It’s been a long winter for Game of Thrones fans, and the wait for the final season is not quite over yet. Season eight doesn’t premiere until 15 April in the UK, 16 months after the season seven finale.
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Based on plot details that have been released, Entertainment Weekly reports that the first episode of stakes place at Winterfell and will have references to the show's pilot. For example, Daenerys and her army's arrival at the Stark’s ancestral home will be a note to King Robert and his procession’s approach way back in episode one.
Because there will be decade old references, watching the first episode is a good place to start your refresher course. The pilot sets the scene explaining the roles of the four important families and the dynamics between them.
Characters’ backstories
Daenerys is not the only one heading to the north. EW warns to prepare for interpersonal conflicts as the universe’s characters draw together in preparation for the Invasion of the Dead. That means a bit of revision on backstories will definitely come in handy as characters who have never met are suddenly side-by-side with those who have long histories together.
To make sure you pick up on every nuance, its worth checking in with the last two seasons, particularly the final episodes of season seven.
Battle scenes
If you want to understand the show's evolution, it may be worth taking a look back at some of the series's most famous battle scenes, particularly because the intensity of season eight's upcoming final battle has already got people talking. According to GQ: “The final fight with the Army of the Dead looks set to be the biggest and most sustained action scene ever made for any TV series or film, with one entire episode directed by Miguel Sapochnik… dedicated to solid action.”
In true Game of Thrones style, the mammoth battle, which took 55 nights to film, will be interwoven with moments of personal drama - which should keep the action compelling rather than exhausting.
Where to watch
If you’d like to re-watch the whole show while there’s still time, you watch the entire series with a NOW TV entertainment pass. A subcription costs £7.99 a month, or you can try out the service with a 14-day free trial.
Sky subscribers can download past episodes using the Sky Go service.
Once you're all caught up, you can watch the first episode of season eight at exactly the same time as US viewers by tuning into on Sky Atlantic at 2am on 15 April. If that sounds a bit hardcore, Sky will repeat the episode at 9pm.
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