Game of Thrones turned out to be a huge hit for HBO this summer.  The series, based on the books by George R.R. Martin captivated, fans with its sweeping tale of royalty, treachery, family and fantasy.  When the first season ended after 10 episodes in the middle of June, fans were hungry for season 2, which, unfortunately, won't air until the spring of 2012.

However, the cast has been back to work for months, filming the second season.  When we last saw the show, many of the characters were facing danger or embarking on the next chapter of their lives.  The Stark family, for example, had lost their patriarch, Ned Stark.  Jon Snow was prepared to go beyond the Wall into more savage territory.  Catelyn Stark had captured Jaime Lannister and was prepared to take revenge against the family that had killed her husband.  Sansa is being trapped by King Joffrey in King's Landing, while her younger sister Ayra is on the run from the family's enemies.  Meanwhile, Daenerys lost her husband and has been "reborn" with her dragons.  For a more comprehensive recap of where the characters stood at the end of season 1 of Game of Thrones, click here.

HBO hasn't really released a proper season 2 trailer yet for the show, but they have prepared a behind the scenes featurette that shows several new characters, including Melisandre and Stannis.  The writers/producers also discuss the challenges of the second season, including the overall expansion of the world and the introduction of many new characters, which is quite a feat for a show that already had a fairly large cast.  The featurette also includes a few brief scenes for the upcoming second season.  Season 2 will also feature 10 episodes, but will be far larger in scope and scale.  HBO hopes to keep the series running for 7 or even 8 seasons, according to a presentation they made this summer during the TCAs.

Watch the behind the scenes look below.  For more on the show and season 2, visit our Game of Thrones page.