version is a nice add-on for on-the-go viewing, but the complete immersive experience, the special features add interviews, behind-the-scenes information, commentary, and deleted scenes to enhance your appreciation of the material. This season set, though, does come with some, but all, the extras found on the Blu-ray box set.
This season was a mixed bag with incredibly strong storytelling undercutting its strength by not surprising us. No one, except readers of the novel, expected Ned Stark to die or what was to happen at the Red Wedding. But here, across ten episodes, producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, consistently gave viewers what they wanted as they use elements from the unpublished sixth novel and continue to deviate from the core texts, creating a parallel but not identical version of events.
Jon Snow (Kit Harrington)’s fate was the most discussed cliffhanger since “Who Shot JR?” He survived and went on to abandon his post at The Wall in order to reunite the north now that it’s clear the Night King is coming closer. This led to episode nine’s incredibly satisfying but unsurprising “Battle of the Bastards” as Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Theon) gets his comeuppance. Long-lost Uncle Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle) turns up long enough to help Bran (Hempstead Wright). Cersei (Lena Headey) exacts her revenge and the one real surprise this season was an unintended consequence. Little in the way of surprises here.
The 1.78:1 ratio is retained and overall, the high definition transfer is sharp as details pop and you don’t get lost in the many shadows. The discs come with Dolby Atmos with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core so they sound terrific.
The special features, listed below per disc, provides you with some important information regarding the thinking that went into the rise of the women, the resurrection of Jon Snow, and charting a path further from Martin’s novels.
Disc One
- In Episode Guides
- Audio Commentaries:
- Episode 1with Director Jeremy Podeswa, Director of Photography Greg Middleton and Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne)
- Episode 2with Writer Dave Hill, Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth) and Ben Crompton (Dolorous Edd)
- Episode 3with Director Daniel Sackheim, Production Designer Deborah Riley, and Dean-Charles Chapman (Tommen Baratheon)
Disc Two
- In Episode Guides
- Audio Commentaries:
- Episode 4with Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei, Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont), and Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm)
- Episode 5with Gemma Whelan (Yara Greyjoy), Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed) and Kristian Nairn (Hodor)
- Episode 5with Prosthetics Supervisor Barrie Gower, Camera Operators Chris Plevin and Ben Wilson and Executive Producer Bernadette Caulfield)
- Recreating the Dothraki World(20:15) documents the efforts to revive elements that hadn’t been seen since season one.
Disc Three
- In Episode Guides
- Audio Commentaries:
- Episode 6with Director Jack Bender, Director of Photography Jonathan Freeman, John Bradley (Samwell Tarly) and Hannah Murray (Gilly)
- Episode 7with Producer/Writer Bryan Cogman, Ian McShane (Septon Ray), and Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell)
- Episode 8with Director Mark Mylod, Essie Davis (Lady Crane) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister)
Disc Four
- In Episode Guides
- Audio Commentaries:
- Episode 9with Director Miguel Sapochnik, Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), and Kit Harington (Jon Snow)
- Episode 9with Director of Photography Fabian Wagner, Visual Effects Producer Steve Kullback, and Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Bauer
- Episode 10with Executive Producers/Writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), and Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister)
- Episode 10with Special Effects Supervisor Sam Conway, Camera Operator Sean Savage and Producer Chris Newman
- The Battle of the Bastards(1080p; 30:01) is a detailed look at one of the largest set pieces in the series’
- 18 Hours at the Paint Hall(1080p; 28:17) is a “you are there” featurette showing what a day on set can be like.
- Histories and Lore
- The Old Way(4:25)
- The Kingsmoot(3:45)
- The Summer Sea(4:05)
- War of the Ninepenny Kings(2:49)
- The Great Tourney at Harrenhal(6:07)
- Robert’s Rebellion(1080p; 6:07)
- Vaes Dothrak(3:56)
- The Dothraki(4:43)
- Northern Allegiances to House Stark(4:56)
- Children of the Forest vs. The First Men(4:43)
- Brotherhood Without Banners(3:56)
- Oldtown(5:35)
- House Dayne(4:11)
- The Little Birds(3:12)
- Knights of the Vale(5:35)
- House Tarly(4:35)
- Riverrun(3:35)
- Great Sept of Baelor(4:23)
- Deleted Scenes(11:08)