Game of Thrones season 6

The series surpassed the books and set new highs.

The sixth season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones aired on HBO from April 24 to June 26, 2016, consisting of 10 episodes. The season drew on material from George R. R. Martin's unpublished novels and outlines, as the series surpassed the published books. It follows the ongoing conflicts among Westerosi noble families and the rise of new powers across the realm.

Quick Facts

Season number: 6
Showrunner: David Benioff; D. B. Weiss
Episodes: 10
Network: HBO
First aired: 24 April 2016
Last aired: 26 June 2016

Facts from the source article.

Production

The writing staff for the sixth season included executive producers and showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, producer Bryan Cogman, and Dave Hill. George R. R. Martin did not write an episode for this season, choosing instead to work on the sixth novel, The Winds of Winter. The directing staff consisted of Jeremy Podeswa (episodes 1 and 2), Daniel Sackheim (episodes 3 and 4), Jack Bender (episodes 5 and 6), Mark Mylod (episodes 7 and 8), and Miguel Sapochnik (episodes 9 and 10).

Sackheim and Bender were first-time directors for the series. With the end of the fifth season, the plot had reached the most recent novel, A Dance with Dragons. Director Jeremy Podeswa stated in August 2015 that the season was not based on anything in the books but on discussions with Martin. Actress Natalie Dormer added that the writers knew Martin's intentions for the characters and were filling in the gaps.

The season premiere began where the fifth season ended. Material from an excerpt of The Winds of Winter, published online, about a traveling theater troupe in Braavos staging a play called "The Bloody Hand," was included. Filming ran from July 2015 to December, in Northern Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Iceland, and Canada. The budget increased to over $10 million per episode, totaling over $100 million for the season.

Reception

On Metacritic, the season had a score of 73 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received a 94% approval rating from 667 critics, with an average rating of 8.25 out of 10. The site's critical consensus described it as "Bloody and captivating as always. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times highlighted humorous moments.

The Boston Globe called the premiere a "busy hour" but noted fun was afoot. Vulture gave the premiere a score of 4 out of 5, finding it more compelling than season 5. Observer.com praised it for not overly rushing. The Orlando Sentinel commended the show for playing by its own rules and not pandering.

Slate stated that the series was finally off book and anything could happen. Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture gave a positive review, noting the world remained dangerous but the writers were not pulling wings off butterflies. Entertainment Weekly gave the premiere a 'B', saying the show looked great but was approaching great-drama retirement age. NPR praised the season for reaching new heights and setting up its endgame.

Release

The season was simulcast around the world by HBO and its broadcast partners, airing the day after its first release in some countries. By the end of 2016, it became the most-pirated TV series of the year. In November 2015, a teaser poster displaying Jon Snow was released on the official Game of Thrones Twitter account. A 41-second teaser trailer followed in early December, featuring Jon Snow from the fifth season episode "Hardhome" and voice-overs from Max von Sydow and Isaac Hempstead Wright.

The first footage appeared in a promotional video highlighting HBO's new and returning shows, showing Daenerys Targaryen, Ramsay Bolton, Cersei Lannister, and Tommen Baratheon. On December 28, 2015, Entertainment Weekly released an exclusive first look featuring an older Bran Stark with shorter hair. In January 2016, three teaser trailers were released, each depicting banners of houses Targaryen, Lannister, and Stark with voice-overs by Iwan Rheon, Jonathan Pryce, and an unknown Dothraki speaker.

In February, HBO released 28 exclusive photos confirming fates of Theon, Sansa, and Myrcella, with Jon Snow absent. A teaser trailer on February 14 showed faces of living and deceased characters, including Jon Snow in the House of Black and White. Later that month, 16 character posters and two official posters were released.