Visually this is on a par with many a cinematic effort. The effects which create castles and cities are of a high standard and the opening scene involving a foreboding, snow-covered wood was hauntingly beautiful. The costumes are superb; very original, with unusual and authentic-looking hair and makeup designs. The cinematography is simply beautiful, with some amazing wide shots (courtesy of the special effects) of the interesting landscapes on display, ranging from damp, Gothic castles to sweeping seascapes and deserts.
This episode offered the perfect balance of dark scares, humour, drama and character-building. I'd heard beforehand it would be full of sex, violence and swearing. I thought the amount of each was entirely in proportion with the type of series this is and didn't find it gratuitous at all. I have never read the books but despite the complexity, with many families introduced and their myriad connections to each other unclear at this early stage, I didn't find the content overly complex or hard to follow.
The acting was good - not excellent but easily of the standard required. The impression created is that this will improve as the series progresses. All in all this was an excellent opening episode and I look forward to more.