heim ▁and ▁B ender ▁were ▁first - time ▁Game ▁of ▁Th ron es ▁direct ors , ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁each ▁having ▁directed ▁two ▁episodes ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁season . ▁ ▁Writing ▁With ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁fifth ▁season , ▁the ▁content ▁of ▁the ▁show ▁has ▁reached ▁the ▁plot ▁of ▁the ▁latest ▁novel ▁in ▁Martin ' s ▁A ▁Song ▁of ▁Ice ▁and ▁Fire ▁series , ▁A ▁Dance ▁with ▁Drag ons . ▁Season ▁ 6 ▁director ▁Jer emy ▁P odes wa ▁said ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 : ▁" Right ▁now ▁in ▁season ▁six , ▁what ▁we ' re ▁shooting ▁currently ▁isn ' t ▁based ▁on ▁anything ▁in ▁the ▁book . ▁It ' s ▁fully ▁based ▁on ▁discuss ions ▁the ▁writers ▁have ▁had ▁with ▁George ▁Martin , ▁because ▁the ▁series ▁has ▁now ▁sur pass ed ▁the ▁books ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁what ' s ▁available ." ▁Act ress ▁Natal ie ▁D orm er , ▁who ▁plays ▁Mar ga ery ▁Ty rell , ▁later ▁added ▁that ▁the ▁show ' s ▁writers ▁" know ▁where ▁it ' s ▁got ▁to ▁go ▁and ▁what ▁[ Ge orge ▁Martin ] ' s ▁intent ions ▁for ▁the ▁characters ▁are . ▁But ▁they ▁are ▁just ▁filling ▁in ▁the ▁g aps ." ▁ ▁The ▁season ▁premi ere ▁starts ▁off ▁right ▁where ▁the ▁fifth ▁season ▁ended . ▁A ▁plot ▁from ▁The ▁W inds ▁of ▁Winter ▁regarding ▁a ▁travel ing ▁the ater ▁tr oupe ▁located ▁in ▁Bra av os ▁that ▁stages ▁a ▁play ▁called ▁" The ▁Blo ody ▁Hand ", ▁about ▁the ▁events