Game of Darkness

We’ve been watching The Game of Thrones on TV. Judging by the sound track, I’d guess this week’s episode involved a major battle, but I couldn’t be sure. The first 10 minutes were shot in almost complete darkness; we could make out nothing until some young lady removed her clothing and her skin reflected the meagre light of a few candles.

As for the battle, we were given occasional glimpses lit only by firebrands — a flashing sword, a helmet, a wall, a set of oars splashing in water — but for the most part the screen was black. To be fair, the battle did include a short sequence where a fleet of ships was destroyed by green fire and a dozen blazing stunt men fell to their deaths in the water. But as soon as the flames died we were thrown back into the dark again.

Is it just me, or has this whole series been shot in the dark?