Season 1

Season 1 is the first season of HBO's Game of Thrones. Production began on July 23, 2010 and lasted until December 18, 2010. Season 1's DVD/Blu-ray set was released on 5 March 2012.

Season 1 premiered on April 17, 2011 with "Winter is Coming", and ended with "Fire and Blood" on June 29, 2011.

Season 1 is mostly based on A Game of Thrones, the first book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin.

Plot
Season 1 spans a period of several months on a world where the seasons last for years at a time. The action begins in the unified Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as the long summer ends and winter draws near. Lord Eddard Stark is asked by his old friend, King Robert Baratheon, to serve as the Hand of the King following the death of the previous incumbent, Eddard's mentor Jon Arryn. Eddard is reluctant, but receives intelligence suggesting that Jon was murdered. Eddard accepts Robert's offer, planning to use his position and authority to investigate the alleged murder.

Meanwhile, on the eastern continent of Essos, the exiled children of House Targaryen, which Robert destroyed to claim the throne, are plotting to return to Westeros and unseat the 'usurper'. To this end, Viserys Targaryen arranges the marriage of his sister Daenerys to Khal Drogo, the leader of 40,000 Dothraki warriors, in return for the use of his warriors in invading Westeros. For her part, Daenerys just wants to find a safe refuge far away from King Robert's assassins and her brother's scheming ambition.

Finally, on the northern-most border of the Seven Kingdoms the sworn brothers of the Night's Watch guard the Wall, a 300-mile-long colossal fortification of ice which has stood for thousands of years. The Watch defends the Wall against the depredations of the lawless wildlings who live beyond, but rumor speaks of a new threat arising in the lands of perpetual winter.

Starring

 * Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark (9 episodes)
 * Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon (7 episodes)
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister (8 episodes)
 * Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark (9 episodes)
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister (10 episodes)
 * Emilia Clarke as Princess Daenerys Targaryen (9 episodes)
 * Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont (9 episodes)
 * Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish (8 episodes)


 * Harry Lloyd as Prince Viserys Targaryen (5 episodes)
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow (8 episodes)
 * Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark (9 episodes)
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark (9 episodes)
 * Richard Madden as Robb Stark (8 episodes)
 * Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy (9 episodes)
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark (8 episodes)
 * Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon (10 episodes)
 * Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane (8 episodes)
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (9 episodes)

Also Starring

 * Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo (9 episodes)

Guest Starring

 * Ron Donachie as Ser Rodrik Cassel (9 episodes)
 * Amrita Acharia as Irri (8 episodes)
 * Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle (8 episodes)
 * Conleth Hill as Lord Varys (7 episodes)
 * Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin (7 episodes)
 * Josef Altin as Pypar (6 episodes)
 * Susan Brown as Septa Mordane (6 episodes)
 * Elyes Gabel as Rakharo (6 episodes)
 * Ian McElhinney as Lord Commander Barristan Selmy (6 episodes)
 * Roxanne McKee as Doreah (6 episodes)
 * Dar Salim as Qotho (6 episodes)
 * Mark Stanley as Grenn (6 episodes)
 * Gethin Anthony as Lord Renly Baratheon (5 episodes)
 * Esme Bianco as Ros (5 episodes)
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly (5 episodes)
 * James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (5 episodes)
 * Jerome Flynn as Bronn (5 episodes)
 * Francis Magee as Yoren (5 episodes)
 * Luke McEwan as Rast (5 episodes)
 * Kristian Nairn as Hodor (5 episodes)
 * Eugene Simon as Lancel Lannister (5 episodes)
 * Jamie Sives as Jory Cassel (5 episodes)
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister (4 episodes)
 * Emun Elliott as Marillion (4 episodes)


 * Aimee Richardson as Princess Myrcella Baratheon (4 episodes)
 * Robert Sterne as Royal Steward (4 episodes)
 * Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne (4 episodes)
 * Natalia Tena as Osha (4 episodes)
 * Callum Wharry as Prince Tommen Baratheon (4 episodes)
 * Dominic Carter as Commander Janos Slynt (3 episodes)
 * Kate Dickie as Lady Lysa Arryn (3 episodes)
 * Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn (3 episodes)
 * Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister (3 episodes)
 * Wilko Johnson as Ser Ilyn Payne (3 episodes)
 * Clive Mantle as Greatjon Umber (3 episodes)
 * Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark (3 episodes)
 * Art Parkinson as Rickon Stark (3 episodes)
 * Mia Soteriou as Mirri Maz Duur (3 episodes)
 * Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon (3 episodes)
 * Miltos Yerolemou as Syrio Forel (3 episodes)
 * Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant (2 episodes)
 * Joe Dempsie as Gendry (2 episodes)
 * Mark Lewis Jones as Shagga (2 episodes)
 * Sibel Kekilli as Shae (2 episodes)
 * Conan Stevens as Ser Gregor Clegane (2 episodes)
 * Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell (2 episodes)
 * Ben Hawkey as Hot Pie ("Fire and Blood")
 * Eros Vlahos as Lommy Greenhands ("Fire and Blood")

