Game of Thrones (season 3)
"Game of Thrones" rapidly became a critical and commercial success after it started airing in April 2011. A few days after ratings for the second season's premiere, "The North Remembers", hit a series high of 8.3 million viewers, HBO announced the show's renewal for a third season. Prior to that announcement, there had been rumors and reports that showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss planned to shoot seasons three and four simultaneously. Benioff said that this would be very efficient, but impossible to write.
Game of Thrones
First-season reviewers said the series had high production values, a fully realized world and compelling characters. According to "Variety", "There may be no show more profitable to its network than 'Game of Thrones' is to HBO. Fully produced by the pay cabler and already a global phenomenon after only one season, the fantasy skein was a gamble that has paid off handsomely". The second season was also well received. "Entertainment Weekly" praised its "vivid, vital, and just plain fun" storytelling and, according to "the Hollywood Reporter", the series made a "strong case for being one of TV's best series"; its seriousness made it the only drama comparable to "Mad Men" or "Breaking Bad". "The New York Times" gave the series a mixed review, criticizing its number of characters, their lack of complexity and a meandering plot.