"With apologies to a sci-fi classic, the fifth season of Game of Thrones could easily be subtitled 'When Worlds Collide'," a review on Variety's website says. As HBO basks in the glory of a new season of Game of Thrones, it's easy to forget that less than a decade ago the network was being written off. "Having spent four magnificent campaigns establishing various constituencies with claims to the Iron Throne, four previewed episodes connect several of them in fascinating ways, while continuing to add new faces to an already sprawling cast." While the the San Francisco Chronicle hinted: "In some cases, these are characters we'd never thought of as even being in the same kingdom, much less the same physical space, as each other. "...Characters we have generally considered to be good will undergo changes this season, while others we've categorised as unredeemable villains show surprising moments of latent humanity."

There are also some big cuts from the books, according to the reviews, but nothing damaging to the story. Jonathan Pryce as High Sparrow. "Season five does, so far, feel in some ways the most well-rounded season since the first, more confident to ditch side plots that, while cherished by book fans, only serve to weigh down and distract the series," according to Vanity Fair's review. "The slimmer, streamlined series is wholly captivating: smart and suspenseful, clever and sad." Jessica Henwick as Nymeria Sand.

The new characters include the daughters of the (season four spoiler) now-departed Oberyn Martell, known as the Sand Snakes of Dorne, and the religious leader the High Sparrow. The Hollywood Reporter said the biggest gripe with the new season was the slow narrative pace caused by a still overcrowded storyline. "Tiny portions of story are doled out sparingly, and we're never really treated to one longer arc that's allowed to breathe and stretch over the course of a full hour (or more)," the review said. Yet, overall most of the early reviews have been positive. The eight reviews collected on Rotten Tomatoes suggest plenty of death and warring women that "could well prove to be the defining chapter of Game of Thrones as a series", giving it an average rating of 8.2/10. The Chronicle even went as far as to say: "The fact is, every season of Game of Thrones has seemed even better than the one before. This time, though, we really, really mean it."