Co-Starring

 * Dermot Keaney as Gared ("Winter is Coming")
 * Rob Ostlere as Ser Waymar Royce ("Winter is Coming")
 * Sir John Standing as Lord Jon Arryn ("Winter is Coming")
 * Bronson Webb as Will ("Winter is Coming")
 * Ian Whyte as a White Walker ("Winter is Coming")
 * Spencer Wilding as a White Walker ("Winter is Coming")
 * Claire Wright as a Wildling girl ("Winter is Coming")
 * Rania Zouari as a Pentoshi servant ("Winter is Coming")
 * Conor Delaney as a Lannister guardsman ("The Kingsroad")
 * Rhodri Hosking as Mycah ("The Kingsroad")
 * Sarita Piotrowski as Jhiqui ("The Kingsroad")
 * Lalor Roddy as the catspaw assassin ("The Kingsroad")
 * Seamus Kelly as a Goldcloak ("Lord Snow")
 * Paul Portelli as a Drunk Man ("Lord Snow")
 * Nickovich Sammut as a Goldcloak ("Lord Snow")
 * Susie Kelly as Masha Heddle ("Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things")
 * Patrick Ryan as a Knight of House Frey ("Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things")
 * Andrew Wilde as Tobho Mott ("Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things")
 * Antonia Christophers as Mhaegen ("The Wolf and the Lion")
 * Alan Paris as a Goldcloak ("The Wolf and the Lion")
 * Barrington Cullen as Eon Hunter ("A Golden Crown")
 * Niall Cusack as a Riverlands refugee ("A Golden Crown")
 * Stephen Don as Stiv ("A Golden Crown")
 * Amira Ghazella as a Dothraki crone ("A Golden Crown")
 * Barry O'Connor as Wallen ("A Golden Crown")
 * Patrick Rocks as a Knight of House Lynderly ("A Golden Crown")
 * David Michael Scott as Lord Beric Dondarrion ("A Golden Crown")
 * Graham Charles as Varly ("You Win or You Die")
 * Phil Dixon as Tomard ("You Win or You Die")
 * Sahara Knite as Armeca ("You Win or You Die")
 * Simon Lowe as the Wineseller ("You Win or You Die")
 * Tristan Mercieca as a Little Bird ("You Win or You Die")
 * Jeffrey O'Brien as Ser Jaremy Rykker ("You Win or You Die")
 * Rick Burn as a Stark guard ("The Pointy End")
 * Hugo Culverhouse as a stableboy at the Red Keep ("The Pointy End")
 * Chris Gallagher as a Lannister scout ("The Pointy End")
 * Frank O'Sullivan as a Night's Watch messenger ("The Pointy End")
 * Matthew Scurfield as Vayon Poole ("The Pointy End")
 * Simon Stewart as a Lannister messenger ("The Pointy End")
 * David Bradley as Lord Walder Frey ("Baelor")
 * Colin Carnegie as Stevron Frey ("Baelor")
 * Stephen Grech as a King's Landing urchin ("Baelor")
 * Marcus Lamb as a Night's Watchman ("Baelor")
 * Bryan McCaugherty as Walder Rivers ("Baelor")
 * Edward Mercieca as a King's Landing baker ("Baelor")
 * Steven Blount as Lord Rickard Karstark ("Fire and Blood")
 * Ben Hawkey as Hot Pie ("Fire and Blood")
 * B.J. Hogg as Ser Addam Marbrand ("Fire and Blood")
 * Gerry O'Brien as Lord Jonos Bracken ("Fire and Blood")
 * Faolan Morgan as a Stark guard ("Fire and Blood")
 * Eros Vlahos as Lommy Greenhands ("Fire and Blood")

Deleted Scenes
Due to limitations of filming time, there was very little shot for the season which was not eventually used. However, a notable scene cut was a flashback scene featuring the execution of Brandon Stark at the hands of the Mad King. Actors were cast for this scene and it was filmed, even appearing in some trailers, but ultimately was not used. The scene did not even appear on DVD or Blu-ray releases of the season.