Photo courtesy of Helen Sloan/HBO

17.4 million.

That is the number of people that streamed the latest episode of the mega-hit fantasy drama Game of Thrones.

The high-stakes of this large viewership haven’t affected writers who refused to give into the pressure for a sensationalist opening to the series’ final season. If you wanted a season premiere that was going to give you all the answers right off the bat, you’re watching the wrong show.

The eighth season premiere brings you back into Westeros, with forces rallying against the Night King and his army of zombie Wights. Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen have joined forces but the North remains distrustful of the Dragon Queen.

Perhaps some might be disheartened by the lack of haste the episode brings, but with five episodes lined up with run times long enough to rival some full feature movies, the time for fast-paced action is just around the corner.

Exposition is difficult, but the interweaving plot of the episode was up for the task. The episode parallels its pilot all those years ago, showing us how things have changed. In the original opening, Arya was a young girl watching the Lannisters arrive in her stolen helmet. Now, as a warrior with her own dark agenda, she watches attentively. Tyrion returns once more to Winterfell with the same cold reception he received at the beginning of the series, but the stakes are so much higher.

Finally, there is the brief meeting of Jaime Lannister and Bran Stark. At the end of the pilot episode released in 2011, Jamie pushes Bran from the window of a tower, now he returns to see the damage that he has done. The show symbolically brings you back to where it all began.

That is what the arc of the first episode does so well. It sets up a great story waiting to be told. From the political tension between the Northerners and Daenyres’ army, to Bran and Jaime’s fateful meeting, the episode leaves you in speculation about what exactly winter will bring next. The technical components of the show, such as its cinematography and lighting, need little introduction with seven seasons under their belt. The art of creating the fantastical and visually stunning world of Westeros has been perfected.

We’re greeted with the dull blues and blacks of Winterfell which alludes to the horrors soon to come. By contrast, the King’s Landing scenes are given a brighter almost optimistic lighting. It is almost as if the characters are still in disbelief as to what is going to occur. Even more respect goes to the CGI team for creating one of the most, if not the only, believable live action dragon scenes to date. Drogon and Rheagal – Daenerys’ two remaining dragons – have developed personalities, all with the help of this dedicated team.

Sophie Turner portrays a commanding Sansa Stark. Turner’s ability to step into a role developed over nearly a decade is a tribute to her evolution as an actor. Through torture, heartbreak and defeat, the Lady of Winterfell has changed and is ready for what lies ahead. Through bare interactions with Daenerys and Tyrion, Turner makes the audience suspicious of other characters’ motives and watchful of Sansa’s next moves.

John Bradley’s portrayal of Samwell Tarly was another example of exemplary acting in an already exemplary show. With only five minutes of screentime, Bradley showed us what true loss feels like in a season expected to bring so much of it. He also skillfully carries some of the most pivotal information in the series: the true identity of Jon Snow. While all eyes were on Jon Snow – portrayed by Kit Harington – as he took in the news, Bradley should have received a silent round of applause.

It is this big reveal and evolving relationships between characters that made this episode so intriguing. Characters that we have not seen together since season one – literally eight years ago – were thrown in together once more.

This season is set to carry on with the acting and style viewers have come to know and love. Nothing is for certain, war is never pretty and finally, winter has arrived.