A word, before we start, on what we mean by spoiler-free in our reviews. You’ll find not a sausage of plot, character or location details in the next few hundred words, nor allusions to any of the above. We’ve said it before but it bears repeating: to us, spoiler-free means exactly that. The last thing we want to do is take away even a smidge of the delicious surprise that comes from watching a brand new episode of a drama as assured and beautifully-composed as Game of Thrones. The first thing we want to do is link your arm in ours and jig about in a mad circle yelling “It’s back! It’s finally back! And it’s still brilliant!” (though that last bit may be explained by this having been written in the wee small hours after a modest application of free post-screening booze).

Written by showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, in terms of narrative, Valar Dohaeris is more preparatory intake of breath than fiery roar. It clarifies purpose, and deftly re-establishes the allegiances and locations of Westeros with a series of largely static, tense two and three-hander scenes.

Like that of the writers, Daniel Minahan’s work in the opening episode has the steady assurance of a director who knows he’s playing with a winning hand. The camerawork is unobtrusive and unflashy for the most part, a still witness to that series of ground-laying weighty conversations.

Minahan certainly can do flash of course, as proved by a playful sequence showcasing Game of Thrones’ impressive CGI dragons, a fluent travelling shot circling the post-battle walls of King’s Landing, and another swooping through the Wildling camp, but on the whole he holds back here, allowing the script, cast and locations the space to piece together their story. Weiss, Benioff and Minahan all have the confidence of people building something in this episode, preparing a foundation to support future action. Like Littlefinger, they’re playing the long game.